Rowan Conway's guest appearances

Rowan Conway

Circular Economy 2017 Summit

Beyond Human Stories

Valuable Conversations with UCL IIPP

What Can We Do In These Powerful Times?

Tim Brown

Jude Currivan

Mike Smith

Nikki Silvestri

Leyla Acaroglu

Ken Webster

Carlota Perez

Ed Gillespie

Mac Macartney

Patrick Holden

Phil Brown

Jonathan Ledgard

Istvan Kenyeres

Christopher Kutarna

Simon Hampel

OwlTail

Welcome to Valuable Conversations with the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. Today’s guest is Rowan Conway, our instructor for the MPA module Transformation by Design. MPA alumni Níckolas Laport and Justin Beirold talk to Rowan about her circuitous journey to becoming a renowned expert in strategic design and public policy. We discuss her education and early career, and how she got involved with the London Olympics in 2012. We also talk about her work as Director of Innovation at the RSA, how she joined IIPP and became head of the Mission-Oriented Innovation Network(MOIN), and the challenges of participatory design. We hope you enjoy this conversation! Guest Bio: Until very recently, Rowan was head of the Mission-Oriented Innovation Network MOIN at IIPP. MOIN brings together leading global policy-making institutions – including state investment banks, innovation agencies, cities and government departments to share the challenges and opportunities they face when trying to create and nurture public value.  As part of her work at the Institute, Rowan teaches strategic design and is module lead and course lecturer for the MPA module Transformation by Design. Prior to joining UCL, Rowan was Director of Innovation at the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) where she set up the RSA Lab, an experimental space that uses design methods to explore, prototype and test research insights and policy ideas with government agencies, NGOs, academic partners, NHS Trusts, businesses and social enterprises. She designed and led a range of action research programmes on the future of work, deliberative democracy, tech and society, circular economy and systems innovation. Prior to that, she has 15 years experience leading a wide range of design and engagement processes, notably the community participation in the design process for London 2012 Olympic Park. She holds an MSc in Responsibility and Business Practice from the University of Bath and is a PhD Candidate at IIPP. - Read more about Rowan from the IIPP: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/people/rowan-conway - Follow Rowan on Twitter: @RowanEConway Learn about our MPA alumni hosts: -Níckolas Laport: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/nickolas-laport -Justin Beirold (Link) https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/justin-beirold Follow IIPP on Twitter: @IIPP_UCL https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/ Production and music by Justin Beirold  For all podcast-related feedback and inquiries, please email justin.beirold.20@ucl.ac.uk

Welcome to Valuable Conversations with the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. Today’s guest is Rowan Conway, our instructor for the MPA module Transformation by Design. MPA alumni Níckolas Laport and Justin Beirold talk to Rowan about her circuitous journey to becoming a renowned expert in strategic design and public policy. We discuss her education and early career, and how she got involved with the London Olympics in 2012. We also talk about her work as Director of Innovation at the RSA, how she joined IIPP and became head of the Mission-Oriented Innovation Network(MOIN), and the challenges of participatory design. We hope you enjoy this conversation! Guest Bio: Until very recently, Rowan was head of the Mission-Oriented Innovation Network MOIN at IIPP. MOIN brings together leading global policy-making institutions – including state investment banks, innovation agencies, cities and government departments to share the challenges and opportunities they face when trying to create and nurture public value. As part of her work at the Institute, Rowan teaches strategic design and is module lead and course lecturer for the MPA module Transformation by Design. Prior to joining UCL, Rowan was Director of Innovation at the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) where she set up the RSA Lab, an experimental space that uses design methods to explore, prototype and test research insights and policy ideas with government agencies, NGOs, academic partners, NHS Trusts, businesses and social enterprises. She designed and led a range of action research programmes on the future of work, deliberative democracy, tech and society, circular economy and systems innovation. Prior to that, she has 15 years experience leading a wide range of design and engagement processes, notably the community participation in the design process for London 2012 Olympic Park. She holds an MSc in Responsibility and Business Practice from the University of Bath and is a PhD Candidate at IIPP. - Read more about Rowan from the IIPP: <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/people/rowan-conway" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/people/rowan-conway</a> - Follow Rowan on Twitter: @RowanEConway Learn about our MPA alumni hosts: -Níckolas Laport: <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/nickolas-laport" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/nickolas-laport</a> -Justin Beirold (Link) <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/justin-beirold" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/justin-beirold</a> Follow IIPP on Twitter: @IIPP_UCL <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/</a> Production and music by Justin Beirold For all podcast-related feedback and inquiries, please email justin.beirold.20@ucl.ac.uk

Rowan Conway (LinkedIn, Twitter, UCL) is Visiting Professor of Strategic Design at UCL’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP). Between 2019-2022 she worked with Professor Mariana Mazzucato to lead the Mission Oriented Innovation Network (MOIN) at IIPP, convening global policy-making institutions in a range of exploratory design projects focused on mission-oriented innovation and public value creation. Rowan was Director of Innovation at the Royal Society of Arts, and part of the Design Team for London 2012 Olympic Park. She is a doctoral candidate at IIPP.A very rich conversation, and so goes to 44 minutes. There is some small swearing (one use of b*ll*cks). Apologies for both!Two key quotes (of many):-If the dominant mode of entrepreneurialism is the venture mode, then we are on the path to wealthy hell.-Living life as inquiry has really helped in terms of personal groundedness. Doing micro-experiments, being able to sort of take my own experience, and, and observe it through a process of kind of trying something, seeing if it works or not.Links-Elinor Ostrom on wikipedia here.-The RSA's Power to Create explained in 2014 here.-Neoliberalism on wikipedia here.-Experimental psychology on wikipedia here.-Coloniality of power on wikipedia here and of power on wikipedia here.-'Think like a system, act like an entrepreneur' Matthew Taylor (when head of the RSA) wrote about this in a blog here and a report (with Rowan) here.-"Living Life As Inquiry" by Judi Marshall (mentioned  at about 33 minutes) here.-First person action inquiry: “skills and methods [that] address the ability of the researcher to foster an inquiring approach to his or her own life, to act awaredly and choicefully, and to assess effects in the outside world while acting.” As such, first-person research is research that we do by ourselves on ourselves."Timings0:52 - Q1 What are you doing now? And how did you get there4:33 - BONUS QUESTION: What is inside the boundaries of design practice?6:51 - Q2. What is the future you are trying to create, and why26:40 - Q3. What are your priorities for the next few years, and why?33:01 - Q4. If someone was inspired to follow those priorities, what should they do next?38:51 - Q5. If your younger self was starting their career now, what advice would you give them?40:15 Q6. Who would you nominate to answer these questions, because you admire their approach?42:15 Q7. Is there anything else important you feel you have to say?More analysis here

Rowan Conway (<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rowan-conway-09bab58/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/RowanEConway" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/rowan-conway" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">UCL</a>) is Visiting Professor of Strategic Design at UCL’s <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose</a> (IIPP). Between 2019-2022 she worked with Professor Mariana Mazzucato to lead the <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/partnerships/mission-oriented-innovation-network-moin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mission Oriented Innovation Network (MOIN) at IIPP</a>, convening global policy-making institutions in a range of exploratory design projects focused on mission-oriented innovation and public value creation. Rowan was Director of Innovation at the <a href="https://www.thersa.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Royal Society of Arts</a>, and part of the Design Team for London 2012 Olympic Park. She is a doctoral candidate at IIPP.A very rich conversation, and so goes to 44 minutes. There is some small swearing (one use of b*ll*cks). Apologies for both! Two key quotes (of many): -If the dominant mode of entrepreneurialism is the venture mode, then we are on the path to wealthy hell. -Living life as inquiry has really helped in terms of personal groundedness. Doing micro-experiments, being able to sort of take my own experience, and, and observe it through a process of kind of trying something, seeing if it works or not. Links-Elinor Ostrom on wikipedia <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elinor_Ostrom" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. -The RSA's Power to Create explained in 2014 <a href="https://www.thersa.org/blog/matthew-taylor/2014/09/the-power-to-create---more-than-just-a-pretty-phrase" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. -Neoliberalism on wikipedia <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. -Experimental psychology on wikipedia <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experimental_psychology" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. -Coloniality of power on wikipedia <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coloniality_of_power" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> and of power on wikipedia <a href="http://i" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. -'Think like a system, act like an entrepreneur' Matthew Taylor (when head of the RSA) wrote about this in a blog <a href="https://www.thersa.org/blog/2017/07/from-design-thinking-to-system-change#:~:text=By%20applying%20the%20think%20like,efforts%20to%20grow%20and%20influence" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> and a report (with Rowan) <a href="https://www.thersa.org/globalassets/pdfs/reports/rsa_from-design-thinking-to-system-change-report.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. -"Living Life As Inquiry" by Judi Marshall (mentioned  at about 33 minutes) <a href="http://www.jmarshall.org.uk/Papers/1999%20Marshall%20LivingLifeasInquiry.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. -<a href="https://thesystemsthinker.com/first-second-and-third-person-research-in-practice/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">First person action inquiry</a>: “skills and methods [that] address the ability of the researcher to foster an inquiring approach to his or her own life, to act awaredly and choicefully, and to assess effects in the outside world while acting.” As such, first-person research is research that we do by ourselves on ourselves." Timings0:52 - Q1 What are you doing now? And how did you get there 4:33 - BONUS QUESTION: What is inside the boundaries of design practice? 6:51 - Q2. What is the future you are trying to create, and why 26:40 - Q3. What are your priorities for the next few years, and why? 33:01 - Q4. If someone was inspired to follow those priorities, what should they do next? 38:51 - Q5. If your younger self was starting their career now, what advice would you give them? 40:15 Q6. Who would you nominate to answer these questions, because you admire their approach? 42:15 Q7. Is there anything else important you feel you have to say? More analysis <a href="https://davidbent.wordpress.com/?p=2243" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>

6. Rowan Conway

Season 3 USEpisode 5 (27 mins) – Collaborative Innovation(*We apologize for the sound quality in places !)“To go beyond the pixie dust of innovation, we must face real systemic needs in pragmatic ways”The fifth episode of Season 3 Genevieve talks with Rowan Conway, Director of Innovation and Development at the Royal Society of Arts.In this episode Genevieve and Rowan explore –- How to COLLABORATE on social problems instead of creating SOLUTIONS- The IMMUNITY to change in INSTITUTIONS- Genuine TRANSFORMATION sitting beyond DISRUPTION- FRUSTRATION as a catalyst for change- CULTURAL IDENTITY as a facilitator for innovation- Making COLLABORATIVE INNOVATION visible and viable- Moving from HEROIC ENTREPRENEURS to SYSTEMS ENGINEERS- The shift in META NARRATIVE to true collective SOCIAL COGNITION- Harnessing the POWER of NETWORKS in a new power paradigm anchored in TRUSTSHOW NOTEShttps://www.linkedin.com/in/rowan-conway-09bab58/ https://www.thersa.org/ beyondhumanstories.com/portfolio/tough-bliss-book/

Season 3 US Episode 5 (27 mins) – Collaborative Innovation (*We apologize for the sound quality in places !) “To go beyond the pixie dust of innovation, we must face real systemic needs in pragmatic ways” The fifth episode of Season 3 Genevieve talks with Rowan Conway, Director of Innovation and Development at the Royal Society of Arts. In this episode Genevieve and Rowan explore – - How to COLLABORATE on social problems instead of creating SOLUTIONS - The IMMUNITY to change in INSTITUTIONS - Genuine TRANSFORMATION sitting beyond DISRUPTION - FRUSTRATION as a catalyst for change - CULTURAL IDENTITY as a facilitator for innovation - Making COLLABORATIVE INNOVATION visible and viable - Moving from HEROIC ENTREPRENEURS to SYSTEMS ENGINEERS - The shift in META NARRATIVE to true collective SOCIAL COGNITION - Harnessing the POWER of NETWORKS in a new power paradigm anchored in TRUST SHOW NOTES <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rowan-conway-09bab58/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/rowan-conway-09bab58/</a> <a href="https://www.thersa.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thersa.org/</a> <a href="http://beyondhumanstories.com/portfolio/tough-bliss-book/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondhumanstories.com/portfolio/tough-bliss-book/</a>

Rowan Conway - Collaborative Innovation

When you discover the circular economy, the world never looks the same again. How can we spark the shift in mindset required to make system change inevitable? - Phil Brown, TU Delft Circular Product Design PhD Researcher - Leyla Acaroglu, Sustainability Provocateur, Designer &amp; Sociologist - Rowan Conway, Director of Innovation and Development, The RSA

When you discover the circular economy, the world never looks the same again. How can we spark the shift in mindset required to make system change inevitable? - Phil Brown, TU Delft Circular Product Design PhD Researcher - Leyla Acaroglu, Sustainability Provocateur, Designer &amp; Sociologist - Rowan Conway, Director of Innovation and Development, The RSA