Service Design looks to me to be sitting at a point of bifurcation. The recent launch of a dedicated journal, many conferences, an almost non-stop stream of discussion on numerous blogs and social networks, and an explosion of practitioners are opening the concept to new definitions.

I really like this essay on design and research by Paul Graham. It’s an elegant exploration of what’s different between design and what he describes as an active, exploratory form of research.

I’ve nursed a desire to climb Fuji-san for a number of years and this year’s Japan trip coincided with the summer climbing season so I made plans to complete the pilgrimage with Gaku, a friend who grew up in the prefecture surrounding Japan’s tallest mountain but had never climbed it.

It’s Nice That is a talented team of publishing inspiring work from across the creative sphere. They run a monthly talk, each event hosted by a guest speaker who brings two friends to showcase recent projects or thoughts.