Brand Strategy Sydney
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SydDT #128: When Does Design Become Strategic?
Wed, Jul 22, 8:00 AMMost designers want to be more strategic. But what does that actually mean? Is strategic design about working on bigger problems? Influencing executives? Creating visions and roadmaps? Driving transformation? Or are we confusing good design with strategic design? Join us for our July meetup where a panel of experienced strategic design leaders will explore one of the most debated questions in our profession: what makes design strategic? We’re lucky to have Dr Leanne Sobel, Jaimes Nel, Paul Merrell, and Lize Wordsworth sharing their insights with short lightning talks before we open up a panel discussion and audience conversation. We'll explore: * What strategic design is * What it isn’t – with common misconceptions and traps * How strategic design differs from other design disciplines * Where strategic design is heading * How designers can increase their strategic influence and impact Expect diverse perspectives, thoughtful discussions, and practical insights for designers at every stage of their career. Come join us for some fun conversations with interesting people in and around the design thinking community. New members are welcome! **SPEAKERS** **[Dr Leanne Sobel](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lsobel/)** **Adjunct Fellow, UTS Business School** Leanne is a strategic designer, researcher, and educator. Her PhD research explored the role of design in strategy, and her work focuses on applying design practices, systems thinking, and participatory approaches to complex organisational challenges. With experience spanning consulting, academia, and industry, Leanne is a leading voice in the evolving field of strategic design. **[Jaimes Nel](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimesnel/)** **Founder, Path Ventures** Jaimes is the founder of Path Ventures, a Sydney-based consultancy helping organisations connect strategy to action through design-led approaches. With more than 20 years of experience spanning service design, digital transformation, and organisational change, Jaimes has worked with organisations including the NHS, BBC, GOV.UK, Westpac, ING, and TAL. His work focuses on helping organisations “play the long game” by using strategic design to navigate complexity and deliver lasting change. **[Paul Merrell](https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-merrell-9861846/)** **Senior Service Designer, Allianz** Paul is a design leader and strategist with extensive experience applying service design and human-centred approaches to organisational transformation. Currently with Allianz Australia, Paul works at the intersection of customer experience, business strategy and change, helping organisations navigate complexity and deliver meaningful outcomes. His work is grounded in the belief that meaningful change happens when strategy connects with the realities of people, systems and delivery. **[Lize Wordsworth](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizewordsworth/)** **Group Head of Business Architecture & Design, Westpac Group** Awesome bio coming soon… **EVENT SPONSORS** This event is brought to you by [Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/), [Shapeshifters](https://www.sh8peshifters.com/), and [Dynamic4](https://dynamic4.com/). We take photos and record our events for documentation and promo purposes. Just let us know if you prefer not to be featured.

CabraVale Pickleballers - Central Pick Tuesday High Intermediate Night
Tue, Jul 7, 9:00 AM**CabraVale Pickleballers – Tuesday Intermediate Night Indoor play (not suitable for beginners). Strict attendee limits, please ensure you are booked in to attend (not on the waitlist).** 📍 **Location:** Central Pick (Premium purpose-built indoor pickleball venue) ⏰ **Time:** Tuesdays, 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM 💰 **Cost:** $20 per player 🎾 **Courts:** 8 indoor pickleball courts 💥 **Level:** For intermediate players looking for competitive and high intensity games Step into Sydney’s brand-new, purpose-built indoor pickleball venue for an exciting night of fast-paced action! Our Tuesday session at Central Pick is designed for players who know the game, are comfortable with scoring, and are ready for strong competition in a premium environment. 🚫 **Please note:** This session is **not for first-timers or lower level players** due to limited court availability. If you’re new to pickleball, we recommend joining our Saturday or Sunday sessions, which are beginner-friendly. 🔹 **What to bring:** ✅ Your paddle (or borrow one of ours) ✅ Comfortable sportswear and non-marking court shoes ✅ Competitive spirit and energy for great games Make sure to RSVP early to secure your place! **Cost:** $20 per person. Cash or PayID accepted. **How to Join:** Please RSVP to reserve your spot. On arrival, check in at the event desk and mark off your name before playing. If paying via PayID, please include your name and the date of the session (e.g., "Jane Doe 10 Sept") in the payment description. **Disclaimer:** By RSVPing to this event, you voluntarily accept all risks of injury or damages to your property. CabraVale Pickleballers takes no responsibility for injuries or damages to your property. Photos and videos may be taken during these sessions for use on our social media and marketing materials. By RSVPing, you consent to the use of your photos and videos for these purposes. Follow us on Instagram **(@cabravalepickleballers)** to stay updated with any changes. RSVP now and experience CabraVale Pickleballers at Central Pick! 🎾🔥

Enshittification and the Power of Platforms: Is There a Way Out?
Mon, Jul 6, 8:30 AMEver wonder why so many digital services you rely on seem to be getting simultaneously worse and more expensive? More ads. Sponsored search results. Subscription creep. Auto‑renew traps. Dubious 'surge' charges. Sneaky fees. Forced sign-ins. Cancel buttons hidden. There's a term for this phenomenon: enshittification — the gradual degradation of platforms that once seemed like technological miracles offering us convenience, connection, and democratisation. But enshittification - the Macquarie Dictionary’s Word of the Year for 2024 - is just the surface symptom of something far more corrosive. Beneath the declining user experience lies a fundamental reshaping of our economy where a handful of tech platforms have positioned themselves as inescapable gatekeepers, extracting unprecedented wealth from workers, businesses, and consumers while accumulating dangerous concentrations of power — what some are now calling technofeudalism. What happened to the internet's promise of widespread prosperity and a stronger democracy? How did we end up locked into systems that seem designed to serve everyone except us? And most importantly: what can we do about it? Come join us for a vital conversation about reclaiming our digital future and building an economy that works for everyone, not just the platform owners. **Book: *Enshittification – Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It* (2025) by Cory Doctorow** **Book (Alternative): *The Age of Extraction – How Tech Platforms Conquered the Economy and Threaten Our Future Prosperity* (2025) by Tim Wu** **Pdf Resource:** ***[Infographics and Summary Tables](https://1drv.ms/b/c/adb4f7488b2eef0a/IQB0CITwHhHJSaFBbJDhZmMEAcDSAace_BN1Q6aSYILezCI?e=edqfP9)*** (A prepared document of selected ideas from the two books) This month you have two options to read depending on your preference towards the level of analysis, style of writing, and your ease in accessing the book. *Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It* by Cory Doctorow is a punchy, provocative, and highly readable take on why so many digital platforms seem to decline over time. Doctorow, who coined the term ‘enshittification’, argues that platforms follow a predictable lifecycle—starting out user-focused, then shifting to business customers, and finally extracting for themselves—in each stage squeezing the group it previously courted. The book is fast-paced, example-rich, and written in an accessible, almost conversational style, making it ideal if you enjoy sharp arguments, memorable concepts, and contemporary tech critique. It’s particularly appealing for readers who like books that spark immediate reactions and connect directly to everyday experiences online. *The Age of Extraction* by Tim Wu takes a broader, more analytical approach. Wu situates the problems of digital platforms within a larger historical and economic pattern, arguing that we are living in an “age of extraction” where powerful actors systematically draw value from users, workers, and society. The tone is more measured and reflective, with a focus on big-picture thinking and long-term trends. This book will appeal to readers who enjoy connecting ideas across economics, history, and politics, and who prefer a more structured, conceptual framework over a punchy polemic. Please read one (or both), depending on your interests. *The Age of Extraction* is 226 pages (or 6 hours) and *Enshittification* is 340 pages (or 10 hours, not available on Audible but is available on other platforms). Join us for a drink (and optional meal) at 6:30pm on Monday, 6th July, on the 2nd floor of the Keg & Brew Hotel in Surrey Hills (i.e. up two flights of stairs). The venue is conveniently located near Central Station and the Light Rail. Bring along an example of an app or digital service you used to really like that has since become enshittified—something you can have a quick rant about to kick off the conversation! 😊 Hope to see you there! P.S. Please adjust your RSVP if you have indicated that you will come but are no longer able to do so. This is courteous to other people if there is a waitlist. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- These are just optional links to consider to supplement the reading of the books. Feel free to pass on other useful links in the discussion section. **Videos & Podcasts** * Two-for-one: Cory Doctorow and Tim Wu together! (Curiously, as kids they were classmates in the same small primary school in Toronto!): [The Ezra Klein Show – We Didn't Ask for This Internet (1.5hrs)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yepnhe1T-9U&t) [The Oxford Internet Institute - Enshittification and Extraction (1.5hrs)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkYxMQJ9c94) * Cory Doctorow Interviews: [Prospect Magazine (28mins)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9XRREj1DSo&t) [Doctorow on The Daily Show (15 mins)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2e-c9SF5nE) [The Guardian (24 mins)](https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2025/nov/24/enshittification-how-we-got-the-internet-no-one-asked-for-podcast) * Tim Wu Interviews: [The Majority Report (40 mins)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpnMk3IhV6U) [The Commonwealth Club (1 hour)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mRvMEzjTVw) * Explainer Video: [Why Every App is Getting Worse on Purpose (10 mins)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjEGRXVKQCQ) **Written** * Pdf Resource: [Infographics and Summary Tables](https://1drv.ms/b/c/adb4f7488b2eef0a/IQB0CITwHhHJSaFBbJDhZmMEAcDSAace_BN1Q6aSYILezCI?e=edqfP9) (A prepared document of selected ideas from the two books) * Enshittification Summaries and Reviews: [Wikipedia summary of Enshittification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification) [Transcript of Doctorow Lecture on Enshittification](https://doctorow.medium.com/my-mcluhan-lecture-on-enshittification-ea343342b9bc) [CounterFire Book Review ](https://www.counterfire.org/article/enshittification-why-everything-suddenly-got-worse-and-what-to-do-about-it-book-review/) * The Age of Extraction Reviews [Prospect Book Review](https://prospect.org/2025/12/10/internets-tollbooth-operators-wu-review/) [HowAustraliaReallyWorks Book Review](https://www.howaustraliareallyworks.com/2026/02/book-summary-age-of-extraction-how-tech.html) [Washington Monthly Book Review](https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025/11/02/age-of-extraction-tim-wu/)

Australia Asia Business Investment Network Monthly Meet Up
Sat, Jul 25, 2:00 AMWelcome to our meet up, where we unite, share and chat about day-to-day life, goals and plans, strategies, work life balance, business and investment opportunities. Smart casual attire. Belroy Hotel, Upstairs near terrace. Please look for "Meet Up" sign on Table Agenda Session 1: Introduction Session 2: Five-minute introductory presentation by participants Session 3: Networking Session Session 4: Closing Remarks ** Join our Asia Wealth Connect (AWC) community for support, opportunities and collaboration at [https://www.asiawealthconnect.com.au](https://www.asiawealthconnect.com.au) Hope to see you there. Please be on time and note the event can finish earlier depending on numbers

Don't prompt the Solution: Build the Brain
Tue, Jul 21, 8:00 AMWelcome Back CCX Sydney to our Events for 2026 from myself, Lydia, Sylvia and James and we are planning a bumper selection of speakers for the new year. Our next event on July 21st will be a interactive AI tools workshop facilitated by our very own James Earnshaw and from Faster Zebra Charbel Zeaiter who will both be showing and helping our CCX members move beyond the prompt and start using AI more effectively to deepen Design discovery. As this will be a workshop, will be applying a $10.00 cover charge to cover Food and drinks and on this occasion will be kindly hosted by our new friends at Lorikeet. Details below on the venue location (Surry Hills) **IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THIS SESSION!** **An Important detail is that due to gaining entry to Lorikeet we will need any CCX Member planning to attend this session to supply us with their First and Last name in advance of attending.** On this occasion we will not be able to accept Members who do not supply these details. Many thanks CCX Sydney. PLEASE NOTE Attendees please bring your own Laptops and your favourite AI prompting tools installed ready to use. **About the workshop** AI is often framed as a way to move faster: faster ideas, faster wireframes, faster outputs. But for designers, that may be the least interesting use case. This session explores how AI can be used at the beginning of the design process — during discovery, framing and definition — not to replace design thinking, but to amplify it. Drawing on the Double Diamond, service design and UX discovery practices, we’ll look at how small, deliberate interactions with AI can build a shared “project brain”: a strategic thinking partner that understands the context, constraints, users, assumptions, risks and emerging opportunities. This is not a talk about agents. It is not a demo of one tool. It is a practical exploration of how the skills designers already have — framing, questioning, synthesis, critique and sense-making — become even more valuable when working with AI. Part talk, part workshop, attendees will try a step-by-step discovery flow for themselves and explore how AI can help them stay in the problem space longer before jumping to solutions. About James: James Earnshaw is a UX and product design leader who has spent his career helping teams make sense of complex problems across telecommunications, banking and financial services. With a background in service design, discovery, design systems and enterprise product delivery, James is interested in how strong design process helps teams avoid rushing to the first plausible answer. Recently, he has been using that experience to develop a new way of working with AI — one that leans into the Double Diamond, structured discovery and step-by-step context building to turn AI into a sharper strategic partner, rather than just a faster content generator. About Charbel: With 27+ years across design, tech, education, entrepreneurship, and product, I’ve built things that breathe across four continents. From shop floors to strategy rooms, classrooms to fabric cutting rooms, I’ve helped companies and people shape their vision and make it tangible. Right now, Charbel is focused on: • Neupreneur (coming soon) • Faster Zebra: learning for the new economy • Velvet Onion & Friends: an innovation and product development agency • Febble Flim & Family: fictional worlds that dance too close to the edge of reality And now, I'm bringing these vast experiences to life: Young Founders, The Innovators, XD4.0 & Brand Mavericks: kits and books for mindset-first founders building ventures that open up a world of possibility. If you're to explore something - conventional, unconventional, or completely undefined - I’d love to hear what you’re working on. Good things come to those who make. Therefore don't miss out on a place at our second interactive workshop CCX Sydney event for 2026, as places will be limited for this session.
FREE car ride & visit to Australiana Village + FREE entertainment. Text RSVP
Sat, Jul 4, 11:30 PMText luke to rsvp if u want a free car ride 0418499490. Car pick up point is right near central railway station ie [Sydney Central YHA](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=-33.881454%2C%20151.20546) 11 Rawson Place · Sydney FREE entrance to Australiana Park with FREE entertainment!! here is there link with all the info https://www.theapv.org.au we will also be taking the scenic drive through 5 historic villages in the Hawkesbury area! https://www.discoverthehawkesbury.com.au/discover/roadtrips/exploring-the-past2 Bring own food or buy there-your choice Text luke to rsvp & if u want a free car ride 0418499490. Car pick up point is right near central railway station ie [Sydney Central YHA](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=-33.881454%2C%20151.20546) 11 Rawson Place · Sydney ###
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