The British Council, in partnership with Tasmena, invited UK design expert Paula Zuccotti to visit the UAE in March 2014 for an exciting series of workshops and disussions:

Design Thinking Workshop

This half day workshop for design students introduced and explored key concepts in 'design thinking' via tangible exercises.

A round-table discussion at Design Days Dubai

This round table discussion at Design Days Dubai allowed design faculty staff and professionals to share their experience educating and/or executing ideas with/on 'design thinking'.

A panel discussion at Design Days Dubai

This one-hour panel discussion was targeted at design faculty staff, professionals and students. It introduced and explored key concepts in 'design thinking' via the examples and personal experiences of the panellists, who included Paula Zuccotti.

About Paula Zuccotti 

Paula worked for 11 years at Seymourpowell, one of London's best creative agencies. She joined the nascent Foresight department in June 2001 and created and developed their renowned ethnographic research offer that pioneered the field of design research. 

Paula was Head of User Research, an Associate Director of the business and, more recently, Director of Futures. She was responsible for vision, foresight, trends and ethnography to inform and inspire the product, transport, service, packaging brand and design development.

Paula left in June 2012 to start her own venture - 'The Overworld'.  The Overworld is a live, ongoing research observatory from where Paula does her consultancy work. The Overworld is all about lenses, filters and stories. It represents a refined way of looking, thinking and articulating what is happening around us.

The Overworld identifies and connects the emerging behaviours that unify individuals around the world at any given moment according to the lenses and filters they are viewed through.

The Overworld grows and strengthens as it learns, it is a fluid ecosystem. Observations become insights, connections between the insights uncover emerging trends and these trends become the lenses through which to observe the world again. It observes people and their everyday context; cities, cultures, homes, design, work, friends, technology, media and the arts.

About Design Days Dubai

Design Days Dubai is the leading fair in the Middle East and South Asia dedicated to collectible and limited edition furniture and design objects. The fair presents design from leading international designers and galleries alongside up and coming design from across the world. The fair also presents a strong non-commercial programme consisting of education, workshops, installations and live performances.

Design Days Dubai is owned and managed by Art Dubai Fair LLC, a joint venture company between the DIFC and Middle East Fairs Ltd.