Oliver Ding — Founder

I am a knowledge strategist and creative learning designer with a passion for adult development, knowledge engagement, and higher education. My expertise includes: * Theoretical Integration and Theory-building * Knowledge Strategy and Development * Conceptual Exploration and Framework Development * Creative Learning Action Design I manage a network of seven knowledge centers focused on knowledge innovation. I seek partners to share my frameworks and experiences, supporting creative and impactful endeavors. 1. A Journey of Knowledge Engagement Inspired by the cultural history of my hometown, Jianyang, I developed a passion for intellectual creation. Over the last 20 years, I have built communities around brand marketing, open education, and social innovation through initiatives like OOPS and TEDtoChina. My career spans three stages: * Creative Stage: Advertising copywriter and designer. * Strategic Stage: Business strategist and consultant for pre-IPO companies. * Innovative Stage: Researcher and designer of digital tools and platforms. As Chief Information Architect at BagTheWeb.com (2010-2016), I transformed a patent into a web platform for curating knowledge, inspiring my book Curativity. Since 2020, I’ve focused on connecting theory and practice in knowledge curation, drawing from Ecological Psychology, Activity Theory, and Sociology. This work has led to 33 draft books on topics like concept development and diagram networks. 2. Expertise in Knowledge Innovation I have developed methods for curating complex ideas and making them accessible. My recent work includes the Ecological Practice approach, Project Engagement approach, and Applied Activity Theory. From 2020 to 2023, I managed several knowledge centers, founding CALL (Creative Action Learning Lab) and expanding it into a network. Tools like the Platform Genidentity Framework and Thematic Landscape Map have supported this work, culminating in the Evolving Knowledge Enterprise framework in 2024. I see concepts and frameworks as key to knowledge engagement and have written extensively on thematic exploration, concept development, and diagramming. I enjoy creating knowledge diagrams that communicate complex ideas visually. 4. 33 Possible Books Since 2019, I have written and edited 33 possible books by July 31, 2024.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Knowledge Strategist with a focus on Education and Social Innovation.

Location: Houston, Texas, United States

Experience: 23 yrs 5 mos

Skills

Knowledge Strategy
Creative Learning Design
Brand Development
Social Action
Video Communication
User Interface Design
Branding
Marketing Planning
Investment Management

Career Highlights

Expert in knowledge strategy and creative learning design.
Founder of multiple knowledge centers and innovative frameworks.
Authored 33 draft books on knowledge engagement.

Work Experience

Creative Action Learning Lab (CALL)

Founder and Chief Knowledge Strategist (6 yrs 8 mos)

Doow

Cofounder and Creative Director (6 yrs 10 mos)

Votline

Cofounder (2 yrs 6 mos)

Immedr project

Principal Architect and Designer (2 yrs 1 mo)

Base Base Corporation

Director of Marketing (2 yrs 2 mos)

Swordi Studio

Founder and Creative Director (10 yrs)

3Y Investment Group

Investment Manager (6 yrs 11 mos)

Education

Professional Education at IxDF - The Interaction Design Foundation

Oliver Ding

Founder

Houston, Texas, United States23 yrs 5 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchHighly Stable

Key Highlights

Expert in knowledge strategy and creative learning design.
Founder of multiple knowledge centers and innovative frameworks.
Authored 33 draft books on knowledge engagement.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Knowledge Strategist with a focus on Education and Social Innovation.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Knowledge StrategyCreative Learning DesignBrand DevelopmentSocial ActionVideo CommunicationUser Interface DesignBrandingMarketing PlanningInvestment Management

Other Skills

Framework DevelopmentPlatform DesignCareer DevelopmentSocial MediaOpen Branding ServiceStrategic PlanningAnalytical SkillsDiagrammingCreative Concept DesignCurationCorporate BrandingUser ExperienceLogo DesignCorporate IdentityBusiness in China

About

Experience

23 yrs 5 mos

Total Experience

5 yrs 3 mos

Average Tenure

6 yrs 10 mos

Current Experience

Creative action learning lab (call)

Founder and Chief Knowledge Strategist

Sep 2019 – Present · 6 yrs 8 mos · Houston, Texas, United States

My approach to Knowledge Strategy was shaped by running several knowledge centers between 2020 and 2023.
In 2020, I founded a personal studio, CALL (Creative Action Learning Lab), to explore creative action opportunities. By 2021, I had transformed it into a knowledge studio, where I developed tools to bridge theory and practice. From 2022 to 2023, I expanded this initiative into a network of knowledge centers:
1. CALL (Creative Action Learning Lab) Center: Focused on human-material interaction
2. ARCH Center: Dedicated to interpersonal interaction
3. Activity Analysis Center: Focused on human activity and social practice
4. Platform Ecology Center: Exploring platform, network, and ecosystem dynamics
5. Life Strategy Center: Concentrating on lifelong development
6. TALE (Thematic Analysis Learning Engagement) Center: Examining themes in social practices
7. Curativity Center: The all-in-one hub of wholeness
I used the Curativity Center as the meta-center to manage the network by developing frameworks aligned with organizational objectives, driving strategic growth. Tools like the Platform Genidentity Framework and Thematic Landscape Map have helped identify opportunities for knowledge architecture and expansion. The newest framework, Evolving Knowledge Enterprise, emerged in April 2024.

Knowledge StrategyFramework DevelopmentCreative Learning Design

Doow

Cofounder and Creative Director

Jul 2019 – Present · 6 yrs 10 mos

Doowit (doowit.co) is a brand new social action platform. We believe the next generation of social web innovation should go back to action, not media. Doowit is a platform of challenges and actions. By publishing and acting upon challenges, people will be better connected and engaged. In the form of challenges, they take on meaningful endeavors, learn new things, and have more fun.

Brand DevelopmentSocial ActionPlatform Design

Votline

Cofounder

Jan 2017 – Jul 2019 · 2 yrs 6 mos

Votline is a mobile one-on-one video talk platform which aims to help you improve your career development. You are welcome to share your knowledge, skill and experience with young people with financial support from them.

Video CommunicationCareer Development

Immedr project

Principal Architect and Designer

Jan 2013 – Feb 2015 · 2 yrs 1 mo

Immedr.com was a new kind of social thinking tool which adopted the anti-social media model. It combined the publishing purpose of old blogging system and the sharing purpose of social media. It used a bookmarklet tool to help users to record their ideas when they are visiting any webpages.
The Immedr project's mission called Social Thinking which includes five statements:
1. Attention on internal thinking, not external information
2. Original expression, instead of bookmarking
3. A Blog Engine in a Bookmarklet
4. Pull-based social sharing, not push
5. Smart Tagging
I initiated the core idea, designed the whole information architecture, user interface and brand visual identity, lead the development team.
You can try its demo on the following site
http://www.jijing.me

Social MediaUser Interface Design

Base base corporation

Director of Marketing

Jan 2008 – Mar 2010 · 2 yrs 2 mos

Base Base Corporation is an Internet technology and application provider located in Houston, where Oliver Ding currently works on brand identity design, features development, user interface design, and marketing planning.

Marketing PlanningUser Interface Design

Swordi studio

Founder and Creative Director

Nov 2004 – Nov 2014 · 10 yrs

Swordi Studio, founded by Oliver Ding in 2004, aims to provide open branding service to enable social change through the Web.
He designed logos for CNReviews.com (2008), Yeeyan.com (2007), Edu2do.com (2007), LobbyChina.com (2006), eTalk Fuzhou (2006), and OOPS (2004). In addition he provided brand identity consulting services to 1idea1day (2007), 1kg More (2006), and Donatehour (2005).
He ran minicampaigns on Slideshare for China Earthquake relief and a Creative Commons licensed book Freesouls in 2008.

BrandingOpen Branding Service

3y investment group

Investment Manager

Jan 2001 – Dec 2007 · 6 yrs 11 mos

3Y Investment Group is not a registered firm but a group of private investors active in mainland China, Hong Kong, and the United States. After investors invested the first round of funds to start-ups, Ding helped the start-ups raise the next rounds of funds from venture capital firms and then raise funds from public markets through IPOs in Hong Kong or the United States.
An authorized representative of the start-ups, Oliver acted as a principal channel of communication with professional parties, including sponsors, financial advisors, and local and overseas lawyers, auditors, and surveyors. He also assisted presidents of the start-ups in strategic planning, brand management, and investor relations during the process.

Investment ManagementStrategic Planning