creatorbase

Tim Brown of IDEO: Apply Design Thinking for Today's Questions

IDEO and Tim Brown are institutions in the world of design and innovation. I say this with much respect and admiration for the Palo Alto, CA based design firm and well-traveled designer. Tim Brown's recent presentation at TED 2009 in the UK is a good, 16 minute overview of how and why to apply "design thinking" for today's tough challenges. Yes, and for those questions that need a creative approach and mindset:

 

Truth be told, I interviewed at IDEO in 1998 during the same period I was interviewing at Sun Microsystems. To this day, the two rounds of IDEO interviews were the most unusual and stimulating I have ever experienced. The questions they asked seemed odd to me at the time. Years later, I realized they were applying a form of design thinking during the interview process -- probing not only to see if I was qualified for the job but also to determine if we were a good fit for their unique culture. 

Long story short, Sun offered me a solid marketing position and salary that I decided to accept. The decision was made because Sun was a more recognizable brand, a technology leader that seemed right given my career path, and the offer was better than the compensation range that IDEO was discussing. More honesty: To this day, I wonder if I made the right decision by going with Sun. No regrets, though. 

Funny thing is I was so impressed with IDEO in general (and my interview experience) that I eventually hired them for an "eBusiness Innovation @Sun" consulting project, including Tim Brown and Tom Kelley; one of the Kelley brothers who actually interviewed me years earlier. I will always remember the thrill I experienced during our one day workshop in San Francisco with a diverse team of Sun and IDEO talent; I want more of that creator juice and experience.

I'm a fan of IDEO because they continue to lead in their industry, they impressed me with their work while at Sun, and I continue to find their ideas, practices and thought leadership timeless and highly useful. So it goes without saying that I will apply their design thinking in a new, creative project I'm leading now with a diverse and talented team at Lyris. More on this another day.

Make Face-to-Face Part of Your Strategy

I had a little "ah-ha" moment a few weeks ago after co-hosting an informal BMA roundtable at Chevy's in San Francisco. I realized that I need to get out more! Yep, out of the office and into more face-to-face conversations, debates and networking with peers, competitors, practitioners and the curious. This occurred to me not because I am looking for a new job -- but because I experienced how face-to-face conversations can help me be better in my current role.

The good news is event formats like meetups, roundtables, tweetups and the like are very easy and cost-effective to organize and host. This is especially true now with online communities, web-based services and cultural shifts that I believe are being driven by workforce transitions, mobility, social media and mass restlessness. 

JD Peterson and I posted some thoughts about this topic including some tips and tools to consider. I'm convinced that face-to-face is required in the mix if you want to be more effective in your business. Expensive travel and event management budgets do not necessarily apply but you might consider serving margaritas and chips!

Socialnomics Video: Facts or Fiction?

This new video, with data from Erik Qualman's blog (and new book) about the social media revolution, is powerful and quite stimulating. The question -- is the video 100% factual or not? I'm an optimist and tend to trust people. But many folks are posting comments that assert the video is misleading. What do you think? 

 

Dan Pink at TED 2009: Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose Matters

Dan Pink has a colorful background and it has nothing to do with his last name. His diverse work experience, research, writing, and point of view about creativity and 21st century business is refreshing and not to be ignored. He's also an entertaining speaker for people who are interested in contemporary business and social issues.

Dan and I chatted in 2004 when I was building Creator Connection, an online community for creative people and independent professionals. At the time, he was writing a new book called A Whole New Mind and I was hopeful that Creator Connection would be referenced in the book; it didn't happen. No worries because I read the book when it was published months later and learned a few things about how the world is moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age -- a world where art, creativity and innovative teams play new roles in the workplace.

I've been following Dan's writing over the years and was happy to come across this passionate discussion recorded at TED in July 2009. The video clip is just over 18 minutes long and I think it's worth a listen if you're a business, marketing or technology leader looking for an edge. Hint, autonomy, mastery and purpose are business ideas worth spreading: