January 30, 2009

Future Savvy

This is the book that I’m carrying with me and its fantastic.  The writing is well balanced on the pros and cons across the range of tools and approaches to planning for the future.  The description posted on Amazon is ….

There's no shortage of predictions available to organizations looking to anticipate and profit from future trends. Apparently helpful forecasts are ubiquitous in newspapers and business magazines, and in specialized sources such as government and think-tank forecasts, consultant reports, and stock market guides. These forecasts are important for navigating to future success, but they are also of very mixed quality. What information from the endless sea of sources is valid? How does one know which predictions to take seriously, which to be wary of, and which to throw out entirely? Future Savvy shows readers how to discern quality in forecasts and future thinking. It views the predictions as a crucial resource, but sharpens the critical tools in the hands of forecast readers and users.

In a colorful book with many examples, Adam Gordon synthesizes information-assessment skills and future studies tools into a single template that allows managers to apply systematic "forecast filtering" to reveal strengths and weakness in the predictions they face. The better leaders' view of the future, the better their decisions - and successes - will be. Future Savvy empowers both business and policy/government decision-makers to use forecasts wisely and so improve their judgment in anticipating opportunities, avoiding threats, and managing uncertainty.

This books comes highly recommended …

Posted by philmckinney at 5:23 PM | Comments (0)

December 19, 2008

Fast Thinking Magazine

Most weekends, I spend time in book stores searching for magazines that are not in my normal reading list.  Its one way I've found to get the creativity juices flowing by reading about subjects not normally on my radar screen.  This last weekend, I found Fast Thinking in my local Barnes & Noble ($12.99 USD .. love that currency conversion!).  Its a very well done magazine from Australia that contains:

Feature articles that cover innovation in an informative, practical and absorbing way, across all facets and activities - organizational developments, people profiles, current issues. and present and future thinking.

A resource section of practical information you can keep, pass on and use to implement your own innovation practices - tools, practices and information resources.

I was quite impressed.  As background, Australia has the second largest listener base for the Killer Innovations Podcast so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the innovators down under are leading the charge.  Keep up the great work.

To read it yourself (online), visit their website

Posted by philmckinney at 1:05 AM | Comments (0)

December 11, 2008

The 5-Day Course in Thinking by Edward De Bono

During a recent interview for an upcoming book on management and leadership (written by someone else -- not me), I was asked about early influences and how I got "in to" creativity and innovation.

This is the course that started it all for me.  When I was in middle school in Chicago, there was a multi-week broadcast on the local PBS station of Dr. De Bono's 5 day course in thinking.  I was glued to the TV ... I realized for the first time that there were hidden abilities, almost like superpowers (remember - I was in middle school at the time), that I could unlock and do battle with.

I've searched the web for a copy of that original video .. no luck.  This is the book that describes the course and goes through the same exercises.

I've never had the pleasure of meeting Dr. De Bono and sharing with him the impact he had .... Thanks ...

Posted by philmckinney at 3:01 PM | Comments (0)

December 6, 2008

The Imagineering Way - Ideas to Ignite Your Creativity

I'm a big fan of Disney and the Imagineering team.  Their ability to invent, re-invent the company, attractions and experiences.  They have the unique ability to innovate the way they innovate.

This book gives you a look behind the scene and shares the tools, exercises, methods that the team uses.  This is a great book to pick-up and thumb through when your stuck ... and for me, that seems to be more often than not.

Posted by philmckinney at 10:21 PM | Comments (0)

November 30, 2008

Slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations

I just recently picked up this book ... and I've fallen in love with it.  I'm amazed at the lack of skill in making the pitch for a killer idea.  I've seen all kinds of presentations and pitches and most fall flat ... What is lacking is the ability for individuals to think visually.  Visual communication helps convey you're idea and to convince others that they should back/support your innovations.  But unlike verbal skills, effective visual expression is not easy, natural, or actively taught in schools or business training programs. slide:ology fills that void.

Posted by philmckinney at 11:01 AM | Comments (0)

July 11, 2008

Seeing beyond your expertise

I have not yet read this book but have skimmed it.  The basis of the book is around a common tool used in ideation called "medici".  The concept is to randomly combine ideas to create new ideas that you would have never come up with.

It's all about using randomness to get us out of a rut - to explore the unknown and to look beyond the obvious.

Posted by philmckinney at 6:30 AM | Comments (0)

July 8, 2008

For the visual thinkers out there ...

 

I was sent this book from a business associate and I love it!!  I'm a visual thinker and always looking for books, tools, etc to help take complex subjects and convert them to something that anyone can understand.

As I've said many times -- where most great ideas fail to gain traction is in the ability of the champion to "tell the story".  This book is a great tool to helping you build and present the story.

Posted by philmckinney at 6:47 AM | Comments (0)

February 25, 2008

Innovation To The Core

 

I recently got this book (still reading it) and think it would be a good read for those of you struggling with getting your management teams to "get it" .....

Some comments/review by others ....

If you're like most business leaders, innovation now tops your corporate agenda. But despite all the talk and excitement about the importance of innovation, managers have so far found scant help for innovating in a systematic way that fuels consistent growth and sustained success.

In Innovation to the Core, Strategos CEO Peter Skarzynski and business strategist Rowan Gibson change all that. They share the accumulated wisdom from Strategos--the consulting firm Skarzynski co-founded with Gary Hamel that helps clients instill innovation into their very core. Drawing on a wealth of stories and examples, the book shows how companies of every stripe have overcome the barriers to successful, profitable innovation. You'll find parts devoted to crucial topics--such as how to organize the discovery process, generate strategic insights, enlarge your innovation pipeline, and maximize your return on innovation. Frequent hands-on tools--frameworks, checklists, probing questions--help you put the book's ideas into action.

Posted by philmckinney at 2:10 AM | Comments (0)

November 24, 2007

Creativity and Innovation Management Magazine

Aims to give managers insights into innovation within their organization and accelerates the development of creative performance in their staff.

Note:  I have not actually reviewed this magazine.  It was recommended by others.

 

Posted by philmckinney at 9:56 PM | Comments (0)

November 17, 2007

Everyday Creativity and New Views of Human Nature

What is creativity? Is it a force? An innate capacity? A planned process? Who has access to creativity and who does not? Ruth Richards, leading creativity researcher and editor of Everyday Creativity argues against the notion of exclusive creativity, saying instead that creativity a universal ability, accessible to everyone. An innate ability with the capacity to make our lives happier and more fulfilling, an ability that unfortunately for most of us falls by the wayside or is regrettably underutilized and underdeveloped. Richards states, "Everyday creativity is about everyone, throughout our lives, and fundamental to our very survival. It is how we find our lost child, get enough to eat, make our way in a new place and culture...With our everyday creativity, we adapt flexibly, we improvise, we try different options, whether we are raising a child, counseling a friend, fixing our home, or planning a fundraising event."

Posted by philmckinney at 11:47 PM | Comments (0)

November 12, 2007

X-teams: How to Build Teams That Lead, Innovate and Succeed

Much of the literature you read on building teams in the workplace deal with the internal interactions of the group... how they get along, building morale, etc. Deborah Ancona and Henrik Bresman offer up a different take on team success in the book X-teams: How to Build Teams That Lead, Innovate and Succeed.  The most noticeable difference between the conventional team and the X-Team is the focus of their activity... external. Instead of spending time waiting for the team to gel and feel secure, waiting for the rules and directions to be established, Ancona and Bresman advocate for an external focus. Get out in the field immediately and start talking to the potential customers and clients. This tilt towards immediate action may well lead to a moderate level of confusion and frustration on the team in the early days, but the net result is a quick start and insights that can't be gleaned from existing knowledge. Couple this with active "ambassadorship" and flexible membership and team roles, and things get done rather than just being talked about.

Posted by philmckinney at 12:17 AM | Comments (0)

November 9, 2007

Soundz of Spirit - DVD

Unlike any other hip-hop documentary to date, Soundz of Spirit is a riveting feature-length documentary film that explores the relationship between the creative process and spirituality in hip-hop culture.  The documentary captures artists in their moments of inspiration and takes in-depth looks into their creative process, from conception to completion. While many of the artists featured hail from the West Coast’s underground scene, all of them are fiercely independent creative forces, and their contributions toward elevating hip-hop to a truly revolutionary worldwide movement is brilliantly showcased.

 

Posted by philmckinney at 9:02 PM | Comments (0)

November 7, 2007

Creativity, Comprehension & Contemplation (Gamma 40 Hz Ambient Meditation)

Brainwave Sound Solutions presents the 60 minute Gamma 40 Hz entertainer, designed to improve creativity, comprehension, and higher contemplation. Gamma is a high frequency band of brainwave activity, and corresponds to a Schumann resonance band at 40 Hz. Many scientists, including Nobel Laureate Sir Francis Crick, believe that brainwave activity at the gamma level may be key to the act of cognition. Gamma rhythms appear to help facilitate integration of information from brain centers involved with learning, memory, thought generation, and task processing, modulate consciousness and perception, and help combine multiple sensory inputs into single, unitary objects that we perceive.

Posted by philmckinney at 9:51 PM | Comments (0)

November 3, 2007

The Innovative Leader: How to Inspire Your Team and Drive Creativity

 

The Innovative Leader stresses the importance of innovation and creativity in modern business to help organizations secure competitive advantage over rivals. It shows how to apply methods of innovation and creativity to the individual, to business peers, and to the organization. Author Pual Sloane demonstrates the importance of setting out your vision clearly and emphasizes the need for continual evaluation of the process. Numerous international examples illustrate how organizations such as Virgin, Body Shop, Disney, and 3M have benefited from this approach, encouraging excellence and entrepreneurship through challenging goals that keep employees motivated and engaged.

Posted by philmckinney at 12:25 AM | Comments (0)

July 3, 2007

The Myths Of Innovation

The Myths of Innovation

The Myths of Innovation takes a careful look at innovation history, including the software and Internet Age, to reveal how ideas truly become successful innovations-truths that people can apply to today's challenges. Using dozens of examples from the history of technology, business, and the arts, the author shares his thoughts on how to convert the knowledge into ideas that can change the world.

Posted by philmckinney at 11:25 PM | Comments (0)

January 15, 2007

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

The book explores the creative impulse and presents an approach to developing creativity that will be relevant to artists and others. The author identifies and explains seven distinct stages of the creative process: discovery and encounter, passion and commitment, crisis and creative frustration, retreat and withdrawal, epiphany and insight, discipline and completion, and responsibility and release. He also presents what he calls the three principles of the creative impulse, which include creative courage, being in the right place at the right time, and deepening connections with others.

Posted by philmckinney at 6:17 AM | Comments (0)

January 7, 2007

Innovation: The Five Disciplines for Creating What Customers Want

Innovation: The Five Disciplines for Creating What Customers Want

I picked this book up when I was in Hong Kong last month and read 90% of it on the flight home. The tone is a little too self-focused for me but found the examples well worth the investment. As CEO of SRI International, Carlson has consulted with hundreds of organizations on becoming more effective and profitable. He has distilled that experience into his thoughts on the innovation process. The book cites numerous examples of innovative ideas brought to market. It outlines, in workbook fashion, what SRI calls the Five Disciplines of Innovation which is their process.

Posted by philmckinney at 4:17 AM | Comments (0)

December 2, 2006

Mike Rohde's Design Sketch Kit

Last week I was talking with Makalu design colleague Alex Bendiken about tools I use for my logo, icon, web and print design sketch work. Lately he's been using sketches to quickly put multiple design ideas on paper — before moving to the computer.

As I described my sketch kit to Alex, I thought it'd be great to share a photo and the details on Flickr and in a post on my weblog. Turns out that my Custom Moleskine Planner photo with added notes has been very popular, so I took several shots of my sketch kit and placed them on Flickr, and in this very post:

The tools include:

1. Miquelrius A5 squared notebook (300 pages)
2. HiG A4 squared notebook (96 pages)
3. Faber-Castell E-Motion 1.4mm mechanical pencil (a gift from Fazal Majid)
4. Y&C Grip 350 0.7mm mechanical pencil
5. Gray kneadable eraser
6. Artec 6" acrylic triangle
7. Pickett Inking circle template

Notebooks
The larger HiG A4 notebook is better for web and print design where the sketches may need more space, the Miquelrius A5 is smaller and more portable, and my preferred choice for logo and icon design. I especially love how flexible the Miquelrius is, allowing me to fold the covers over for sketching or scanning.

Pencils
I mainly use the Faber-Castell E-Motion for most sketches because the thick lead lays down a nice, smooth line, can put rich grays down quickly and resists breaking even when I press quite hard. The Y&C 0.7mm pencil works well for finer lines and details (more often used on web and print design comps that require fine details or handwritten descriptions.)

Support Tools
The Artec 6" acrylic triangle works well for putting down a crisp edge, and lets me see through it to the sketch underneath — handy for laying in text. My kneadable eraser is indispensable for cleaning up loose edges and stray marks (and works well for stress relief when needed). The Pickett circle guide comes in handy for quick, perfect circles, most often used on web and print design projects.

It's a simple toolkit, which works quite well... and it never needs batteries! :-)

Originall Posted on Mike Rohde's Blog

Posted by philmckinney at 2:51 AM | Comments (1)

June 20, 2006

How To Think Like Leonardo da Vinci

More info ..

A common question I get from listeners of the podcast is about the creation of the "question based methodology" used in a Killer Innovations Workshop. To give you more info/background, this book will give you some insight that helped establish my thinking. I've always been a big da Vinvi fan ... and this is the best book to give you the insight without needing to wade through tough reading from some of the other books on the subject.

The basic da Vinci tools covered include ...

* Curiosita: An insatiably curious approach to life.
* Dimonstratzione: A commitment to test knowledge through experience.
* Sensazione: The continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to clarify experience.
* Sfumato: A willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty.
* Arte/Scienza: The development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination ("whole-brain thinking").
* Corporalita: The cultivation of ambidexterity, fitness, and poise.
* Connessione: A recognition and appreciation for the connectedness of all things and phenomena; "systems thinking."

Posted by philmckinney at 11:32 AM | Comments (0)

May 25, 2006

The Power of Impossible Thinking

More info ..

This book is about getting better at making sense of the world...so you can make decisions that respond to reality , not some obsolete model of reality. Drawing on the latest neuroscientific research and their experience with corporate transformations, the authors explain how your mental models stand between you and reality, distorting all your perceptions...and how they create both limits and opportunities . You'll learn how to develop new ways of seeing...how to keep your mental models fresh and relevant...when to change to a new model...how to build a portfolio of models...and improving your models through constant experimentation. Better mental models = smarter decisions.

Some questions answered ...

- How do you know when an old model is worn out?
- How do you avoid "cognitive lock," filtering out information that conflicts with your model?
- How do you know a new model will live up to its hype?

Posted by philmckinney at 4:17 PM | Comments (0)

May 22, 2006

Emotional Design

For More Info ....

Human reaction to design exists on three levels: visceral (appearance), behavioral (how the item performs) and reflective. The reflective dimension is what the product evokes in the user in terms of self-image or individual satisfaction. The author's analysis of people's emotional reactions to material objects is a delightful process, replete with surprises for readers who have rarely paused to consider why they like or loathe their belongings.

Posted by philmckinney at 9:25 AM | Comments (0)

May 21, 2006

Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Biology

More Info ...

Innovations, whether in farming, composite science, or computing, are a product of human creativity. Science writer Benyus uses these subjects and others to demonstrate how nature's solutions to situations have been the creative jumping-off points for individuals seeking solutions, developing, or simply revitalizing processes or products.

Posted by philmckinney at 10:23 PM | Comments (1)

May 18, 2006

The Ingenuity Gap

For More Info

As the world becomes more complex, so do its problems--and the solutions to these problems become tougher to grasp. As we strive to maintain or increase our prosperity and improve the quality of our lives, we must make far more sophisticated decisions, and in less time, than ever before. Is the day coming in which our ingenuity can't keep up? The author, Homer-Dixon, fears that there is a growing chasm between our ever more difficult problems and our lagging ability to solve them.

Homer-Dixon is very good when he tackles particular problems, and his interests are wide-ranging, moving from the psychology of an airplane cockpit during a crisis to the depletion of the world's fisheries. There's plenty to argue with on these pages, and some readers will find Homer-Dixon's tendency to write in the first person a bit self-indulgent.

Posted by philmckinney at 5:58 PM | Comments (0)

May 16, 2006

The Creative Habit

For more info
Tharp offers a thesis on creativity that is more complex than its self-help title suggests. To be sure, an array of prescriptions and exercises should do much to help those who feel some pent-up inventiveness to find a system for turning idea into product, whether that be a story, a painting or a song. This free-wheeling interest across various creative forms is one of the main points that sets this book apart.

Posted by philmckinney at 11:48 PM | Comments (0)

March 17, 2006

When Sparks Fly:Igniting Creativity In Groups

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Want to fire up creativity in your company? When Sparks Fly just might be the fuel you're looking for. The books premise is that whether you lead a group of three in a nonprofit foundation or 300,000 in a Fortune 500 business, the basic process of creativity is the same. The process involves five steps: selecting the right mix of people to spark creativity; identifying the problem needing novel ideas; developing alternatives; taking time to consider choices; and selecting one option.

Posted by philmckinney at 8:31 PM | Comments (0)

March 9, 2006

Mindmapping: Your Personal Guide to Exploring Creativity and Problem-Solving

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This is a book that I actually purchased for my wife. She is adjunct faculty in the local community college and uses Mind Mapping to help teach her students problem solving skills. I will admit that I've borrowed the book.

Posted by philmckinney at 2:14 PM | Comments (0)

March 8, 2006

Creativity : Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention

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Utilizing the interviews garnered from 91 respondents (ranging from philosopher Mortimer Adler to biologist Edward O. Wilson to politician Eugene McCarthy), the author demonstrates the processes that these acknowledged creative thinkers and doers go through and the characteristics that make them stand out.

Posted by philmckinney at 12:55 AM | Comments (0)

March 6, 2006

Thinkertoys

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Thinkertoys will teach you how to generate new ideas. Packed with fun and practical tools and exercises, it outlines 30 practical linear and intuitive techniques that can be used by individuals or groups to tackle and solve business problems in fresh, creative ways.

Posted by philmckinney at 12:40 AM | Comments (0)

March 2, 2006

Innovation Whack Pack

For more info

Looking for help overcoming a creativity block ? Try consulting the Innovative Whack Pack. This is a worthy companion to the Creative Whack Pack. Each card in the deck packs a two-sided creative punch. One side has a provocative insight about innovation from Heraclitus, the world’s first creativity teacher. The other side contains a creativity strategy inspired by each insight. The result is sixty creativity strategies that include: Appreciate Turbulence, Ask A Fool, See the Obvious, Beware of Hubris, and Reverse Assumptions. Play with the deck on a regular basis. It will help you get creative and come up with killer ideas.

Posted by philmckinney at 9:36 PM | Comments (0)

March 1, 2006

Seeing Whats Next

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This book argues that it is possible to predict which companies will win and which will lose in a specific situation-;and provides a practical framework for doing so. Most books on innovation-;including Christensen's previous two books-;approached innovation from the inside-out, showing firms how they can create innovations inside their own companies. This book is written from an outside-in perspective, showing how executives, investors, and analysts can assess the impact of a new innovation on the firms they have a vested interest in.

Posted by philmckinney at 12:45 AM | Comments (0)

February 27, 2006

The Films of Charles & Ray Eames

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I purchased this DVD set a few weeks back and haven fallen in love with it. Charles and Ray Eames are among the finest American designers of the 20th Century. They are best known for their groundbreaking contributions to architecture, furniture design (the Eames® Chair), industrial design and manufacturing, and the photographic arts. In the early 1950s, the Eameses extended their interest and skill in photography into filmmaking. They created over eighty-five short films ranging in subjects from tops to the world of Franklin and Jefferson , from simple sea creatures to the explanation of advanced mathematical and scientific concepts, such as the workings of the computer. Toccata for Toy Trains and Powers of Ten are two brilliant examples of the Eameses' skill, creativity and far-reaching interests.

Posted by philmckinney at 10:23 PM | Comments (0)

February 26, 2006

I.D, Magazine

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Given my background in design/architecture, this is one of the few magazines that I save to read front-to-back nonstop. The magazine that strives to appeal to a wide range of designers, graphic artists, and architects. Focuses on the design of products, from autos to tableware.

Posted by philmckinney at 12:34 AM | Comments (0)

February 23, 2006

Cracking Creativity

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Michalko has researched and analyzed over 100 of leading thinkers-from Leonardo da Vinci to Charles Darwin, Thomas Edison to Walt Disney-to show how creative people think and how to put their secrets to use. Packed with practical exercises and strategies for stimulating creativity, this book will literally revolutionize the way you think.

Posted by philmckinney at 12:18 AM | Comments (0)

Futurist Magazine

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This is a "must read" magazine for anyone looking to understand the trends that will impact the future. Each issue focuses on trends and developments that are likely to have a major impact on the ways we will live in the years ahead.

Posted by philmckinney at 12:08 AM | Comments (0)

February 22, 2006

Lateral Thinking

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This is the seminal book that introduced the world to a new way of reasoning and decision making. Some may find it a tough read but I have found it worth the "effort".

Posted by philmckinney at 11:54 PM | Comments (0)

Fast Innovation

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This book presents strategies for speeding innovation and getting them to market. Fast Innovation explains why it usually takes so long for innovations to reach the market, why they often fail and strategies for using innovation to drive growth in shareholder value.

Posted by philmckinney at 12:32 AM | Comments (0)

February 20, 2006

Creative Mind System

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The Creative Mind System CD claims to use audio processes which stimulates a state of heightened creativity. Dr. Thompson’s recordings work by blending inaudible pulses of sound that mirror the Creative Mind Pattern into an ambient musical soundtrack. As you listen, Dr. Thompson claims that your own brainwaves begin to reflect this same powerful brainwave pattern, drawing you easily into new dimensions of creativity, out-of-the-box problem solving, and spontaneous artistic expression.

Simply play this program in the background while working, brainstorming, or enjoying any creative or artistic endeavor and you may experience the flow of new creative energies.

Posted by philmckinney at 10:42 AM | Comments (0)

February 19, 2006

Creative Whack Pack Cards

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An illustrated deck of 64 creative thinking strategies that will whack you out of habitual thought patterns and enable you to look at your life and actions in a fresh way. Use the cards alone or with others to create that creative spark.

Posted by philmckinney at 6:13 PM | Comments (0)

What Customers Want

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In a book that challenges everything you have learned about being customer driven, it reveals the secret weapon behind some of the most successful companies of recent years. Known as "outcome-driven" innovation, this revolutionary approach to new product and service creation transforms innovation from a nebulous art into a rigorous science from which randomness and uncertainty are eliminated.

Posted by philmckinney at 12:37 AM | Comments (0)

January 19, 2006

The Ten Faces Of Innovation

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Kelley's latest builds on The Art of Innovation, which celebrated the work culture that distinguishes his high-profile, award-winning industrial design firm, IDEO. This book covers much of the same territory, but focuses on the type of worker and team-building rather than the work environment.

Posted by philmckinney at 1:51 AM | Comments (0)

October 19, 2005

The Art of Innovation

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This terrific book from IDEO general manager Tom Kelley (brother of founder David Kelley) shares such secrets as successful brainstorming, the qualities of "hot teams," and 10 key ingredients for "How to Create Great Products and Services," including "One Click Is Better Than Two" (the simpler, the better) and "Goof Proof" (no bugs).

Posted by philmckinney at 1:58 AM | Comments (0)

September 1, 2005

Moleskin Notebook

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I cannot live without my Moleskins ......... I carry no less than 3 with me at all times. The history/story of the Moleskin notebooks is shipped with every notebook .....

"This long-standing tradition was continued by writer-traveller Bruce Chatwin who used to buy his moleskines at an old Paris stationery shop in Rue de l'Ancienne Comedie where he would always stock up before embarking on one of his journeys. Over the years he had developed a veritable ritual. Before using them he would in fact number the pages, writing on the inside his name and at least two addresses across the world, and a message promising a reward for anyone finding and returning the notebook in case of it being lost. He even suggested this method to his friend Luis Sepulveda, when he gave him a precious moleskine as a present for a journey they were planning to undertake together in Patagonia. And there was no doubt as to how precious it was, given that at the time even the last moleskine manufacturer, a small family-run firm of Tours, had discontinued production in 1986. 'Le vrai moleskine n'est plus' was the short and curt statement of the owner of the stationery shop where Chatwin had ordered one hundred before leaving for Australia. Despite having literally swept up all the Moleskines he could find, they were not enough. Now, the moleskine is back again. This silent and discreet keeper of an extraordinary tradition, which has been missing for years, has set out again on its journey. A witness to contemporary nomadism, it can once again pass from one pocket to another to continue the adventure. The sequel still waits to be written and its blank pages are ready to tell the story."

Posted by philmckinney at 12:49 AM | Comments (0)

August 13, 2005

Thoughtless Acts by Jane Fulton + IDEO

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From IDEO, the global innovation and design firm responsible for such landmark products as Apple's first computer mouse, comes a primer in the observation method that keeps their practice human-centered and ever ingenious. Thoughtless Acts is a collection of dozens of (often humorous) snapshots capturing such fleeting adaptations and minor exploitations. This method of observation demonstrates the kind of common-sense approach that can inspire designers and anyone involved in creative endeavors.

Posted by philmckinney at 6:04 PM | Comments (1)

July 22, 2005

Springboard

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Springboard describes a way to use stroytelling to bring strategic change to organizations, how to communicate in ways that impact skeptical audiences and in general, how to rethink knowledge management from a customer perspective.

Posted by philmckinney at 1:36 AM | Comments (0)

July 20, 2005

Inevitable Surprises

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Schwartz uses the techniques of scenario planning he presented in The Art of the Long View (1991) to create a new version of what tomorrow's world might look like. Unsurprisingly, it's a mixed picture, where the potential for progress is enormous, but the potential for disruption is equally great.

Posted by philmckinney at 1:28 AM | Comments (0)

July 19, 2005

Learning From The Future

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Reveals how innovative organizations harness imagination and strategic management techniques to create scenarios that simulate future opportunities and threats. Shows how scenario learning readies companies for industry and market evolutions and customers' new needs.

Posted by philmckinney at 1:03 AM | Comments (0)

The Art Of The Long View

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It''s vision that makes things happen -- and this guide is a vital tool for planners, managers, entrepreneurs, investors, or anyone interested in tomorrow.

Posted by philmckinney at 12:52 AM | Comments (0)