CONTINUING an editorial strand started a couple of weeks ago, digital consultant, Ewan McIntosh, shares details of ten of his favourite blogs, websites, apps, software tools, etc.
Ewan is the founder of NoTosh Limited, an Edinburgh-based outfit that supports digital media companies as they create new products and helps organise investment for them in the UK, while providing consultancy to the public services on how they might think and act more like start-ups.
Previously, he was the national education and technology adviser to the Government, and Digital Commissioner for Channel 4’s Innovation for the Public Fund, and invested over £1million in digital media projects in Scotland.
1. swissmiss.com – blog – My favourite design blog from a 30-something designer in Brooklyn. Never fails to raise a smile and provide inspiration for the projects I’m working on, whether I’m helping redesign a school space or web platform.
2. 38minutes.co.uk – Social network – This is the social network I created just to get a sense of who was doing what in the Scottish and Northern Irish creative industries. It’s still unearthing new talent and is the place to go to find good events where folk can learn new skills or get an outlook on current developments.
3. venturehacks.com – website – If you want a frank take on why some things get investment and others don’t, then look here.
4. euansemple.com/theobvious – blog – Euan was a great help to me when I wanted to get started as an entrepreneur, and his blog continues to raise my thinking and my game. He also shares the same gripes as I do.
5. downes.ca – blog – A good amount of my time is spent learning about learning, and Stephen Downes’ daily feed is a must for anyone who wants to know what people are thinking and doing in the education space. He is, almost literally, the bearded prophet.
6. agent4change.net – blog – Merlin John Online is the UK equivalent of Downes.ca – again, as someone working in education it’s become a must-read to see who the cool kids are and what they’re doing.
7. sethgodin.typepad.com – blog – Seth Godin posts regularly and concisely on marketing. Generally, he picks up on where me, you, everyone is getting it wrong, and proposes a fresh way of looking at things.
8. russelldavies.typepad.com – blog – “Russell is behind my favourite 4iP commission (I only wish he had come to me with it). Newspaper Club lets anyone print their own, real newspaper from stuff they find online. Simple, clever, something you’d talk to your friends about. A bit like his blog.”
9. herd.typepad.com – blog – I met Mark Earls at NESTA years ago and he lost me early on. I like that. It means I wasn’t thinking hard enough. Mark makes you think, re-address everything you’re doing and come up with something new.
10. digitalagency.typepad.com – blog – Mike Coulter has become a pal, buddy and business partner over the years since I attended the first Edinburgh Coffee Morning. His blog is a collection of cool shit, mostly unrelated but all of it could become part of one’s ‘larger plan’.
