Sense Worldwide


Sense Worldwide is a London-based co-creation consultancy. In 1999 it started the Sense Network, described as ‘one of the earliest web-based communities’. It was one of the first commercial practitioners of co-creation and Extreme User Research. It has influenced the development of Nike Sportswear and Habbo Hotel among many others. It has received funding from NESTA. Nesta named Sense Worldwide alongside Lego and Google as one of the 'Open 100' companies that pioneered open innovation.

Co-creation

Sense Worldwide has used co-creation in its work from its inception. Its work in this area has caused it to be listed as one of the NESTA Open 100. It has also pioneered the commercial use of extreme user research, building on the Lead User ideas of MIT's Eric von Hippel
Sense Worldwide introduced co-creation techniques to Nike and continues to work with Nike’s running, sportswear and football businesses. It authored the Discovery Channel report into the lives of young men in Europe., and it contributes to the Economist Intelligence Unit's reports and the Harvard Business Review
SWW’s recent rebranding of the Young Vic Theatre in London resulted in the abandonment of its sit-anywhere policy and its new strapline, “It’s a big world in here”

Sense Worldwide in popular culture

No Wax
In London in 2003 Sense Worldwide launched the first iPod DJ night with NoWax. There was no DJ. Instead dancers took turns to play floor-filling music in the night club. Resources for the event were open sourced, and NoWax nights have been staged in cities from Derby to Singapore and Tokyo.
I Heart My Chair
In 2007 the Sense Network was asked to photograph and write about their favourite place to sit. The resulting book, I Heart my Chair, was widely distributed.