A company of collaborators
Nook Studios was established in 2008 by producer Mel Flanagan to develop creative and collaborative solutions to real-world problems. We are researchers, cross-media makers, film producers, strategists, communicators, service and information designers.
We are also trailblazing transparency and social justice advocates. Areas include environmental sustainability and climate change issues, natural resource governance, government and private sector accountability and integrity, and participatory design.
Our focus is social impact projects, improving public access to information, and making data meaningful for community audiences so people can be empowered and be involved in decisions that impact them.
Innovation and collaboration are embedded in the way we work at the Nook.
We thrive on using our knowledge and skills to solve interesting data, process, policy, and design challenges.
We are researching and developing civic technology products so we can scale our impact by helping others:
Making Open content and design kit
Make Paths process storytelling and collaboration tool
Make Platform data storytelling and engagement service for governments, companies, and organisations who want to be transparent and better communicate with community audiences
If you are interested in working with us or funding product development, please contact Mel for a chat.
We are a Social Traders certified social enterprise.
Tax-deductible donations can be made via the Australian Cultural Fund to support our work.
Articles and talks about our work can be found in words.
Stories + technology + participatory design = social impact
We like to bring people together to make things in unique ways. We listen. We learn. We take people on the journey with us to make sure we're on track, making something people will love, in ethical ways.
We love to work on developing content and communications materials – whether they be copy writing, illustrations, visual design, process pathways, web apps, interactive digital projects, installations, data art, data visualisations, animations, motion graphics or documentaries. Sometimes we make feature films.
Information Technology - the ‘I’ is before the ‘T’
We advocate for governments to rethink and transform the way they make and invest in information services and technology, making them more humane, ethical and fit for purpose.
Government digital services and IT projects are usually focused on technology first.
Projects fail, have scope and cost blow outs or cause harm because people make decisions about technology and digital services without first understanding their audiences, content or data.
This happens because developer costs for tech projects are usually very well funded. Research, engagement and design are not.
Finding the right people to engage with during the design process, gathering data, and crafting content takes time.
We advocate for project teams to be properly funded, to allow time for them to properly consider who they are designing for and deliver what they really need. Not just known ‘stakeholders’ and small unrepresentative sample sizes.
We want to make sure humans are always in the picture and a diverse range of people get to participate.
Work with us
Nook's kind of producing is the kind where we really only work on things we love. Things that we hope other people will love and value too.
Good people and good relationships are fundamental to the success of any project, product or service. The capacity to be flexible and experimental are also important.
We can produce or collaborate. We are happy to have a chat if Nook's philosophy, capabilities, and skills fit with your projects and objectives.
We're always on the lookout for new collaborators and fun people to work with so drop us a line to say hello!