The annoyingly persistent importance of craft in the digital age

The well-made box: the

(annoyingly) (persistent)

importance of craft in the digital age

Kip VoytekTEDxKent January 18, 2010

not too keen on generalism

Hipster image

Generalist proof point #1

Generalist proof point #2

Generalist proof point #3

But . . .

Collection of book covers blog headlines

about being a generalist and become

an oncologist in 21 days. Building a skyscraper for

dummies

Embracing the T

Source of Ideas

Source of Ideas

weasel wordshave emotional throw weightsound importantalmost demand acclamation…but means nothing

can’t do it alone

we need it for survival

allows us to do things better

the fundamentals

cooperation to collaboration

pleasure of critique

reverent iconoclasm

cognitive empathy

centrifugal mind

pleasure of critique

embrace your own ignorance

and discomfor

t

“The core skill of innovators is error

recovery, not failure avoidance.”

Randy NelsonPixar University

go forth actively looking for the holes

and have fun while you’re at it...

separate yourself from the work

show often/show early

want to contribute, not own

learn to be a good critic

reverent iconoclasm

first principles inspire

atoms and molecules

“Bird liked to take one tune and play it for a couple of hours. Then he would know

every nook and cranny of the melody and the chords. He was very scientific about

those things....”

Always approach the rules with

Devotion and Heresy

Going deep (in a reasonable time)

Expose your biases

Teach/write about your discipline

Invite heresy

cognitive empathy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cayusa/

crossing minds

concrete cognitive components

Categories & Cell Units

Altitudes

Rhythms

Metaphors & Frameworks

Getting into other people’s heads

Do different things (for even a day)

Follow the brain health trends

Read memoirs/bios of different people

Be curious when you see passion

centrifugal mind

exhibit Bexhibit A

centrifugal

centripetal

centrifugal thinking…

=

no ready answers?

“more patient, less deliberate modes of mind are particularly suited to making sense of situations that are intricate, shadowy or ill-defined.”

not knowing = opportunity

no starting point

listening to what’s there

building on what’s given

Improv

has no fear in exploring the outer regions of possibility

derives insight from multiple sources

is purely in the moment

the centrifugal mind…

seeks a clear path to solutions

looks for ways to align/recombine

is critical/reflective in its approach

the centripetal mind…

final thoughts

be nimble

Devotion

Advocacy

Hammer

Centrifugal

Heresy

Critique

Nail

Centripetal

be foxy

“The hedgehog knows one big thing, the fox knows many things.”

- Archilochus

The Twitter/140 Version

To get the most out of working with the rich diversity of talent around - to collaborate - be

nimble, be foxy.

(110 characters, room to RT)