posted by Anna Fleet on October 14th, 2010
Here at MFX Partners we are huge fans of the work that Project H does around the world. And even though I don’t normally tell you guys to read a book in this blog, I do feel it’s my duty as a design thinker to spread the word about efforts to better the world through sustainable design.
Emily Pilloton, the founder and executive director of Project H, was recently awarded a $15,000 Adobe Foundation grant to support work on her new book Design Revolution: 100 Projects That Empower People, a book that focuses on the firm’s projects dealing with important issues—such as water, global health and education.
Check out this video where Pilloton gives a sample of the projects in the book and talks about how “Design is traditionally oriented at a luxury market, but [she] believes that design, at its core, [should be] about solving problems with positive social and environmental impact.”
In the video, Pilloton also discusses two world-changing projects from Project H. First is the Hippo Roller, a water transportation device invented 15 years prior and only produced and distributed in South Africa, that allows efficient water transport so residents only have to go to a water source twice daily to collect 24-leters of water.
The second project is a math playground called the ‘Learning Landscape’. Project H developed the ‘Learning Landscape’ for a school in Uganda, but “Math was an interesting design problem because it’s universal and can be taught the same way globally,” says Pilloton. “We [where challenged] to look at education as an experience not an object. [The outcome was a landscape] made of reclaimed tires buried in the ground…and it teaches match problems from 2+2 up to algebra.and we realized it’s universal potential…and the project has since spread to North Carolina and the Dominican Republic, because it’s easily constructed in any part of the world.”
Check out the entire video (it’s worth watching) to see how Project H designs tools—or, in other words, something that can empower and enable someone to do something more efficiently—NOT objects.
Tags: design revolution: 100 projects that empower people, design thinking process, emily pilloton, project h design thinking, sustainable cultures, the power of design thinking
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
posted by Anna Fleet on October 13th, 2010
Gas, sex, constipation, indigestion…all of these are common social no-no topics that we tend to pretend don’t exist—and we especially don’t talk about them in the workplace. But how does ignoring these socially stigmatizing topics lead to positive results? Realistically, ignoring them more often leads to further heath problems and social isolation.
Well thanks to this six-part innovation series from IDEO, we are challenged to face and discuss social taboos out in the open, gasp! By forcing us to navigate forbidden waters, IDEO is saying businesses may discover untapped opportunities—ones that, yes, are unpleasant from the surface, but may just turn out to be rewarding once we dig deeper in these ways:
1. Acknowledging social taboos exist
- Listen and acknowledge social taboos in your particular industry.
2. Be sympathetic to embarrassment
- Do this by creating a safe haven for people to discuss, build trust, and share information around social taboo topics.
3. Challenge social stigmas
- By giving people permission to discuss taboo topics in new ways and ask, “Why are these taboo topics?”.
4. Offer alternatives – Provide language to kick off discussion and offer alternatives so folks can be engaged comfortably.
Reading this full article and afterwards take note of how your company can acknowledge taboos and turn them into business opportunities.
Tags: design thinking for small business, design thinking process, design thinking strategy, IDEO design thinking, IDEO innovation tips
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
posted by Anna Fleet on October 1st, 2010
Amy Lamp, Design Director at Forty wrote a great post about why sketching is such an important aspect of design that I’d like to share with you non-designers out there. Now you may be wondering why it’s so important for you to understand why sketching is so important to design when you’re not even a designer. However, if you work at a company that makes anything, anything at all (be it products, marketing, consulting, or problem-solving of any kind), you need to check out what Amy has to say.
Please note: I’ve paraphrased quite a bit here and made it relevant to the folks here at Design Changes and our clients.
Your first idea is probably not your best
You know when you first begin any new project and you think of an idea and think to yourself, “I’m so freaking brilliant! What till they hear this. They’ll love it!” Well it’s probably not your best idea until you’ve sketched it out, thought about it, shared it with others and refined it. See, now you have a good idea.
It’s fast and doesn’t waste precious time
Sketching is a quick and dirty way to express ideas visually—great if you’re working in a group. And more ideas will come to you during the sketching process. Sketching also saves a lot of time with clients that aren’t sure exactly what they’re looking for. And lastly, it’s a lot better than wasting all those hours in Illustrator just to figure out you need to go back to the drawing board (they call it a drawing board for a reason).
You can sketch, I can sketch…
I know some of you might be skeptics. But believe me, I’m no artist. However, I can sketch an idea out on paper using basic shapes (circles, squares, rectangles, lines and arrows—and stick people) to get my point across to others so they understand. In fact, “The Back of the Napkin” by Dan Roam is a great resource for sketching newbies.
Sketching = fun!
It is fun, and it cuts tension. And when you stop worrying what do you get? A clear head, able to produce new ideas and new ways of thinking.
I think Amy is on to something here…what about you?
Tags: design thinking process, design thinking strategy, sketching tips for design, visual thinking tools, visualization tools
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
posted by Anna Fleet on September 20th, 2010
I’m a writer, editor and SEO by profession, I’m not a designer, nor do I claim to be. So I identified quite a lot with Patsy’s Front Studio Blog article, Design Thinking for Non-Designers.
You see Patsy is not a designer like myself, she’s a project manager. And she oftentimes feels like an imposter among the talented group of graphic designers that she works with. However, Patsy recently attended a conference where Marty Neurmeier, the author of the Liquid Brand Exchange blog as well as The Design Company, was a guest speaker. Marty claimed that it’s critical for non-designers, like us, to think like designers—it’s our duty.
It’s a relief really, because in a world where “Designer” often seems like an exclusive club where über-creative types are only allowed in, Marty has shown us that non-designers belong just as mucch with us this Herbert Simon quote, “A designer is anyone who devises ways of changing existing situations into preferred ones”.
So this definition, like Design Thinking inself, welcomes us all with it’s wide reaching, non-exclusive, non-judgmental embrace. You see, being a designer is not only within our human capabilities, it’s our duty.
Tags: design thinking methodology, design thinking process, design thinking strategy, front studio design thinking, Marty neurmeier liquid brand exchange, power of design thinking
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
posted by Anna Fleet on September 17th, 2010
Nowadays, companies are looking for inexpensive ways to educate and innovate. The cheaper the better, right? So when I caught wind of this free Webinar series from Interactive Associates—beginning on Wednesday, September 22, 2010, I just had to share it with you.
The LeaderLens series focuses on conversations around design thinking leadership. And in this first Webinar on September 22, guest speaker, Leslie Alfin, a former professor at Parson’s School of Design, and expert in the field of Design Thinking plans to share how mega-companies GE and Proctor & Gamble have used Design Thinking to boost innovation
Sign up for the free LeaderLens Webinar series on the Interaction Associates site.
Tags: design thinking for small business, design thinking leadership, design thinking process, design thinking tips
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
posted by Anna Fleet on September 15th, 2010
A super cool video from Squid Soup (c/o T2 + Back Alley Films) explores a new experimental design concept called Emergence, which is defined as the by-product of an audience’s interactivity with something that isn’t directly incorporated into the design itself.
Watch the video of the cool interactive installation called Squid Soup to see what I mean. As you watch, think about how people are encouraged to interact and even control the bug’s environment—blocking them off at every turn, constructing obstacles and walls for them to hide behind, and even killing the bugs. Keep in mind that it’s not the bugs and the sand that make up the finished installation on their own; it’s what the people that interact with the piece leave behind (the Emergence) that’s all part of the finished product.
So what does this all mean?
It means that experiential design might just create the closest connection between digital, interactive media and people. And that’s vital to us as marketers. I mean we’re already aware that what your audience takes away from an experience is incredibly important. But, what about what they can contribute back to the experience. Isn’t that equally as important?
In fact, this type of inactive design and the Emergence that comes from it fits very nicely into the Design Thinking methodology that we’ve been talking about over the past month. After all, aren’t we talking about encouraging people to leave behind a history (or rather an energy) of their success as well as their failure as they solve problems, approach life’s obstacles, and innovate?
Tags: design thinking methodology, design thinking process, experiential design, interactive design, t2 + back alley films
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
posted by Anna Fleet on September 14th, 2010
When is the last time you had a natural conversation? And by natural I’m talking about talking without the interruptions of a cell phone call, text, tweet or BBM? Let me take that one step further by asking this: How about at work?
I know that we’ve all been guilty of taking an important incoming call or text during a meeting (I know, I have). However, some folks take this a bit too far— to the point of coming off as just rude.
We all know someone who refuses to turn their cell phone off during a meeting, dinners, lunches, their kid’s school play….always set to vibrate and looking under the table so they don’t miss an “important” text.
That’s why an article from today’s Harvard Business Review, by Anthony Tjan, renowned business leader, and CEO and Founder of venture capital, Cue Ball, hit home for me. It really made me ask myself when my last uninterrupted conversation was.
Although it might be difficult to pinpoint the last lunch with a business colleague or client that was just—well, lunch with talking—I guess I’m pretty lucky. At MFX Partners, our meetings and brainstorming sessions are typically technology free. Instead we use whiteboards and paper to visualize our ideas—free of interruptions. Reason being: so we can have natural conversations and brainstorming sessions using the stuff in our heads.
Tjan agrees, saying, “As the fast food movement has seen an opposing slow food movement take hold and shape, I predict we’ll soon see a similar desire for putting down for a moment all the “information enhancements” that come with mobile, digital-sparring tools… Even those of us who fund, embrace, and love technology may want to push for this…Because the free flow of ideas is more important to us than technology.”
From where I’m sitting this guys has got a point. After all, while stats and facts are vital to fine-tuning presentation and business proposals, big ideas can be choked when critiqued and over-analyzed during the ideation stage. That’s why our Design Thinking method encourages non-judgmental collaboration to open our minds to free thinking.
For more, read Tjan’s full article on the need for natural conversation—without technological interruptions.
Tags: cue ball design thinking, cue ball innovation, design thinking process, design thinking strategy, design thinking tips, harvard business review design thinking, harvard business review innovation
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
posted by Brenton on September 13th, 2010
A recent issue of Psychology Today ran an interesting article that claimed there are as many introverts as extroverts in the world.
As a card carrying introvert, and as a guy who likes to understand what makes people tick, I think I have can shed some worthwhile insight into how introverts and extroverts play out in the workplace—and beyond.
We’ve all been witness to misunderstandings and tension resulting of the differences between introverts and extroverts.I think, that a little awareness can bring out the best in all of us—and I think we can actually use our differences to find new ways of thinking within our collaborative teams.
INTROVERTS vs. EXTROVERTS: WHAT MAKES THEM TICK
Introverts are collectors of concepts. They are energized by solitude.
vs…
Extroverts, who are collectors of connections. They are energized by social situations.
Introverts are gifted observers, listeners, analyzers, synthesizers. They make deep connections, however, they need quiet to think.
While…
Extroverts are gifted thinkers on their feet. These naturally energize people have active engagement in ideas, stories, etc.
I could go on forever about these differences, but I haven’t yet got to my main point. However, for more on the differences between introverts and extroverts you can read The Introverts Advantage, take the Myers Briggs test or Google it and find a free test online.
DESIGN THINKING INTROVERTS
Design Thinking is a core process for how Design Changes and it’s partner agency, MFX Partners solves client problems. This collaborative, dynamic methodology that starts with problem or need identification, deep understanding of the audience and generating solutions to solve the problems identified.
What I’ve noticed is that introverts tend to excel at certain times within the design thinking process—while at other times they don’t (and even come across as disengaged). However, I think by identifying where different personality types can best contribute boosts the power of the team and problem solving process.
Introverts excel at observational research and interviewing people because they are wired to listen and dig deeper for understanding. They are also extremely gifted at analyzing options and grounding ideas with facts and proof.
However, brainstorming is a key technique that extroverts tend to excel at because they can think quickly on their feet. So how do we create the space for introverts to excel so they can be valuable parts of the proccess?
To involve introverts in design thinking, it’s best to give them information in advance to prime. Also, providing an outlet after brainstorming sessions to share ideas that surface after they have had time to think on their own (this is extremely common in introverts as well) with discussion or community boards. Extended collaboration will help introverts to think and write out their ideas—and still feel like valuable members of the group.
An ongoing awareness and appreciation of personality differences will help maximize the effectiveness of any team. Personally, I don’t believe that introverts are seeking revenge as the magazine article title suggests, but rather they are seeking acceptance and the space needed to fully contribute to solving problems that make a difference in the world.
Regardless of if you’re an introvert or extrovert, wouldn’t you agree?
Tags: design thinking extroverts, design thinking introverts, design thinking process, design thinking strategy, myers briggs personality test, psychology today magazine
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
posted by Anna Fleet on September 8th, 2010
An oldie but goldie from ABC Nightline, this video features the renowned design team at IDEO, perhaps world’s most influential product development agency, as it takes on the challenge of redesigning a shopping cart in just five days. Those not familiar with IDEO, will know them from their design of Apples first computer mouse to the 25-foot mechanical whale featured in the movie, Free Willie and …hundreds of products that we probably take for granted like Nike sunglasses, high-tech medical equipment and so on. My point is, at the core, you’ll see why the IDEO design thinking process works.
David Kelley, IDEO founder and Stanford Professor explains it this way, “The point is that we’re not experts at any given area. We’re experts on the process of how you design stuff. So we don’t care if you give us a toothpaste tube, a tractor, a space shuttle or a chair it’s all the same to us…we want to innovate by using our process applying it.”
The IDEO group is made up of an eclectic mix of people, including—a Stanford Engineer, a Harvard MBA, a linguist, a marketing expert, a psychologist, and a biology major that’s put off medical school 3 times because, well, he’s having too much fun at IDEO!
Kelley further explains the group dynamics, “In a very innovative culture you can’t have a hierarchy of “here’s the boss”…and the next person down and the next person down…because it’s impossible that the boss is the one that’s had the insightful experience with shopping carts [or whatever]…it’s just not possible.”
Watch the full video to see how IDEO applies their design thinking process and you’ll see how chaos and failure help them discover creativity success!
Tags: david kelley IDEO, david kelley stanford university, design thinking process, ideo design process, ideo shopping cart, stages of design thinking
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
posted by Anna Fleet on September 2nd, 2010
This morning a quote from Mark Fishman, M.D., President of Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research was brought to my attention. He said, “If you’re leading a team or mapping out a strategy—if you’re trying to solve a problem— you’re engaged in design.”
Well put Mark! This really captures everything we’ve been posting on the Design Changes blog around design thinking.
Regardless of you’re industry—finance, engineering, sales, marketing—we believe that when design thinking is applied to any problem, your chances of an innovation solution dramatically improves.
This is because design thinking is a not problem-focused mind-set —it’s a solution focused mind-set. It uses both left brain and right brain thinking to find an actionable solution. Design thinking can be applied to find:
1. Order in chaos
2. People-centered solutions
3. Emotional/desired appeals
4. Memorable, human experiences (scenarios/stories)
5. Unseen/overlooked opportunities
6. Possibilities for the future
7. Prototypes for solutions
Internationally renowned academic and author on business and management, Henry Mintzberg, wrote the influential book, The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, and he claims, “Leaders and managers need to think like designers…Design and leadership are fundamentally about actively creating the future rather than reacting to the present.” Mintzberg points to large, successful corporations like Apple, Starbucks, Sony, and Virgin, that all use designed thinking in their leadership, management, market, creation and innovation.
Now, does their success prove that design thinking really works?
Tags: apple design thinking, design thinking process, design thinking strategy, henry mintzberg the rise and fall of strategic planning, mark fishman novartis, sony design thinking
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
One Calendar with Social Networking Powers
