Sidekick Studios

About Project Next Project

Voicebox vinspired

Voicebox is a data visualisation project for the national youth volunteering charity, vinspired.

Instead of focus group-ing youngsters and giving them tired labels, we thought it better to ask them a bunch of questions, like whether they carry knives and wear a hoodie, in an open web space, visualise the results in smart interesting ways, and then set the data free with our API to allow everyone else to do the same. The more data we collect, the more we hope to influence those who try to stereotype and misrepresent. The project began in July 09 and runs 'til the Autumn - and the plan includes an internet-enabled robot writing out what young people care about in real-time, in Parliament. Really.

The project is a prototype and touches on a number of issues we are interested in - transparency, new models of engagement and public consultation, open data, open government and yes, robots connected to the internet.

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About

Sidekick Studios is an entrepreneurial company using the web to create socially useful products and services.

Tried and tested isn't what we do. Playing in virgin snow is a lot of what we do. We do stuff for a social purpose. We do stuff for a commercial purpose. Sometimes we do stuff for no purpose; for the trip, or just for kicks.

Most of our work is in the fuzzy world of social innovation, digital tech, design and the internet of things. Everything else lives in a box marked 'unclassifiable'.

Portfolio

Tweets

  • allscf

    RT @SpaceSyntaxGirl (Elizabeth): @sidekickstudios I am looking forward to hearing more about your adventures at #smartcities!

  • SpaceSyntaxGirl

    @sidekickstudios I am looking forward to hearing more about your adventures at #smartcities!

  • sidekickstudios

    Sweet: http://www.streetpianos.com/london2009/

  • sidekickstudios

    RT @huffingtonpost White House on Social Innovation http://is.gd/1k2q1 - government as investor in people on the ground. makes sense, no?

  • sidekickstudios

    we have the answer to life, the world, everything. GPS Pigeons. http://bit.ly/EkIGh

  • sidekickstudios

    the house that tweets. fun and silly now, but useful in years to come... http://bit.ly/zeHz

  • sidekickstudios

    http://bit.ly/zeHz

  • rolandharwood

    you choose @sidekickstudios - apparently optimists are more successful but pessimists are more accurate.

  • sidekickstudios

    European honeypot for tech innovation and research, if only you can make sense of the website http://bit.ly/yFEnQ

  • sidekickstudios

    For folk interested in what future communities look like - http://bit.ly/18x8Mz

  • E11ie5

    RT @sidekickstudios: @E11ie5 and £40 for the privilege of checking in at the airport on ryanair. How accomodating of them! DON'T START ME!!

  • sidekickstudios

    #4ip #castells a battle between the optimists and pessimists has begun at talk. Where shall I stand?

  • sidekickstudios

    #4ip #castells Guy with long words just spoke about how we're still all doomed

  • sidekickstudios

    #4ip #castells if you try to control it, you destroy it. Nice soundbite number 15.

  • sidekickstudios

    @DarenBBC think he's pretty clear. Others just use big words because they're less clear #4ip

  • sidekickstudios

    #4ip Castells talk. It was the collapse of the old system that has created the opportunity for a new networked one to take its place.

  • sidekickstudios

    #4ip castells talk. governments will never get the web. But they'll get the benefits and efficiencies that the web bring.

  • sidekickstudios

    At Castells talk. He's like a larger version of Ronnie Corbet with jokes about the Internet #4ip

  • sidekickstudios

    Off to see Manuel Castell talk at 4IP breakfast, save us a croissant

  • sidekickstudios

    @creativeKTN i came for the after-party. met Jeremy and Sian. Think the KTN might be useful after all. Despite the acronym.

  • creativeKTN

    @sidekickstudios Design Museum but it's packed :-(

  • sidekickstudios

    @CharlotteEmilyM I'll show you when I get in the office ;-)

  • sidekickstudios

    RT @r1tz: 10 Things Most Business Schools Won’t Teach You About Startups http://bit.ly/17DoaL

  • sidekickstudios

    IBM's ideas on smarter, connected Healthcare - http://bit.ly/iJ8bl

  • sidekickstudios

    @creativeKTN where is the launch? we're on the waiting list and want to come. i'm sure you can squeeze in one more.

  • allscf

    RT @sidekickstudios (adil & charlotte ): @SpaceSyntaxGirl we just got ticket for #smartcities looking forward to bumping into random peop..

  • allscf

    RT @sidekickstudios (adil & charlotte ): @btween just found, got excited by and booked for #smartcities. we're a creative company hoping ..

  • sidekickstudios

    RT @SpaceSyntaxGirl: People don’t live in cities the same way. Survey 14 cities, 5 continents http://bit.ly/4bGuUU - research based factoids

  • sidekickstudios

    @SpaceSyntaxGirl we just got ticket for #smartcities looking forward to bumping into random people who use terms like spatial analysis

  • sidekickstudios

    @btween just found, got excited by and booked for #smartcities. we're a creative company hoping not to be out of place there. say hello!

  • allscf

    RT @sidekickstudios (adil & charlotte ): I'm attending SMART CITY FUTURES- Day 3:The New Conversation -- http://bit.ly/C9Rmq

  • sidekickstudios

    I'm attending SMART CITY FUTURES- Day 3:The New Conversation -- http://bit.ly/C9Rmq

  • sidekickstudios

    According to v's Voicebox 14% of 16-25s know someone that has carried a knife, 11 million have a new report: http://tinyurl.com/lxtlga

  • sidekickstudios

    interesting new blog from the volunteering organization, vinspired: http://labs.vinspired.com/

  • sidekickstudios

    @E11ie5 and £40 for the privilege of checking in at the airport on ryanair. How accomodating of them!

  • sidekickstudios

    @buildbritfuture - why can't we talk? I'm not going to be mean, I promise. We're all grown-ups here.

  • jasecoop

    @sidekickstudios @buildbritfuture Don't worry, all will be fine, they have an embedded twitter feed........................

  • jasecoop

    RT @sidekickstudios Can anyone make sense of Gordon's Building Britain's Future announcement? @buildbritfuture http://bit.ly/uXrMv

  • sidekickstudios

    RT @buildbritfuture: "PM sums up BBF doc ...he closes debate" what an apt choice of words. PM closes debate.

  • sidekickstudios

    Can anyone make sense of Gordon's Building Britain's Future announcement? @buildbritfuture http://bit.ly/uXrMv

  • Annemcx

    @sidekickstudios thanks for the retweet!

  • sidekickstudios

    Interested in entering IET awards recognising innovation in energy, technology, product design, buildings, transport? http://bit.ly/wZGSb

  • sidekickstudios

    @codepo8 met at #rebootbritain at the after-party. i'm the wired communities guy. Thought i'd say hello. Hello!

  • sidekickstudios

    RT @rolandharwood: ...my twighlights from #rebootbritain http://bit.ly/JKO5i - the day in bitesize soundbites, links to content round-up

  • sidekickstudios

    Thinking we might give this crowdsourcing malarky a go for a company poster http://bit.ly/n27CZ

  • sidekickstudios

    RT @ColtSeaversPS Just discovered you can watch Antony Gormley's Fourth Plinth project live.Could get quite addicitve! www.oneandother.co.uk

  • sidekickstudios

    RT @dominiccampbell: RT @Annemcx My take on #rebootbritain is cognitive behavioural therapy is needed, blog is here http://bit.ly/MyNK3

  • poetryc

    RT @sidekickstudios http://bit.ly/eNvhy

  • sidekickstudios

    Everyone is God speaking. Why not be polite and listen? - Hafiz, Persian Sufi Poet (1320-89) (via @johnperrybarlow)

  • sidekickstudios

    @davedawes have you got a link for the 'brothels for social good' TM?

  • sidekickstudios

    @jasecoop just realized it's you! We were checking out your Small Fish stuff earlier. Nice.

  • sidekickstudios

    @jasecoop hey, we didn't present properly yesterday just work shopped in Social by Social. Check out the site though sidekickstudios.net

  • sidekickstudios

    loved #rebootbritain yesterday, would like to keep the conversations going on how we can 'Reboot'

  • jasecoop

    @sidekickstudios Wish I had seen your talk at #rebootbritian y'day. sidekick looks v.cool.know if a vid of it will be online?

  • sidekickstudios

    Rheingold talking about capturing attention #rebootbritain - psychedelic jackets for all!

  • bridgetmck

    @sidekickstudios Those kind of suits I like

  • sidekickstudios

    RT @raettig: #rebootbritain If his mic doesn't work you'll at least be able to hear Rheingold's suit at the back.

  • sidekickstudios

    Usual conference fair #rebootbritain. Some good sessions, some average, some below average, but lots of interesting folk.

  • robertbrook

    RT @sidekickstudios: "Hire good people not rely on process" @leebryant #rebootbritain

  • sidekickstudios

    Hire good people not rely on process @leebryant #rebootbritain

  • sidekickstudios

    #rebootbritain Hub Culture session, thank god someone said, 'I don't get it'

  • sidekickstudios

    @farhan Snap!

  • sidekickstudios

    #rebootbritain Stan Stalnaker $2,000,000,0000 in daily virtual currency trades in China, 'money can be created by anyone'

  • sidekickstudios

    #rebootbritain excited to hear about Paul Miller's thoughts about London becoming a hub public service start ups. Bring it on.

  • sidekickstudios

    @traderseries still here. It was a bit rushed. Plus had to get over my usual antipathy for this kind of thing

  • sidekickstudios

    @farhan don't use computers.that's not a joke. We create Internet products for the old #rebootbritain

  • traderseries

    @sidekickstudios You upstairs? Didn't work for me, so made exit for coffee!

  • sidekickstudios

    Just presented at social by social session #rebootbritain got applause but only because I asked for it

  • sidekickstudios

    @Dan_Martin - technology of collaboration, catchy! #rebootbritain

  • sidekickstudios

    @traderseries this game is more difficult then it should be

  • sidekickstudios

    @traderseries are you understanding it?

  • sidekickstudios

    @bridgetmck to be fair, I don't have many nice stories about local authorities. Wish it were different.

  • sidekickstudios

    @julianlstar patience my friend!

  • sidekickstudios

    #hyperlocal #rebootbritain "councils are an anonymous mess and bollocks to anonymous messes" very funny from the floor

  • sidekickstudios

    #rebootbritain #hyperlocal "we're in an awkward phase, but we've got to embrace it, it's not going away" yes yes

  • sidekickstudios

    # rebootbritain user-centred design involves creating character boards, urm okeeey

  • bridgetmck

    @sidekickstudios liked your Qs. No suits not bad but I've had some run-ins with local authorities

  • julianlstar

    @sidekickstudios #rebootbritain I's good the toolkit is being developed. But there are wards who don't have access to these skills

  • sidekickstudios

    RT @philcampbell: #rebootbritain is all very well. but can someone reboot the wifi? ;)

  • sidekickstudios

    @julianlstar is that bad? He's like an advance party, in time it'll be easier for others #rebootbritain

  • sidekickstudios

    Liked William Perrin's work in Kings Cross letting communities publish #rebootbritain

  • sidekickstudios

    #rebootbritain 'designing for other people is hard, so producers tend to end up making stuff for themselves' nice bit of simple wisdom

  • sidekickstudios

    #rebootbritain 'designing fo

  • sidekickstudios

    Matt Taylor, apparently the Internet is only a place to wallow. Oh dear #rebootbritain

  • sidekickstudios

    @bridgetmck are suits bad?

  • sidekickstudios

    Too many people saying "web is only good at...web is no good at..." it's not a static object! Beware generalisations #rebootbritain

  • PaulHollins

    @sidekickstudios My perception of MLF prsnttn if we r serious abt addressing digital divide the language should relate mre to audience.

  • sidekickstudios

    RT @PaulHollins: Lots of worthy maternal statements from Martha Lane - that's a bit mean #RebootBritain

  • E11ie5

    RT @sidekickstudios: @marthalanefox #rebootbritain let's reboot the whole of Britain not just those with computers

  • sidekickstudios

    @marthalanefox #rebootbritain let's reboot the whole of Britain not just those with computers

  • sidekickstudios

    RT @paul_clarke: #rebootbritain - martha keeps us real. 80% of govt services are for 25% of population at the bottom - let's spread the web

  • sidekickstudios

    RT @adrianstevenson the digital divide: If u can use the web you earn 10% more, have 25% more confidence and save £276 a year #rebootbritain

  • sidekickstudios

    Why don't people who make policy listen to opinion unless it's in the 'right' language? Worryingly ignorant

  • sidekickstudios

    @leashless is being 'damp' good? #rebootbritain

  • sidekickstudios

    @philcampbell #rebootbritain Playgen meeting huge disappointment

  • sidekickstudios

    @michaelambjorn I am a gamer and these games need work. They look like they're designed by the government #rebootbritain

  • sidekickstudios

    @bridgetmck what's wrong with marketing? #rebootbritain

  • sidekickstudios

    RT @julianlstar: #rebootbritain Debategraph - Collaborative thinking, visualising the debate.

  • sidekickstudios

    #rebootbritain game about alcohol or game running through cities with guns. I know which the kids will play.

  • sidekickstudios

    #rebootbritain Interested in the future of policy making, how do you make a majority engage with influencing the countries democracy online?

  • sidekickstudios

    @tonyparkin reminds me how rubbish top trumps is. Thank god for playstations.

  • sidekickstudios

    Learning by doing, key theme for #rebootbritain

  • sidekickstudios

    #rebootbritain looking forward to Playgen gaming education tech talk

  • sidekickstudios

    As a Labour dude, agree with Tory that left should reduce it's emphasis on the State. Internet is breaking old stereotypes #rebootbritain

  • sidekickstudios

    Nothing startling in jeremy hunt's opening address but like it nevertheless #rebootbritain

  • sidekickstudios

    Back from Munich. Played in cricket in the park. It was ace. Captain of the 2nds, and still got it!

  • sidekickstudios

    Only 48hrs til #rebootbritain - I'm practicing my best idle chit chat

  • sidekickstudios

    Last minute tweaks to new sidekickstudios.net site. Might be done by Monday. Woo hoo.

  • sidekickstudios

    #RSA thought the interaction design and architecture stuff was a bit pompous. Liked the folding plug. Get that woman to Dragons den

  • sidekickstudios

    @stevemoore4good andy Curtis is a great shout. He's the power of nightmares guy, isn't he? Perfect way to end the day. Fear.

  • sidekickstudios

    #RCA ice car gets award for most pointlessly brilliant "invention"

  • sidekickstudios

    #RCA show 2009. Favourite so far, the Lego car. Add bits when you get married. Take bits out when you get divorced.

  • sidekickstudios

    At RCA show 2009. What loveliness awaits?

  • sidekickstudios

    RT @nestabritain We may not call ourselves entrepreneurs...#rebootbritain http://bit.ly/11QMYL - true true

  • sidekickstudios

    just got a ticket for #rebootbritain. so much to choose from. tips on unmissable sessions?

  • sidekickstudios

    just got another ticket for #reboot britain. too much to choose from. any tips on unmissable sessions?

  • sidekickstudios

    Meeting success! Let's get stuck in

  • sidekickstudios

    Off to get briefed on wired communities work. Wish us luck.

  • lindyasimus

    @sidekickstudios He helps you write tender docs - Leonard Cohen goes driving with me.

  • sidekickstudios

    Third night in a row up writing tender documents. Leonard Cohen keeping me company.

  • jkerrstevens

    @sidekickstudios I'm sure they'd love a shot at beta testing expenses. #g2g

  • sidekickstudios

    Nice sum up. We always over-estimate technology's short term impact, and vice versa in the long term. It'll be all good.

  • dominiccampbell

    RT @sidekickstudios: "Is this a room full of bureaucrats? Where are the creatives? #g2g" <- hurrah unhelpful stereotypes! Govt workers v ...

  • sidekickstudios

    Is this a room full of bureaucrats? Where are the creatives? #g2g

  • sidekickstudios

    Too distracted. Can't focus. Drifting off. Struggling to listen. Social media, huh? #g2g

  • sidekickstudios

    #g2g @jkerrstevens nice thought. Embracing failure, beta testing is part of the new world. So we should offer it to our leaders too.

  • sidekickstudios

    #g2g agree with dominic. Digital strategy should just be strategy.

  • sidekickstudios

    #g2g think we're in the world of possibilities rather than actual impact. The tech needs to get boring firs

  • sidekickstudios

    #g2g is it wrong to have favourite panelists?

  • sidekickstudios

    @lorddrayson building an internet enabled robot that captures what young people care about. would love DIUS support. can i email you? adil

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