Jun 16, 2021The Possibility SpectrumThe following framework has proven effective for rapid decision making, managing risk and widening the range of contexts where our teams are comfortable operating. It draws on running street research in locales such as Afghanistan, Brazil, China, Iran, Myanmar and Nigeria — and is suitable for street interactions in moderate…Travel9 min read
Published in Studio D·Dec 30, 2019Studio D 2019 End of Year ReportThis is our sixth year of operation. Most of our work is, and will remain confidential. — Sometimes the best thing to do is flip over the table and start over. The top line is this: Studio D is humming along nicely — a clear continuation of the trajectories of…Design7 min read
Published in Studio D·Nov 27, 2019When It Rains, It PoursPleased to announce a new research publication, a foundational research project on the sesame ecosystem in Myanmar—When It Rains, It Pours, commissioned by our friends at Proximity Designs. The hardback report is the result of ten researchers/designers/subject matter experts (seven Proximity + three Studio D) working pretty much flat out…Myanmar3 min read
Nov 15, 2019How to make an izakaya-grade chopstick.I’ve been working on a side project with fellow Japan-based designers James Gibson and Eko Hayashi. It all started with a visit to a chopstick factory in Yoshino, Nara. In a hurry? Just visit hamidashimono.com. Want the backstory? Read on… Every year billions of disposable chopsticks in Japan are thrown…Japan3 min read
Apr 8, 2019The Little Book Of FixersStudio D is pleased to announce The Little Book Of Fixers, a guide to building out trusted local teams, anywhere in the world. Available from Studio D and Amazon. The team at Studio D has been running international projects for well over a decade. The diversity of our client mandates…Technology3 min read
Dec 27, 2018Studio D 2018 End of Year ReportWhat we do and why, and what’s on the horizon. Studio D is a design, research and strategy consultancy based out of San Francisco. …Design21 min read
Published in Studio D·May 26, 2018High Altitude Hikes, Wolves and Exploring the BorderlandsOK, so it didn’t all go to plan. Studio D recently completed an expedition to Tajikistan and the Borderlands with Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and China. It didn’t go quite to plan. The Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) of Tajikistan literally sits at the roof of the world, with scattered high-altitude communities that…Expedition7 min read
Published in Studio D·Mar 23, 2018On RetirementStudio D just wrapped up a three-and-a-half-month project for a San Francisco based client. It included an unexpected lesson. Our team of eight, alongside the client, worked across three continents — including the last two weeks holed up in a house in Mill Valley surrounded by tall pines, where we…Retirement5 min read
Published in Studio D·Dec 25, 2017Studio D 2017 End of Year ReportStudio D is a design, research and strategy consultancy with offices in San Francisco and Tokyo. We specialise in getting teams on the ground, anywhere in the world, figuring what is going on and applying what we learn to make an impact. Most of our work is, and will remain…Design14 min read
Published in Studio D·Oct 14, 2017Fourteen Strangers, One Mountain Lodge, Three daysUsually when I run a project the team is picked with an eye to complimentary personalities and skillsets. With Field / Sichuan, the first of this year’s retreats that just completed, sign-up was open — I didn’t quite know what to expect. Who would attend? Would they get along? Most…Workshop2 min read
