speaking & training

I speak and hold workshops/training about design, branding, experiences, mental health, mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and polimathy/multipotentiality at conferences and for business training.
I am also available for one-on-one business consulting or company/management training on branding, communications, and global, experience, and/or service design issues, as well as for digitalisation and innovation strategy.
I you are interested in having me participate at your event, if you would like some in-house training or can use some business or strategic design-focused consulting, reach out through the contact form or write me at work [at] raffaellaisidori [dot] com.
2023
upcoming events
past events
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May 20, 2023 - wordcamp lisboa. pt
Vision, intention, values: (re)defining the culture of the design practice

As designers, we have a fundamental role in giving shape to the world that surround us and in defining how we interact with it, and yet the design practice is still perceived as – and often confined to – marginal roles, generally aesthetic, superficial and hardly relevant.
As we know, though, “design is how it works”.
Which is why it is growingly important to reiterate, promote, support, and reiterate again how fundamental is to cultivate and promote the value of the culture of the design practice. Just as it’s important that young designers be aware that this job is more like a mission: a lifetime journey, where, along with talent, one must bring – and cultivate – competences, knowledge, professionalism, ethics, values, and value.


Panel: Empowering Women and Minorities in Public Speaking

May is European Diversity Month 2023, and we want to harness the opportunity to push the conversation on diversity – and hence on inclusivity – with a panel that will focus on the value of “stepping up” and shining!
The panelists will share their experiences, insights, and best practices to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the professional world, with a special focus on encouraging women and minorities to participate more actively in public speaking at conferences.

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april 15, 2023 - wordcamp torino, it
Visione, intenzione, progetto: Design Culture Collective e la cultura della pratica del design

La missione dell’associazione Design Culture Collective (DCC) affonda le radici in un bisogno latente eppure lancinante. Come designer, a prescindere dalla disciplina, abbiamo un ruolo fondamentale nel dare forma alla realtà che ci circonda, e nel mediare le interazioni in (quasi) ogni aspetto delle nostre vite. Eppure la pratica del design viene spesso confinata a ruoli marginali, tendenzialmente estetici, spesso superficiali e scarsamente rilevanti.

Per citare Steve Jobs, tuttavia, “design is how it works” ed è sempre più importante che questo sia ribadito, sostenuto, promosso e nuovamente ribadito.
Come è importante che i giovani designer siano consapevoli che questo lavoro somiglia molto a una missione, in cui oltre al talento, si portano – e si coltivano – competenze, professionalità, etica, valori e valore.

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2022
september 24, 2022 - big - brief in genova, it
Visione, intenzione, progetto: Design Culture Collective e la cultura, le radici e il valore della pratica del design

L’associazione Design Culture Collective (DCC) affonda le radici in un bisogno latente eppure lancinante: come designer, abbiamo un ruolo fondamentale nel dare forma alla nostra realtà, eppure la pratica del design viene spesso confinata a ruoli marginali, tendenzialmente estetici, spesso superficiali e scarsamente rilevanti. Ma, per citare Steve Jobs, “design is how it works” ed è sempre più importante che questo sia ribadito, sostenuto , promosso e nuovamente ribadito. Ed è importante che i giovani designer siano consapevoli che questo lavoro somiglia molto a una missione, in cui oltre al talento, si portano – e si coltivano – competenze, professionalità, etica, valori e valore.

video: youtube
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may 30, 2022 - Women in WP,  podcast
Episode 084: Raffaella Isidori on the importance of user experience

This episode is sponsored by Ninja Forms About Raffaella Isidori | Humanise: A creative polymath, I have been designing, consulting, building brands, optimising communications for businesses around the world, and producing awesome events for over three decades. My history, a past of working with nonprofits, and the urge to share my knowledge and values, propelled […]

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2021
april 19-23, 2021 - IA Roundtable (online)
On labels and mindfulness: how awareness shapes more valuable realities

A 10-minute intervention at roundtable to spur conversations on mindful design and awareness
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2020
CANCELED - nov. 27-28, 2020 - CODEMOTION rome, it
Hacking Emotions (honing emotional Intelligence to live better, work better, improve resilience, and maintain mental wellness)

Emotional intelligence is the capability of individuals to recognize their own emotions and those of others, to discern between different feelings and label them appropriately, to use emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour, and to manage and/or adjust emotions to adapt to environments and to achieve one’s goals. There are skills and practices that can help us “train” ourselves to become better managers of our emotions (thus more emotionally intelligent) and that, in the process, can help us hone and cultivate a better quality of life and our charisma.

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APRIL 15, 2020 - ARCHITECTA - I WEBINAR DEL LOCKDOWN
Intelligenza emotiva e mindfulness: teoria e pratiche per gestire meglio le emozioni

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2019
November 13, 2019 - CODEMOTION BERLIN, DE
Mindful design: designing with presence for purpose and inclusion

Mindfulness is a state of being, an approach to life (and to our work, regardless of its genre) that calls for presence and awareness, care and purpose. Living mindfully, designing mindfully, coding mindfully can be extremely rewarding, for us and for the beneficiaries of our work.

While the notion of mindfulness has had a resurgence as a buzz word, its profound and most deep meaning goes beyond light meditation and coloring books. The principles of Mindfulness can also be applied to all aspects of our work, especially design work (and I mean design in the broadest sense of the term, not just in the visual/graphic sense).

A Mindful approach to design intrinsically implies awareness and the necessary presence to design for inclusivity, accessibility, openness, and ethics, to add value to our daily practice, as well as to our final outcomes: a peaceful and prosperous way to make a difference in our life and in the lives of those who share our path.


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Panel: You should give a talk next year

Participating in conferences and learning from experts is great, but as a community, we are missing a lot when it’s the same faces every year, everywhere. We have to do our best to include everyone from a diverse background as speakers and learn from their experiences. This panel discussion features established speakers with diverse backgrounds and will inspire you to start your own public speaking career. We will talk about topics like the impostor syndrome, stage fright, topic selection, and will have an extensive Q&A to answer anything you are wondering about public speaking.

Panel participants:
Armagan Amcalar Head of Software Engineering - Wayfair
Lara Martín Android & Flutter Developer
Dave Cheney Software engineer and hardware enthusiast
Raffaella Isidori Founder/Creative Director - thesign.it

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October 23|24, 2019 - smau, milano, it
Da ”è mio“ a “sono io“: come la pratica del branding si è evoluta negli ultimi 50.000 anni
 
La pratica del branding è iniziata oltre 50.000 anni fa. L’idea del “marketing branding” tra i 5/6.000 anni fa. E con la (ri)e-voluzione portata da Internet e dai Social Media, oggi siamo tutti brand e come tali, dobbiamo essere consapevoli di come un brand nasce e si coltiva. 
Questo talk racconta le origini e l’evoluzione della pratica del branding, al fine di capirla meglio e di poter meglio curare la/le nostra/e, brand, a prescindere che siano personali, aziendali, o di prodotto.
Il talk affronta tre aspetti chiave del branding: nel primo si fa chiarezza sulla terminologia, il secondo fornisce un excursus storico per inquadrarne - e contestualizzarne - principi e pratiche, nel terzo viene offerta una “ricetta” pratica da seguire per sottolineare e dare risalto agli aspetti fondamentali necessari in un processo di branding di qualità.

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October 19, 2019 - wordcamp dublin, IE
Mindful design: designing with presence for purpose and inclusion

Mindfulness is a state of being, an approach to life (and to our work, regardless of its genre) that calls for presence and awareness, care and purpose. Living mindfully, designing mindfully, coding mindfully can be extremely rewarding, for us and for the beneficiaries of our work.
While the notion of mindfulness has had a resurgence as a buzz word, its profound and most deep meaning goes beyond light meditation and coloring books. The principles of Mindfulness can also be applied to all aspects of our work, especially design work (and I mean design in the broadest sense of the term, not just in the visual/graphic sense).
A Mindful approach to design intrinsically implies awareness and the necessary presence to design for inclusivity, accessibility, openness, and ethics, to add value to our daily practice, as well as to our final outcomes: a peaceful and prosperous way to make a difference in our life and in the lives of those who share our path.

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JUNE 21+22 2019 - WCEU, Berlin, DE - workshops
Mindfulness practice: an introduction

Mindfulness is a state of being, an approach to life (and to our work, regardless of its genre) that calls for presence and awareness, care and purpose. Living mindfully, designing mindfully, coding mindfully can be extremely rewarding, for us and for the beneficiaries of our work.
In the two, 50-minutes, workshop I will share the principles and the applications of the principles of Mindfulness Practice, as well as illustrate case histories, and examples of practice.

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JUNE 6 2019 - SMAU BOLOGNA, It
Da ”è mio“ a “sono io“: come la pratica del branding si è evoluta negli ultimi 50.000 anni
 
La pratica del branding è iniziata oltre 50.000 anni fa. L’idea del “marketing branding” tra i 5/6.000 anni fa. E con la (ri)e-voluzione portata da Internet e dai Social Media, oggi siamo tutti brand e come tali, dobbiamo essere consapevoli di come un brand nasce e si coltiva.
Questo talk racconta le origini e l’evoluzione della pratica del branding, al fine di capirla meglio e di poter meglio curare la/le nostra/e, brand, a prescindere che siano personali, aziendali, o di prodotto.
Il talk affronta tre aspetti chiave del branding: nel primo si fa chiarezza sulla terminologia, il secondo fornisce un excursus storico per inquadrarne - e contestualizzarne - principi e pratiche, nel terzo viene offerta una “ricetta” pratica da seguire per sottolineare e dare risalto agli aspetti fondamentali necessari in un processo di branding di qualità.

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May 20, 2019 - Dare to shine: women and public speaking - workshop
Women are statistically less engaged with public speaking. This is due to culture and context, but also to anxiety, Impostor Syndrome, self-doubt, fear of holding enough expertise and judgment.
In this workshop/meetup dedicated to the women of the WordPress Community and beyond, we will discuss personal anecdotes, learn to identify negative patterns, shine a light on what holds women back, and provide tips and tools to embark on a quest for self-discovery and empowerment, to foster the development of engaging, memorable and fearless speakers.
Some of the topics we will cover: personal stories and anecdotes; things that hold us back; anxiety, expertise, charisma, courage, freedom, and power; topics and decks; daring to shine.

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MAY 18 2019 - WORDCAMP LISBON, PT
Mindful design: designing with presence for purpose and inclusion

Mindfulness is a state of being, an approach to life (and to our work, regardless of its genre) that calls for presence and awareness, care and purpose. Living mindfully, designing mindfully, coding mindfully can be extremely rewarding, for us and for the beneficiaries of our work.
While the notion of mindfulness has had a resurgence as a buzz word, its profound and most deep meaning goes beyond light meditation and coloring books. The principles of Mindfulness can also be applied to all aspects of our work, especially design work (and I mean design in the broadest sense of the term, not just in the visual/graphic sense).
A Mindful approach to design intrinsically implies awareness and the necessary presence to design for inclusivity, accessibility, openness, and ethics, to add value to our daily practice, as well as to our final outcomes: a peaceful and prosperous way to make a difference in our life and in the lives of those who share our path.

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APRIL 12 2019 - WORDCAMP ROTTERDAM, netherlands
From “it’s mine” to “it’s me”: how the concept of branding has evolved over the last 50,000 years

The practice of branding can be traced back to 50.000 years ago. The first concept of marketing branding to 4000 BC. And what we modernly call marketing, branding, and advertising to about 150 years ago. With the (r)evolution brought forth by the Internet and Social Media, today “we are all brands,” and as such, we all need to be aware of how to best manage a brand.
This talk is a primer on the origin and the evolution of the concept of branding, to better understand – and care for – our brand(s), regardless of their being a company, a product or a personal one.

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APRIL 7 2019 - WORDCAMP LONDON, LONDON, UK
Mindful design: designing with presence for purpose and inclusion

Mindfulness is a state of being, an approach to life (and to our work, regardless of its genre) that calls for presence and awareness, care and purpose. Living mindfully, designing mindfully, coding mindfully can be extremely rewarding, for us and for the beneficiaries of our work.
While the notion of mindfulness has had a resurgence as a buzz word, its profound and most deep meaning goes beyond light meditation and coloring books. The principles of Mindfulness can also be applied to all aspects of our work, especially design work (and I mean design in the broadest sense of the term, not just in the visual/graphic sense).
A Mindful approach to design intrinsically implies awareness and the necessary presence to design for inclusivity, accessibility, openness, and ethics, to add value to our daily practice, as well as to our final outcomes: a peaceful and prosperous way to make a difference in our life and in the lives of those who share our path.

slides: http://thesign.it/WCLND/WCLND2019.pdf​​​​​​​
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February 7 2019 - yoastcon, nijmegen, netherlands
From “it’s mine” to “it’s me”: how the concept of branding has evolved over the last 50,000 years

The practice of branding can be traced back to 50.000 years ago. The first concept of marketing branding to 4000 BC. And what we modernly call marketing, branding, and advertising to about 150 years ago. With the (r)evolution brought forth by the Internet and Social Media, today “we are all brands,” and as such, we all need to be aware of how to best manage a brand.
This talk is a primer on the origin and the evolution of the concept of branding, to better understand – and care for – our brand(s), regardless of their being a company, a product or a personal one.

video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXMmdIQaEJU​​​​​​​
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JANUARY 25 2019 - BSIDES LEEDS, LEEDS, UK - workshop
Mindfulness practice: an introduction

Mindfulness is a state of being, an approach to life (and to our work, regardless of its genre) that calls for presence and awareness, care and purpose. Living mindfully, designing mindfully, coding mindfully can be extremely rewarding, for us and for the beneficiaries of our work.

The 1-hour workshop illustrated the principles and the applications of the principles of Mindfulness Practice, as well as illustrated some case histories and examples of practices.

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2018
december 15 2018 - WordCamp thessaloniki, greece
The 7 pillars of design (and how they apply to your life)

The basic principles of graphic design are applicable to a lot more than design: in this talk, we'll explore how these fundamental concepts can extend into all aspects of one's life, personal and professional, making a difference in how we perceive, live, and design our lives, as well as in the outcomes of our creativity. This is an "inspirational" design talk, one more focused on soliciting emotive reactions, on spurring philosophical questions and on suggesting different approaches, more so than to impart a design lesson, though the narrative will also illustrate examples of these principles in design.

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november 20 2018 - codemotion berlin, germany
The 7 pillars of design (and how they apply to your life)

The basic principles of graphic design are applicable to a lot more than design: in this talk, we'll explore how these fundamental concepts can extend into all aspects of one's life, personal and professional, making a difference in how we perceive, live, and design our lives, as well as in the outcomes of our creativity. This is an "inspirational" design talk, one more focused on soliciting emotive reactions, on spurring philosophical questions and on suggesting different approaches, more so than to impart a design lesson, though the narrative will also illustrate examples of these principles in design.

Codemotion Berlin polled the audience's satisfaction: 78% of attendees rated my talk "Good".

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november 17 2018 - WordCamp milano, italy
The 7 pillars of design (and how they apply to your life)

The basic principles of graphic design are applicable to a lot more than design: in this talk, we'll explore how these fundamental concepts can extend into all aspects of one's life, personal and professional, making a difference in how we perceive, live, and design our lives, as well as in the outcomes of our creativity. This is an "inspirational" design talk, one more focused on soliciting emotive reactions, on spurring philosophical questions and on suggesting different approaches, more so than to impart a design lesson, though the narrative will also illustrate examples of these principles in design.

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november 10 2018 - dachfest, munich, germany
Mindful design: designing with presence for purpose and inclusion

Mindfulness is a state of being, an approach to life (and to our work, regardless of its genre) that calls for presence and awareness, care and purpose. Living mindfully, designing mindfully, coding mindfully can be extremely rewarding, for us and for the beneficiaries of our work.

While the notion of mindfulness has had a resurgence as a buzz word, its profound and most deep meaning goes beyond light meditation and coloring books. The principles of Mindfulness can also be applied to all aspects of our work, especially design work (and I mean design in the broadest sense of the term, not just in the visual/graphic sense).

A Mindful approach to design intrinsically implies awareness and the necessary presence to design for inclusivity, accessibility, openness, and ethics, to add value to our daily practice, as well as to our final outcomes: a peaceful and prosperous way to make a difference in our life and in the lives of those who share our path.

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september 15 2018 - WordCamp roma, italy
The 7 pillars of design (and how they apply to your life)

The basic principles of graphic design are applicable to a lot more than design: in this talk, we'll explore how these fundamental concepts can extend into all aspects of one's life, personal and professional, making a difference in how we perceive, live, and design our lives, as well as in the outcomes of our creativity. This is an "inspirational" design talk, one more focused on soliciting emotive reactions, on spurring philosophical questions and on suggesting different approaches, more so than to impart a design lesson, though the narrative will also illustrate examples of these principles in design.

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august 18 2018 - WordCamp brighton, uK
From “it’s mine” to “it’s me”: how the concept of branding has evolved over the last 50,000 years

The practice of branding can be traced back to 50.000 years ago. The first concept of marketing branding to 4000 BC. And what we modernly call marketing, branding, and advertising to about 150 years ago. With the (r)evolution brought forth by the Internet and Social Media, today “we are all brands,” and as such, we all need to be aware of how to best manage a brand.
This talk is a primer on the origin and the evolution of the concept of branding, to better understand – and care for – our brand(s), regardless of their being a company, a product or a personal one.

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july 7 2018 - WordCamp sevilla, spain
From “it’s mine” to “it’s me”: how the concept of branding has evolved over the last 50,000 years

The practice of branding can be traced back to 50.000 years ago. The first concept of marketing branding to 4000 BC. And what we modernly call marketing, branding, and advertising to about 150 years ago. With the (r)evolution brought forth by the Internet and Social Media, today “we are all brands,” and as such, we all need to be aware of how to best manage a brand.
This talk is a primer on the origin and the evolution of the concept of branding, to better understand – and care for – our brand(s), regardless of their being a company, a product or a personal one.

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June 16 2018 - WordCamp europe, belgrade, serbia - workshop
Brand building (be it business or personal): theory, tools and best practices

Branding is not an option if you are a startup, a freelancer or a sole proprietor of a professional service business: it’s a necessity, and one that can yield rewards or create harm if not well tended.

Building a brand goes far beyond having a logo – in fact, a logo is NOT a brand by any means – and it’s a practice rooted in data and science. In this workshop, participants were exposed to the theory behind, followed the necessary procedures and emerged with a branding strategy. This way the process can be better grasped, and implemented in creating/revamping/establish their brand(s)

While not obviously turning participants into brand designers, the workshop will highlight and explain what a successful brand needs and is based on.

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may 27 2018 - WordCamp belfast, uk
From “it’s mine” to “it’s me”: how the concept of branding has evolved over the last 50,000 years

The practice of branding can be traced back to 50.000 years ago. The first concept of marketing branding to 4000 BC. And what we modernly call marketing, branding, and advertising to about 150 years ago. With the (r)evolution brought forth by the Internet and Social Media, today “we are all brands,” and as such, we all need to be aware of how to best manage a brand.
This talk is a primer on the origin and the evolution of the concept of branding, to better understand – and care for – our brand(s), regardless of their being a company, a product or a personal one.

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may 19 2018 - WordCamp porto, portugal
The 7 pillars of design (and how they apply to your life)

The basic principles of design are applicable to a lot more than visual design: in this talk, we'll explore how these fundamental concepts can extend into all aspects of your life, personal and professional.

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may 12 2018 - WordCamp bari, italy
Mindful design: progettare con consapevolezza

La parola “mindfulness” negli ultimi tempi è sempre più popolare. La sua traduzione in italiano – consapevolezza – riporta a concetti profondi e importanti, anche se spesso sottovalutati. La pratica della mindfulness riduce lo stress, migliora la concentrazione, incrementa l’attenzione, sviluppa l’armonia, rafforza la memoria e – soprattutto – fornisce ottimi strumenti per gestire ansia e stress. I principi alla base della pratica della mindfulness possono anche aiutarci a progettare in modo migliore, più consapevole, inclusivo e attento. Vivere in modo mindful, progettare in modo mindful, sviluppare in modo mindful può essere incredibilmente gratificante, sia per noi, che per chi beneficia del nostro lavoro.

slides: http://thesign.it/WCBRI/WCBRI2018.pdf​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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may 10 2018 - il vivaio delle competenze: milano - workshop
A half-day seminar on digital competences
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may 4 2018 - WordCamp retreat soltau, germany
From “it’s mine” to “it’s me”: how the concept of branding has evolved over the last 50,000 years

The practice of branding can be traced back to 50.000 years ago. The first concept of marketing branding to 4000 BC. And what we modernly call marketing, branding, and advertising to about 150 years ago. With the (r)evolution brought forth by the Internet and Social Media, today “we are all brands,” and as such, we all need to be aware of how to best manage a brand.
This talk is a primer on the origin and the evolution of the concept of branding, to better understand – and care for – our brand(s), regardless of their being a company, a product or a personal one.


Mindfulness practice
Mindfulness is a state of being, an approach to life (and to our work, regardless of its genre) that calls for presence and awareness, care and purpose. Living mindfully, designing mindfully, coding mindfully can be extremely rewarding, for us and for the beneficiaries of our work.

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aprile 27 2018 - il vivaio delle competenze: milano - workshop
A half-day seminar on digital competences
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april 14 2018 - WordCamp london, united kingdom
From “it’s mine” to “it’s me”: how the concept of branding has evolved over the last 50,000 years

The practice of branding can be traced back to 50.000 years ago. The first concept of marketing branding to 4000 BC. And what we modernly call marketing, branding, and advertising to about 150 years ago. With the (r)evolution brought forth by the Internet and Social Media, today “we are all brands,” and as such, we all need to be aware of how to best manage a brand.
This talk is a primer on the origin and the evolution of the concept of branding, to better understand – and care for – our brand(s), regardless of their being a company, a product or a personal one.

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2017
December 16 2017 - WordCamp Roma, italy
Ok, so we are all brands now: but what does that mean?

Brand is a popular buzzword, lately. And yet, it is an old and established concept, one that tugs to some very remote and deep strings within us.
So, HOW did we become brands? And how should we tend to our “personal brand”?
In this talk we will discuss what brands are, how they are built, and what we need to pay attention to, both to care for our own public image as well as to “see through” some of the glamorous limelight that may surround others.

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may 27 2017 - il vivaio delle competenze: bologna - workshop
A full-day seminar on digital competences
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april 23 2017 - il vivaio delle competenze: orvieto - workshop
A half-day seminar on digital competences
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march 4 2017 - protohack milano - mentor & speaker
Mentored and held seminar about prototyping during the 2017 edition of Protohack Milano
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