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It could be like this – An Interview with Jonny Weston

 

i-genius: What first got you interested in design?
Jonny: Two things, really. Firstly, I saw the impact that design as a process of problem-solving could have from working at the World Bank Institute before finishing school, and, second, I like the idea of having a positive influence on how people see the world, and then in turn the choices they make – from the banal to the important.

i-genius: Where did the company name come from?
Jonny:
Starting up a business in the midst of a recession isn’t easy – so I needed to utilise every opportunity to get myself noticed. As a former marketeer, I wanted my company’s name to stick firmly in people’s heads, and to inspire inquisitiveness, that moment of connection when people first take your business card. And whilst it’s crucial for any company to clearly state what it does, a degree of ambiguity in the name can be useful when growing and developing a business and the skills of its employees.

i-genius: What makes itcouldbelikethis unique?
Jonny:
As designers, we’ve worked on both sides of the creative fence: business has been both our employer and our client. For any creative idea to work, it’s vital to faithfully contextualise that in industry, and often that foresight is missing in design.

i-genius: What is the future for design?
Jonny:
I believe design gives people the opportunity to collaborate to make truly great things happen. I’d quote renowned designer Bruce Mau in that “design looks at the world with one eye looking to changing it”. Another leading light, Tim Brown of consultancy IDEO, has spoken often about design being much more important than creating “nifty, fashionable little objects”. Design can be truly democratic, especially important given our need to create global, shared solutions to all kinds of challenges.

i-genius: Where will itcouldbelikethis be in 2 years from now?
Jonny:
We have 3 priorities: helping organisations create an innovate internal culture by employing design processes to get to the right information and help everyone play their part; supporting businesses break new markets by understanding the anthropology of design and creativity; and in supporting the next generation of creative talent by pairing young entrepreneurs with growing SMEs.

www.itcouldbelikethis.com


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