David McCandless turns complex data sets (like worldwide military spending, media buzz, Facebook status updates) into beautiful, simple diagrams that tease out unseen patterns and connections. Good design, he suggests, is the best way to navigate information glut — and it may just change the way we see the world.

Greennovate is a broad network of sustainability-consulting veterans, marketers, designers, engineers, and educators working on “green” initiatives that will assist in the growth of China-based companies. Believing that end-of-pipe solutions are a false way of doing business, Greennovate aspire to create a fundamental shift in the way that businesses in China think about sustainability: while many businesses consider sustainable practices a liability, Greennovate aims to demonstrate how they can be a valuable asset to any firm, and how they will be an essential part of the business future for everyone.

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Find out more about at Greennovate.net and follow Greennovate founder, Mihela Hladin, on twitter @greennovate. You can also see a video of Mihela Hladin, speaking at TEDxShanghai here.
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Much of China’s rich cultural heritage is at risk. This is mainly due to lack of awareness and poor enforcement of Chinese heritage-protection laws, which are well conceived but poorly implemented. In a time of extreme economic development and social change, Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center (CHP) – a non-profit organisation – helps to support local communities and fights to protect their cultural heritage.

Beijing’s landscape is dramatically changing. Gone are the small hutongs, once characteristic of the city, as well as the way of life associated with courtyard lifestyle. Now, ubiquitous towering skyscrapers dominate instead. To highlight the importance of preserving Beijing’s unique cultural heritage, CHP celebrates old Beijing with Do You Hutong? – a cocktail party featuring a collection of individually commissioned siheyuan (courtyard) gate artworks.

On 16-17th July, in the heart of London, newly founded organisation Mindapples joins forces with Courvoisier’s two-week summer extravaganza to present The Big Treat, a pop-up urban health farm that invites you to treat yourself better.

Over the weekend, Courvoisier’s London home at The Future Gallery will be transformed into an experiential treatment room with radical exhibitions and installations to stimulate the mind, body and soul. Working with a host of health conscious enterprises, The Big Treat presents a kaleidoscope of revolutionary approaches to give you your 5-a-day for the mind. In the words of fellow NoD writer, Mark Brereton, ‘From little acorns grow mental, physical and visual health.’
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To find out more about The Big Treat, join the event on Facebook. You can also keep up to date with Mindapples on twitter @mindapples.

At his Stanford University commencement speech in 2005, Steve Jobs, CEO and co-founder of Apple and Pixar, tells a heart-warming tale of some of pivotal moments in his life. Told in three stories – the first about connecting the dots, second on love and loss and the third on death itself, Steve urges us to pursue our dreams and see the opportunities in life’s setbacks.

“I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”

‘The ethical issues and paranoia surrounding the laws of photographing children in today’s society are confusing and somewhat farcical. But at what point will the photography of children be completely forbidden?’ This is the question posed by Class Portrait, a collaborative photographic project by Kingston University graduate designers Anna Brooks and Samantha Harvey. Class Portrait was awarded Best in New Blood and a 2nd prize pencil in this year’s D&AD student awards in London.

(via It’s Nice That)

In graphic design, Marian Bantjes says, throwing your individuality into a project is heresy. In a recent talk given at TED, Bantjes describes how she has built her career doing just that. Describing how she has brought her signature illustrative style to commercial storefronts and personalized valentines messages, she also discusses her ambition to challenge the lack of visual wealth in adult literature. A refreshing and humble talk Marian, thank you.

Watch Marian Bantjes’ talk on TED.com

Instigating a discourse on “the process of designing for real people”, 52 Weeks of UX is a well-designed blog bringing you weekly insights into better user experience design practices. Run by Joshua Porter and Joshua Brewer, the 52 week blog is currently in its 24th week so there’s plenty of content to dig through already and plenty more to come too. Definitely worth a read!