Knowledge of Design Week 2021 Officially Opens Today

Knowledge of Design Week 2021 Officially Opens Today

More than 50 global innovators take on reshaping the future of service design in “Reimagining Service Economy”

Register online to view live event and on-demand for FREE through to 7 July 2021

All live forums will also be screened at D2 Place, ‘KODW CitySalon’ partner

HONG KONG SAR, 23 June 2021 – Knowledge of Design Week (KODW) 2021, which is organised by Hong Kong Design Centre with Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) as the lead sponsor,  kicks off its annual programme today as a free, hybrid live event. Simulcast for free on multiple platforms with simultaneous interpretation in English, Cantonese and Putonghua, KODW 2021 has gathered over 50 global experts in the fields of healthcare, e-commerce, digital solutions, inclusive design, and hospitality to dissect the much anticipated evolution of service design in our post-pandemic future. The programme will capture a global viewership, with channels ranging from live broadcast on ViuTV Channel 96 (23 & 24 June daily from 8:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. GMT+8) to live simulcast on website, social media and D2 Place, ‘KODW CitySalon’ partner.

Held from 21 to 25 June, the annual event themed ‘Reimagining Service Economy’ consists of 10 forum sessions (all held on 23 & 24 June after today’s kick-off ceremony) and 8 exclusive and hands-on workshops, each one led by respective industry leaders. This gathering of professionals engaging in cross-disciplinary discussions on the topic of Service Design aims to enlighten us on the question: “Why does Service Design matter more to cities and businesses in the new economy?”

KODW 2021 highlights the need for human-centric design for meaningful outcomes and successful enterprises. Prof. Eric Yim, Chairman of Hong Kong Design Centre welcomed the audience in his speech, saying, “While the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is great, we at the Hong Kong Design Centre decided not to let that stifle the ongoing engagements we have on design knowledge exchange, which is why we have you all here today. During trying times, we must look ahead to the future and push forward with human-centric design.”

The event’s Guest of Honour, The Honourable Edward Yau, GBS, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR Government, stated in his speech for KODW 2021’s opening ceremony: “The theme of KODW this year, ‘Reimagining Service Economy’, is particularly fitting amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It invites everyone to think and reflect on what could be the ‘new normal’ brought by the epidemic.”

Across the 10 forums, some of the highlights include, but are not limited to:

• Innovation for Future Service (23 June, 8:15 p.m. GMT+8, broadcast live on ViuTV Channel 96) - Tim Stock, Co-founder and Managing Partner at scenarioDNA, US, Emma Chiu, Global Director at Wunderman Thompson Intelligence, US, and Clive Grinyer, Head of Service Design at the Royal College of Art, UK, tackle the importance of human interaction in service design, why human-centric elements are important, and what service trends one can expect in the future.
• Winning in Hyper-efficient Commerce (24 June, 11:15 a.m. GMT+8, livestreamed online) - Ken Lo, Head of eCommerce, Hong Kong & Macau of SF Supply Chain, HK, Yvonne Leung, Chief Marketing Officer at Alipay Payment Services (HK) Limited, HK and Michael Ng, Head of Digital Product at WeLab Bank, HK, come together in this panel discussion to guide their audience in collecting smart data and using this to design a satisfying consumer e-journey.
• Creative Entrepreneurs & Industry Disruptors (24 June, 8:00 p.m. GMT+8, broadcast live on ViuTV Channel 96) - Eric Gnock Fah, Co-founder and COO of Klook, HK, Juliette Gimenez, CEO and Co-founder of Goxip, HK, Lofai Lo, Director and General Manager of ViuTV, HK, and Yat Siu, Co-founder and Chairman of Animoca Brands, HK, sit down for a session to share how to jog creativity and become a disruptor as they exchange their own stories and experiences across industries ranging from gaming, travel, food, to television programming.
• Innovating Future Health & Care (24 June, 8:50 p.m. GMT+8, broadcast live on ViuTV Channel 96) - Cheaw Hwei Low, Head of Design of Philips ASEAN Pacific and Design Consulting, Asia, Singapore, Reinier de Graaf, Partner at OMA, The Netherlands, P Jeremy Myerson, Helen Hamlyn Chair of Design of The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, Royal College of Art, UK, Rama Gheerawo, Director of The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, Royal College of Art, UK, and Dr Ching-choi Lam, SBS, JP, Chairman of the Elderly Commission, HKSAR Government, HK, will tread on the path to shaping better and more empathetic healthcare practices that centre around designing for different human needs.

 

KODW 2021 also features 8 interactive and hands-on workshops with limited places led by industry-renowned instructors. Among these not-to-be-missed upcoming workshops are:

• Exploring Future Services with LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method (17 June, 3:00 p.m. GMT+8; 20 June, 3:00 p.m. GMT+8; 25 June, 12:00 p.m. GMT+8) - Partner of Trivium and Certified LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® instructor Per Kristiansen, Denmark will give a hands-on introduction to this creative method and how it can be used to solve complex business problems.
• Creativity Leadership: Three Values to Transform Your Practice (25 June, 3:00 p.m. GMT+8) - Rama Gheerawo, Director of The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, Royal College of Art, UK, will lead you through the concept of Creative Leadership and how you can grow your leadership potential through creative means.

To register for free for the live forum sessions, and view news or updates from KODW 2021, visit the official website at www.kodw.bodw.com. All forum sessions are available for viewing on-demand for FREE through to 7 July 2021.