What new behaviours, skills and tools can assist designers to meet the demands of contemporary knowledge creation – maximise “ways” to spread 'memes'? The three ‘Kimori Dojo’ videos were created as part of a research project by PhD candidate Mark Bradford that seeks to understand and reflect on existing disciplinary experiences through researching other creative “ways” – such as ‘Aikido’ – to reflect on ‘how’ designers think instead of purely ‘what’ designers think.
Over a three-day period at Massey University in July 2008 audiences were offered an unprecedented opportunity to observe Toshiharu Sawada Shihan (7th Dan) and local Aikido practitioners in training. Mark’s research investigates the interdisciplinary synthesis of ideational flow and the practice and philosophy of the art of Aikido. To what extent can design leadership based in Aikido transform co-creative flow? My thanks are extended to Sawada Shihan (7th Dan), Sensei Richard Halson (4th Dan), all the aikidoka who inspire me, Keir Husson (Massey University) for shooting the video, and Michelle Bradford for editing the video.