Most wanted

David Rowan of Wired UK says you can’t be effective in business today without an understanding of behavioural psycology or social media; and you can’t be culturally attunded unless you grasp emerging ideas in architecture or genomic science.  Makes sense to me, best get reading…

Detached observation

It struck me recently during a conversation with one of my team about the Darwin Big Idea exhibition, about the importance of detached observation.  When we work with a subject that we have direct experience with as a consumer, a real person, our ability to generate good ideas is much stronger.  This is because we have spent time enjoying and experiencing rather than searching with an objective and goal.  When we get a new brief to explore ideas in a subject we are unfamiliar with our natural approach is to dive straight in looking for something to solve our problem.  This means our perspective is narrowed and out of touch with how a true consumer might see it.  To get better ideas spend some with your new subject observing with interest not with an objective.