John Thackara is interested in design, innovation, and new media. Currently Director of The Netherlands Design Institute - a think-and-do tank in Amsterdam - he studied philosophy at the University of Kent, then journalism in Cardiff, under Sir Tom Hopkinson, before working in book publishing and journalism, in London and New York, during the 1970s. He was editor of Design for four years, and then as managing director of DAI in London and Tokyo organised exhibitions and conferences, and wrote policy studies for governments and companies. He was also Director of Research at the Royal College of Art for four years. At the Institute in addition to his administrative responsabilities, he runs design and innovation scenarios for governments, cities, associations and companies.

Mysteriously, the word "expert" is stamped on John's security pass in Brussels where he joins groups advising the European Commission, which sometimes even listens. John chairs the European Design Industry Summit, which is very earnest. The best thing he does is run the Doors of Perception conference. The most interesting fact he knows concerns penguins. His most over-used quote is: "don't play what's there, play what's not there" (by Miles Davis, of course). John is getting ready to launch a new official Design Institute quote (by Blaise Pascale): "if I had more time, I would have written you a shorter letter" (applied to books, lectures, conferences, projects and so on). In addition to the information on his work and approaches that appear in the above links, you might also wish to have a look at…

• www.presenceweb.org (elderly people give designers a hard time, using internet)
• www.maypole.org ($2m Euro-project about pictorial gossip via wireless)
• http://www.design-inst.nl/ydi (minds over matter: designers in scenario projects with firms)
• http://www.02.org (knowledge exchange about products, services and places for sustainability)
• http://www.expo2000.nl (the Dutch have the wildest pavilion: we're helping out with its content)

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