Global Service Jam Dundee 26th-28th February 2016

Dundee, Scotland, 22-Feb-2016 — /EuropaWire/ — What would you do if you only had 48 hours to change the world?

That’s a question designers from Dundee will be grappling with when they get together with people from all walks of life to try and solve serious issues affecting the world at this year’s Global Service Jam.

The Dundee Service Jam, led by staff and students at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, part of the University of Dundee, takes place at the Vision Building, Greenmarket, from 5pm on Friday, 26th February.

Via live video links and social media, the Dundee participants will connect with Jammers from Cairo to California, Amsterdam to Athens, Stockholm to Shanghai and spend two days working together to address serious global issues in an inventive, engaging, and fun environment.

New design methods will be used in a collaborative way to develop new ideas for health, commercial, community, business and other services as the Tayside Jammers demonstrate why Dundee was named as the UK’s first UNESCO City of Design.

Professor Mike Press, Chair of Design Policy at the University of Dundee, encouraged as many people as possible to jam, saying, “As a participant in Dundee’s Service Jam, you will work through a whole design process in one weekend. Whether you are experienced or completely new to the field, you won’t just be talking about service design, you will be working with others on developing concrete ideas and designs which could become real.

“Service design is the fastest growing design discipline and is used by government departments, major corporations, start-ups, the NHS and others to apply design to public and private services. Working on a jam gives you vital new skills and knowledge of the field.

“We also have experienced design mentors to guide participants through the process and give vital feedback and encouragement. The Global Service Jam is also a unique opportunity to network with people all over the world in an intensive weekend. It is a great way of getting connected to people.”

Student designer Megan McKee added, “This Jam will show how the creative process is not just an exclusive club for people who have studied design. We have a range of people who get involved, from hospital workers to small businesses so it doesn’t matter what industry you’re from. What is important is the passion you bring to problem solving.

“We will have organised opportunities to connect with fellow Jammers around the world through the use of live video links. It’s all about connecting with people on a global scale as well as locally in order to think creatively about the challenges we all face.”

The Global Service Jam movement began in 2011 and has grown ever since, with over 120 locations and nearly 3,000 people taking part each year. In 2015, Dundee hosted the 9th largest jam in the world, second only to London in the UK and with more attendees than either Los Angeles or New York.

Like a music jam, a design jam is also about improvisation and working fast and risk free to try out new ideas and new ways of working, all while generating a buzz of excitement through connecting with other ‘jammers’ all around the globe using various social networks.

Dundee Service Jam opens at 5pm on Friday, 26th February and closes at 6pm on Sunday, 28th February. It is taking place at Dundee Makerspace in the Vision Building.

A promotional video made by Dundee filmmaker Dylan Drummond can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoIewZLEaXg while tickets and further information are available from www.dundeejams.co.uk.

The Dundee Service Jam has been generously supported by Healthcare Designed in Dundee and Dundee Makerspace.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 384768
Mobile: 07854 953277
Email: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk

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Global Service Jam Dundee 26th-28th February 2016