Design Sojourn was founded in 2005 as a means for Brian Ling to exist virtually on the confluence of Design and the Internet. As part of this virtual existence, Brian shares on this site forward thinking strategies for good design and creating clever products. Design Sojourn has since become a leading authority and go to website for design strategy, design management, industrial design and design thinking activities.

At the end of September 2010, almost 5 years after Design Sojourn was founded, Brian decided to take Design Sojourn down a different path and turn the internet brand into a multidisciplinary design consultancy that focuses on creating next generation strategic design propositions that go beyond products, and into services, systems and processes.

Design Sojourn is based in Singapore and is supported by strategic partners from Singapore and around the world.

Our services include:

1) Full end-to-end holistic strategic design strategies that range from commercially savvy design languages that fulfill business needs; to manufacturing viable and resolved product designs; to marketing, communications and new media solutions.

2) Well-articulated design thinking courses and programs underpinned by a passion in crafting creative environments and improving the creative industries through training and education.

3) Cutting edge industrial design solutions anchored on a creative process built around the tenets of joy, functionality, and simplicity.

We have consulted for organizations such as Khoo Teck Phuat Hospital, Dell, The Chilli Boutique, e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), Design Singapore Council, Yanko Design, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Sumajin, and Philips Design. We have also collaborated with the online presence of brands such as Ogilvy’s 360 Digital Influence team, Feng Zhu Design, HP, and Nokia.

Our agency’s experimental and entrepreneurial products (iPoor, The Un-p3 Project, and Expandable Sketchbook) have been featured and exhibited in the Sydney Morning Herald, Home and Decor Magazine, NotCot, Mocoloco, IDAsia.org, Yanko Design, Engadget, and the Singapore Design Festival.

About the Team

Brian Ling

Design Director | Design Strategy and Industrial Design
[ Linkedin | Personal Portfolio ]

Brian is a multidisciplinary Design Leader with more than a decade of experience leading strategic design programs that drives successful brands and Fortune 500 businesses such as GE, Philips, Nakamichi, Flextronics, Ericsson, Hannspree, and HP. His passion is in creating Designs that are right for your customers, brand and business.

His designs, or those by the teams he has led, have been recognized with prestigious awards such as: The Singapore Design Award – Silver (2010), 2 Red Dots in Product Design (2010 for HTS8160B, 2005), Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award (2007), 2 CES Innovations Award Honorees (2007), Red Dot Concept Award (2006), and a “Merit” in the Young Professional Designers Award (2002).

These designs have been featured in T3 (Lumos, HTS9520, HTS9140), Wired Magazine, Home and Décor, Engadget China, Yanko Design, and exhibited at Singapore Design Festival (2007) and 20/20 Product Design (2004).

He was formally a Senior Design Manager at Philips Design leading their global portfolio of home cinema/entertainment products and Head of Industrial Design at Nakamichi. He founded and currently runs Design Sojourn, a strategic boutique design agency.

Jackson Tan

Creative Director | Branding and Communications
[ Black Design | Strategic Alliance Partner ]

Jackson Tan is a Singaporean artist, designer and curator. He is a a co-founder of :phunk studio, a multi-disciplinary art & design collective. He is also the creative director of Black Design, a creative communications agency.

He has worked with clients such as MTV, DesignSingapore Council, Discovery Channel, Peranakan Museum and Nike. His works have won recognition in international award shows such as the British D&AD, American Center of Design 100 Show, Promax Asia, Asia Media Design Awards and The Creative Circle Award.

As a curator, he has curated a number of landmark exhibitions, including “20/20″ (2004; London Design Festival 2006), an ongoing showcase that charts the paradigm shift occurring in Singapore’s creative landscape; “Utterubbish! A collection of UseLess Ideas” (Singapore Design Festival 2007), an exhibition featuring sustainable design by over 30 international design presentations; and “New Wave – Singapore’s Contemporary Design Culture” (Center for Creative Communications, Japan, 2008).

What can I do from Here?

If you would like to work with us please do not hesistate to email brian[at] designsojourn.com. Or hit up the Contact button for a no obligation chat?

Alternatively, if you are just getting started on Design Sojourn or would like to get to know me better, there is a selected list of my best articles in the Resource Articles section.

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