Kicking Off A Design Thinking Curriculum

The format of John F. Kennedy University’s  ModCreative event derives from the belief that untapped stores of creativity emerge from collaborative spaces, and that a little structure can go a long way in inciting lucrative improvisations.

ModCreative was a promotional community event I produced for JFK University in the Spring of 2018 to promote the university’s new MA in Creative Strategy program.  This innovative program focused on Design Thinking and other iterative processes.  As Innovation and Creative Technology was outside the university’s major focuses of Psychology and Law, we needed to connect with a new market segment. 

Event Structure

The main feature of this half-day event was two 45-minute think-tank style sessions in which participants joined in on one of several small-group discussions of their choice, each facilitated by a local innovator whose work lies in the topic area. Topics included iterative design, non-hierarchical business structures, biomimesis, the business of creativity, emerging technologies. Prior to the sessions, ModCreative featured a 30-minute talk by keynote speaker Maggie Oh and an introduction to each of the discussion facilitators. The event was opened and closed with a short address from host Professor John Banks.

Speaker line-up

Keynote Speaker

Maggie Oh, Oh is currently Lead Technical Artist in Stadia R&D (Google). Formerly, Technical PM at ILMxLAB’s Advanced Development Group, the immersive experience and technology innovation branch of Lucasfilm. In addition to working at the cutting edge of the leading effects facility in the world, Oh has worked on projects such as LiveCGX at London Fashion Week 2018, Microsoft’s HoloLens, Halo 4, Pirates of the Caribbean 2, and Star Wars.

Non-Hierarchical Business Structures

Immad Akuhnd, CEO of Mercury Bank, Formerly a Y-Combinator partner, and Ceo and Co-founder of HeyZap, has appeared on inc.com‘s 30 under 30 list.

Emerging Technologies And Their Impact On Creativity

Tina Blaine,CEO of Rhythmix Cultural Works, is also a scholar who has worked to develop collective experiences that integrate game design, sonic discovery, and interactive media. 

 Developing ‘Strategic’ Story In Business

Lisa Cooke, Co-Founder of Illumina, a studio specializing in scientific visualization and corporate communications, has an extensive background in the film industry including as a story analyst, screenwriter, and creative consultant. She will be discussing the importance of.

Strategy In Emerging Technologies And Biomimetic Design

Clark Dodsworth, Osage Consulting, is a strategist and product definer whose work includes realtime AI, simulation, wearables, and innovative entertainment applications in spaces such as theme parks and online. He will discuss.

Discuss Iteration and Design

Mark Resch, the founder of Burner Express Air The official airline of Burning Man. 

Revolutionizing How Sports Fans Watch Their Favorite Events

Jason MacRae is Director of Creative and Digital Media at Sports Media Technology, a pioneer in sports technology.

The Business Of Art And Putting Chaos Onto The Schedule

David Valentin, Producer of Mr. Smith Studios, has spent over 20 years working at premiere visual effects facilities helping to deliver some of the most iconic shots in cinematic history. 

This event had approximately 160 registrants. 

Additionally, ModCreative served as the testbed for JFK University's new branding.


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