We're heading down to the Democracy in Design event that is part of the Global Design Forum in London this September.

The Victoria and Albert Museum are holding a free Digital Design Weekend on September 20-21 for those who want to learn more about digital art, tinkering with robotics and electronics and interactive installations.

Including users with low digital skills in user research - If you test too much with experienced users, you're going to exclude the needs of the inexperienced.

Making things for others - George Sheldrake has an interesting take on the joy (and despair) of making things that can impact and inspire the people who use them.

User research methods wiki - A cool space to share and discuss what good practice in user research looks like. Take a look.

Being more like Whoopi - Richness in thinking comes from diversity of exposure. You don’t come up with interesting new connections if you only read about one thing over and over.

Square-shaped is the new T-shaped - The digital strategist's skill set is changing from T-shaped to square-shaped, which means you've got to learn a lot about a lot.

10 great novels that will make you more passionate about science - We've got some real sci-fi aficionados in the office and they wholeheartedly endorse this list.

The Internet's Own Boy, the excellent documentary about Internet rights activist and computer prodigy, Aaron Swartz, is out in UK cinemas this week. The New York office has already had their own screening, and London will be following suit next week.

And if that isn't enough, Werner Herzog's 1974 doc about the Swiss ski-jumper superhero Walter Steiner can be viewed for free here.

We're reading issue 2 of the brilliant Snacks Quarterly, a publication which celebrates our favourite snacks from the furthest corners of the world in the form of poetry, short story, letter of complaint, eloquent pun and illustration.

We're checking out Miranda July's newly launched messaging app Somebody which never delivers your messages to your friends, but to the people near them.

Singer-songwriter Alice Boman is coming to Cafe Oto on September 1st to play her lo-fi melancholy ballads that she recorded in a cabin in the Swedish woods.

Paper Cut is an exhibition at The Proud Archivist that explores the work of the 25 most critically acclaimed paper craft illustrators. It's free and on until September 25.

Marina Abramovic's 512 Hours wrapped up at the Serpentine this week, so we're moving on to the Lisson Gallery where she will be showing a range of her historic works that have never been exhibited before.

James says that cycling in the Pyrenees is amazing.

Alex says that La Vuelta has just started. (That's Spanish cycling for the uninitiated. For those who already know that, carry on.)

Vivienne and James are going white water rafting. And Owen bought a chin up bar.

We're eating the juiciest shawarmas in town from Beirut Express on Edgware Road. No frills, no fuss, just heavenly garlic sauce running down your chin. You will still be thirsty from all the delicious salt the next day.