FASTLab specialise in design thinking and people-centred research. This means delivering opportunities for community and industry to participate in research projects that provide tangible outcomes and solutions to real-world problems quickly. Australia is a nation of innovators and entrepreneurs. According to the 2020 Global Innovation Index, we are ranked 23rd against 131 other economies. Yet, our knowledge and technology outcomes, cultural and creative services exports and knowledge diffusion is low. This does not mean it doesn’t exist. We know it does. It means we’re not capitalising on it. And we’re suffering for it. Facilitating these outcomes and exports – through partnerships between industry, academia, research and community – is what FASTLab does.

As humans we learn through our stories and how we create the narratives that change society, community, industry and culture.

FASTLab tramsmedia group focuses on how to expand our understanding of visual narratives, the impact of aesthetics on human cognition, our understanding of both ourselves and the world around us. How we might create a more sustainable world and what we do to mantain it.

In a post-industrial era, competition is not just about the pursuit of efficiency. Attaining sustainable economic growth and balanced social and environmental development needs a paradigm shift on how businesses, government and NGOs can create value through creativity and innovation. This level of innovation involves breaking free from conventional thinking about what kind of researchers should be involved in problem solving particular issues.

Our work so far demonstrates that all organisations - social enterprises, for profit businesses or government departments - can benefit from FASTLab’s unique ethos.

Our research brings together academics, practitioners and industry partners from a range of different fields. We work jointly to develop and use novel conceptual and methodological approaches that leverage discipline-specific perspectives, theories, methods, and translational strategies that deliver innovative responses to real world problems.

We are alive in a time when the world as we knew it, together with our faith in the future, is disappearing. New uncertainties for individuals, society and the planet are now hallmarks of the so-called Anthropocene - the ‘New Normal’. If we are to attain sustainable economic growth alongside balanced social and environmental development, we need to radically rethink how businesses, government and NGOs can create value through creativity and innovation. Creativity that is rooted in sustainable social, economic, environmental, and cultural practices.

FASTlab is a gateway to the University of Newcastle’s internationally recognised research centres, the expertise of staff, students and graduates and the outstanding facilities the University has to offer.

If you have an idea or challenge you want to talk through or need us to help scope the project for, or want to find out more about our other funded activities, contact us at FASTLab@newcastle.edu.au

There are a number of ways to work with FASTLab.

You can take part in RAPID

RAPID is series of research ‘sprints’ conducted over a 3-6 month period. Each RAPID sprint is a research project carried out between FASTLab researchers and anexternal partner (a community, business or NGO). RAPID provides financial, human and technological resources to enable partners to work together on user-driven real-world problems.

You can commission workshops

If you’re tired of consultants wielding post-it-notes and maker-pens we can offer a completely different and dynamic format for your next workshop. Our playful processes deliver results and a high level of participant satisfaction. From Hackathons to one-day games we design sessions that engage all your staff ensuring that everyone’s ideas are liberated. Whether you’re innovating, strategizing, team building or problem solving – use our creative talent to get you to where you need to be and enjoy the journey to get you there!

You can engage our students

We match students to Work Integrated Learning opportunities with industry, government, community and NGO’s by working on live-briefs for both course-work credits and where possible, pay.

You can contract us for research and consultancy

This one doesn’t really need much more describing but our staff team have research expertise to help you evaluate the success of a current project or co-design a new one using (for example) innovation and Human-Centered Design research methods through Visual Storytelling, Design Thinking, Design Ethnography, User Experiences(UX), Service Design, Co- & Participatory Design. You can ask us to build and test prototypes and pretotypes... We can help you innovate your product as a service provider, help you reinvent your role and support it with digital frameworks and platforms, adding the customer experience and your client ownership.

You can come to a talk or a networking session

We run keynotes and interactive talks to provoke and promote discussion about the things that have been exercising us at any given time. Sign up to our newsfeed for regular updates and come and introduce yourself.

FASTLab is operational in Cambridge (UK), ranked as one of the top three 'innovation ecosystems' in the world.

Cambridge is a unique destination for research and development, innovation and commercialisation opportunities.

If you have an international opportunity, please contact Professor Mario Minichiello (mario.minichiello@newcastle.edu.au).