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free timefree time..or how I learned
to stop blocking andlove the flywheel
Ryan Price@liberatr
this is a talk aboutimprov comedy.
intro
NO!NO!it's about howit's about how
working with othersworking with others
makes the world better.makes the world better.
we'll talk aboutwe'll talk aboutimprovisersimprovisers
and their trustand their trustin each other.in each other.
we'll talk aboutwe'll talk aboutprogrammersprogrammers
and their evolvedand their evolvedcollaboration skills.collaboration skills.
we'll talk aboutwe'll talk aboutcommunitiescommunitiesand how theyand how they
encourageencouragecollaboration.collaboration.
we'll talk aboutwe'll talk aboutfree timefree time
and how every minuteand how every minutecan make a differencecan make a difference
in the world.in the world.
when you havewhen you haveaa mission, mission,
even tiny pieceeven tiny pieces ofs offree time matter.free time matter.
chapter Iyes, and...yes, and...
it's not aboutit's not about jokes.jokes.
it's theit's theSTORYSTORYstupid!stupid!
the stage is set.the stage is set.
the lights come up.the lights come up.
what is yes and?
BeckyBeckyis doing something.is doing something.
enterenter Richard. Richard.
"looks like"looks likethese little pieces ofthese little pieces ofalien skull alien skull and boneand bone
aren't going toaren't going tosweep sweep themselves.themselves.
Richard:
"pick up a broom"pick up a broomyouyou lazy bum! lazy bum!
this is a bigger messthis is a bigger mess
thanthan last year last year
up atup at Loch Ness! Loch Ness!
Becky:
in thosein thosethree quick momentsthree quick moments
they establishedthey establisheda whole worlda whole worldof possibilities.of possibilities.
"Yes, and...""Yes, and..." thethemost importantmost important
concept of improv.concept of improv.
if one playerif one playermakes anmakes an offer,offer,it is the truth.it is the truth.
Yes, and...
the next playerthe next playermust build on themust build on the
reality in the scenereality in the scene..
Yes, and...
nothing is impossible;nothing is impossible;you are hardly self-you are hardly self-
aware.aware.ideas just "flow".ideas just "flow".
this is a purethis is a pureexpression ofexpression of
human creativity.human creativity.
the first few offersthe first few offerscreate a set ofcreate a set ofpossibilities topossibilities to
explore.explore.
shesheis is sweepingsweeping
Becky makes an offer:
"looks like"looks likethese little pieces ofthese little pieces ofalien skullalien skull and boneand bone
aren't going toaren't going tosweepsweep themselves.themselves.
Richard says yes, and offers:
"pick up a broom"pick up a broomyou you lazy bum!lazy bum!
this is a bigger messthis is a bigger mess
thanthan last yearlast year
up atup at Loch Ness!Loch Ness!
Becky says yes, and offers:
whatever happenswhatever happensis built uponis built upon
those first fewthose first few
moments.moments.
nobody knowsnobody knowswhat will happen,what will happen,
but we havebut we havethe bones ofthe bones of
a great scene.a great scene.
we create awe create avirtuous circlevirtuous circlethat can buildthat can build
momentummomentum
in the scene.in the scene.
VIRTUOUS CIRCLE
Sweeping Aliens
Last Year
improv offersimprov offersgain meaninggain meaning
with the supportwith the supportof other offers.of other offers.
"stop moving your"stop moving yourarms like that,arms like that,we're fathomswe're fathoms
beneath the oceanbeneath the oceanin scuba gear.in scuba gear.
Richard says NO, and offers:
Richard isRichard isblockingblocking
Becky's offer.Becky's offer.
if blockingif blockinghappenshappens later, later,we we loselose more moremomentum.momentum.
the virtuous circlethe virtuous circle
isis broken. broken.
one of the only waysone of the only waysto fail at improvto fail at improv
is tois to block or forget block or forgetyour partner's offer.your partner's offer.
listeninglistening is isessential to successessential to successin an improv scene.in an improv scene.
this idea livesthis idea livesinin many places. many places.
VIRTUOUS CIRCLE
it is all overit is all overmodern culture.modern culture.
VIRTUOUS CIRCLE
it is in the bestit is in the bestcomputer programs.computer programs.
VIRTUOUS CIRCLE
it is in the world'sit is in the world'sgreat communities.great communities.
VIRTUOUS CIRCLE
it is even here atit is even here atthis convention.this convention.
VIRTUOUS CIRCLE
chapter 2yes, andyes, and
retweet thisretweet this
you can sayyou can say"yes, and...""yes, and..."to an ideato an idea
nearlynearlyall communicationall communication
is yes-andedis yes-anded
if Iif I learnlearn something somethingit is onlyit is only
useful to me.useful to me.
if Iif I teachteach something somethingit is nowit is now
useful to us.useful to us.
"He who receives an"He who receives anidea from me,idea from me,
receives instructionreceives instructionhimself withouthimself withoutlessening mine;lessening mine;
Thomas Jefferson
"as he who lights"as he who lightshis taper at mine,his taper at mine,
receivesreceives lightlightwithout darkeningwithout darkening
me."me."
Thomas Jefferson
whenwhen more people more peoplehave an idea,have an idea,
it can beit can bemore valuable.more valuable.
exploration
traveltravel cancanbring ideas frombring ideas fromother lands andother lands andother people.other people.
apprenticeship
study with astudy with a mentor mentorspreadsspreads best best
practices andpractices and speeds speedsthe learning curve.the learning curve.
printed + recorded media
readingreadingspreadsspreads ideas across ideas acrossboundaries of timeboundaries of time
and distance.and distance.
distancedistance was oncewas oncea hurdle to thea hurdle to the
spread of ideas.spread of ideas.
virtuous circlesvirtuous circlesare easier to groware easier to grow
when distancewhen distanceis reduced.is reduced.
large citieslarge citieshelped bringhelped bring
minds togetherminds togetherto collaborate.to collaborate.
"you got"you gotpeanut butterpeanut butter
in my chocolate!in my chocolate!
Reese's Cups Guys
"The trick to having"The trick to havinggood ideas is not to sitgood ideas is not to sit
around in gloriousaround in gloriousisolation and try toisolation and try to
think big thoughts...think big thoughts...
Steven Johnson, Where Good Ideas Come From
"... The trick is to get"... The trick is to getmore parts on the table.more parts on the table.
Steven Johnson, Where Good Ideas Come From
"embrace serendipity;"embrace serendipity;follow the links;follow the links;
frequent liquid networks;frequent liquid networks;borrow, recycle;borrow, recycle;
reinvent;reinvent;
Steven Johnson, Where Good Ideas Come From
communitiescommunitiesare great incubators,are great incubators,
wherewhere people and people andideas bump intoideas bump into
each other easily.each other easily.
communitiescommunitiesdevoted to learningdevoted to learninggenerate new ideasgenerate new ideas
quickly.quickly.
universities
PhD PapersPhD Papersare often createdare often createdwith the help ofwith the help of
entire communities.entire communities.
telecommunication
radio and TV showsradio and TV showscan spread ideascan spread ideasto more peopleto more people
all at onceall at once..
in our lifetime,in our lifetime,new meansnew means have have
enabled new waysenabled new waysto spread ideas.to spread ideas.
sharing onlinesharing onlinereduces distancereduces distance
to near zero.to near zero.
every time sharingevery time sharinggets easiergets easier
virtuous circlesvirtuous circlesflourish.flourish.
social media
networks and codenetworks and codemake make sharing PhDsharing PhDpapers as easy aspapers as easy as
sharing cat photos.sharing cat photos.
blogs and podcasts
amateur publishersamateur publishersshare ideas aboutshare ideas aboutsubjects they havesubjects they have
a passion for.a passion for.
TEDTED
ideas worth spreadingideas worth spreading
I can learn fromI can learn froma TED video,a TED video,
but sharing it isbut sharing it is a yes-and move. a yes-and move.
"why do you care"why do you careso muchso muchif I share?if I share?
You may ask:
being exposed tobeing exposed tomore new ideasmore new ideasmeans our ownmeans our ownprojects can beprojects can be
made better.made better.
we have a word forwe have a word forencouraging theencouraging theunfettered flowunfettered flow
of ideas andof ideas andinformation.information.
we try to encouragewe try to encouragea state of "flow",a state of "flow",
where we say "yes"where we say "yes"to each other'sto each other's
ideas unreservedly.ideas unreservedly.
Brainstorming
listeninglistening is also is alsoessential toessential tosharingsharing and and
brainstorming.brainstorming.
you can be listeningyou can be listeningeven when you areeven when you arenot brainstorming.not brainstorming.
listening is not thelistening is not theonly way to createonly way to create
somethingsomethingmeaningfulmeaningful..
sometimes beingsometimes beingselfishselfish is still is still
a good way toa good way toget startedget started..
chapter 3
scratching your own itchscratching your own itch
andminimum viable productminimum viable product
computer programmingcomputer programmingis not aboutis not about thethe code.code.
it's aboutit's abouthow you use it.how you use it.
programmersprogrammersareare optimists. optimists.
what separateswhat separatesprogrammersprogrammersand all non-and all non-
programmers?programmers?
given time andgiven time and
a few lines of codea few lines of code
they can solvethey can solve
anyany problem. problem.
programmers believe:
much of themuch of the
most-used codemost-used code
did not start bydid not start by
trying to solvetrying to solve
big problems.big problems.
EBay
a site for buyinga site for buyingPEZ dispensers.PEZ dispensers.
a little social networka little social networkfor harvard students.for harvard students.
Drupal
a site for talkinga site for talkingto friends at college.to friends at college.
small problemssmall problemshave a lowerhave a lower
barrier to entrybarrier to entryand areand are
more personal.more personal.
if reshaping theif reshaping theworld is new to you,world is new to you,start close to home.start close to home.
scratching yourown itch
solving personal problems
I want toI want toorganize myorganize my
recordrecordcollection.collection.
MyTunes™
MyTunes™
just for me.just for me.
no music store.no music store.
just organization.just organization.
what could it do?what could it do?
what does it need?what does it need?
MyTunes™
collectcollect.. store. store. view.view.
MyTunes™ features:
with onlywith onlythree featuresthree features
it scratchesit scratchesmy itch.my itch.
MyTunes™ features:
minimum viable productminimum viable product
MVPMVP
collect. store. view.
the least complicatedthe least complicated
way ofway of
scratching your own itch.scratching your own itch.
minimum viable product
minimum viable product
consider aconsider a
wedding cake.wedding cake.
what does itwhat does itreally needreally need
to be ato be a
cake?cake?
minimum viable product
is ais a
still a cake?still a cake?cupcakecupcake
minimum viable product
picture apicture a
virtual reality game virtual reality game
from the 1990s.from the 1990s.
minimum viable product
googlegooglecardboardcardboard
minimum viable product
which of thesewhich of these
is is lesslesscomplicated?complicated?
MVPMVP
my friendmy friendDamien Damien wantswants
to organizeto organizehis records too.his records too.
MyTunes™
I can easilyI can easilycopy mycopy mycode code andand
give it to him.give it to him.
MyTunes™
"this program has"this program hasonly three features?"only three features?"collect. store. view.collect. store. view.
alphabetize?alphabetize?make playlists?make playlists?
MyTunes™
MyTunes™
if he givesif he givesfeedback,feedback,
I can createI can createnew features.new features.
MyTunes™
once they areonce they arewritten in code,written in code,
new featuresnew featureshelp both of us.help both of us.
Darth Vader
"the"the circle circleis nowis now
complete"complete"
the virtuous circle.the virtuous circle.
in software,in software,the featuresthe features
are are the ideas.the ideas.
adding a new featureadding a new featureto an MVP isto an MVP isequivalent toequivalent to
sharing an ideasharing an ideawith all the users.with all the users.
creating an MVPcreating an MVPstarts astarts a
conversationconversationwith the users.with the users.
users giveusers givefeedback feedback
and the creatorand the creatorcan respond withcan respond with
new features.new features.
a feedback loop.a feedback loop.
programmer > user > programmer > user
a virtuous circle.a virtuous circle.
a feedback loop.a feedback loop.
when a programmerwhen a programmeradds a featureadds a feature
from user feedbackfrom user feedbackit is a it is a yes-and move.yes-and move.
without a without a healthyhealthyfeedback loop,feedback loop,you won't getyou won't get
many new users.many new users.
without without new users,new users,you won't getyou won't get
new ideas, nor thenew ideas, nor thesame innovation.same innovation.
listeninglistening is isessentialessential to to
publishing yourpublishing yourMVPMVP..
a big differencea big differencebetweenbetween
improv and codeimprov and codeis the "undo" button.is the "undo" button.
one programmerone programmerwho listenswho listenscan makecan make
something amazing.something amazing.
twotwo programmers programmersworking togetherworking together
can makecan makesomething more.something more.
chapter 4the flywheel effectthe flywheel effect
MyTunes™
what ifwhat ifDamien Damien cancanalso writealso write
code?code?
working togetherworking togetherwe can share ideaswe can share ideas
collaboratively.collaboratively.
he can becomehe can becomemore thanmore thanjust a user.just a user.
open source software
MyTunes™
Damien could createDamien could createintegrated programsintegrated programs
or other featuresor other featuresand plugins.and plugins.
MyTunes™
each plugin is each plugin is another MVPanother MVPwith anotherwith another
feedback loop.feedback loop.
more than onemore than onefeedback loopfeedback loopwill add utilitywill add utilityby orders ofby orders ofmagnitude.magnitude.
a flywheel effecta flywheel effectis created whenis created when
two feedback loopstwo feedback loopssupport each other.support each other.
a flywheel effecta flywheel effectmeans the wholesmeans the wholes
are greaterare greater than the than thesum ofsum of their parts. their parts.
the Haroldthe Harold
Flywheel Effect
entirely improvisedentirely improvisedthree-act play;three-act play;
new acts are basednew acts are basedon earlier scenes.on earlier scenes.
the Harold
the Harold
Scene A Scene B
Scene C
Scene A Scene B
Scene C
Act IAct IIAct III
improv offersimprov offersgain meaninggain meaning
with the supportwith the supportof other offers.of other offers.
the Harold
improv scenesimprov scenesgain meaninggain meaning
with the supportwith the supportof other scenes.of other scenes.
the Harold
acts in a Haroldacts in a Haroldgain meaninggain meaning
with the supportwith the supportof other acts.of other acts.
the Harold
human actionshuman actionsgain meaninggain meaning
with the supportwith the supportof other actions.of other actions.
Flywheel Effect
possibilities arepossibilities aremore connected asmore connected as
people becomepeople becomemore connected.more connected.
Flywheel Effect
communitiescommunitiescritical mass of like-minded peoplecritical mass of like-minded people
Flywheel Effect
each new personeach new personin a communityin a community
brings with thembrings with themnew ideas.new ideas.
people and eventspeople and eventsact as act as catalystscatalysts
to flywheel effects.to flywheel effects.
Flywheel Effect
GNU/LinuxGNU/Linux
Flywheel Effect
podcastingpodcasting
Flywheel Effect
open spaceopen space
Flywheel Effect
BarCampBarCamp
Flywheel Effect
DrupalCampDrupalCampandand
DrupalConDrupalCon
Flywheel Effect
Fringe FestivalFringe Festivalandand
Canadian FringeCanadian FringeTouring CircuitTouring Circuit
Flywheel Effect
coworkingcoworking
Flywheel Effect
farmer'sfarmer'smarket
East End Market, Artegon, Grandma Party
Flywheel Effect
48 hour48 hourfilm festfilm fest
Flywheel Effect
game jamgame jam
Flywheel Effect
StartupStartupWeekendWeekend
Flywheel Effect
TEDTEDandand
TEDxTEDx
Flywheel Effect
KickstarterKickstarterandand
Kicking it ForwardKicking it Forward
healthy communitieshealthy communitieslike these havelike these havefeedback loopfeedback loopssat their roots.at their roots.
listeninglistening isis
essentialessential
to all of theseto all of these
flywheel effects.flywheel effects.
flywheel effectsflywheel effectsalso start when youalso start when you
scratch your own itchscratch your own itchand share the results.and share the results.
how do all of thesehow do all of thesecommunitiescommunities
create so much value? create so much value?
You ask again:
they start asthey start aspassion projects,passion projects,by people withby people with
an itch to scratch.an itch to scratch.
free timefree time
to scratch your own itchto scratch your own itch
Flywheel Effect
cognitivecognitivesurplussurplus
Clay Shirky
moving to big citiesmoving to big citiesand specializationand specializationcreated a surpluscreated a surplus
of free time.of free time.
Cognitive Surplus
new communicationnew communicationtools enabled newtools enabled newways of organizing,ways of organizing,new communitiesnew communitiesof collaboration.of collaboration.
Cognitive Surplus
"diverting even a tiny"diverting even a tinyfraction of time fromfraction of time from
consumption toconsumption toparticipation can createparticipation can create
enormous positiveenormous positiveeffects.effects.
Clay Shirky, Cognitive Surplus
YelpYelporor
AmazonAmazonwithout user reviews?without user reviews?
Cognitive Surplus
Meetup.comMeetup.comoror
OKCupidOKCupidwithout other users?without other users?
Cognitive Surplus
FlickrFlickroror
InstagramInstagramwithout other people's photos?without other people's photos?
Cognitive Surplus
each post iseach post isequivalent to anequivalent to anofferoffer in improvin improv
that you can saythat you can say"yes-and" to."yes-and" to.
each offer iseach offer isan investmentan investment
of time, totalingof time, totalingbillions of hoursbillions of hours
every yearevery year..
"why should we"why should weimprove theimprove the
bottom-line ofbottom-line ofthese companies?"these companies?"
you may ask:
“If you are not“If you are notpaying for it, you’repaying for it, you’renot the customer;not the customer;you’re the productyou’re the product
being sold.”being sold.”
MetaFilter user blue_beetle:
“If you are not“If you are notpaying for it, you’repaying for it, you’renot the customer;not the customer;
you’re a contributoryou’re a contributoradding value.”adding value.”
Drupal user liberatr:
“The opposite of play“The opposite of playisn’t work.isn’t work.
It’s depression.”It’s depression.”
Jane McGonigal, Reality is Broken
if you had to beif you had to bepaidpaid for all your for all yourcontributions tocontributions tosociety, society, wouldwould
the world improvethe world improveany faster?any faster?
conclusion
the futurethe future
the flywheel effectthe flywheel effectwill changewill changethe worldthe world
as we know it.as we know it.
post-industrial societypost-industrial societywill be characterizedwill be characterizedby these movements.by these movements.
"The forces in play in"The forces in play inthe Earth system arethe Earth system are
astronomically massiveastronomically massiveand unimaginablyand unimaginably
complex.complex.
Stewart Brand,Whole Earth Discipline
"Our participation has"Our participation hasto be subtle andto be subtle and
tentative, and thententative, and thencumulative in acumulative in a
stabilizing direction.stabilizing direction.
Stewart Brand,Whole Earth Discipline
the millenial takeoverthe millenial takeoverhas little tohas little to do dowith being awith being a
special snowflake.special snowflake.
the millenial takeoverthe millenial takeoverhas everything to dohas everything to do
with being awith being avalid contributorvalid contributor
in the world.in the world.
"a tough new [business]"a tough new [business]rule is emerging:rule is emerging:Harness the newHarness the new
collaboration or perish.collaboration or perish.
Don Tapscott & Anthony Williams,Wikinomics
Phone Trees
sharing informationsharing informationamong aamong a
communitycommunityhierarchically.hierarchically.
Phone Trees >> Ushahidi
sharing informationsharing informationamong a networkamong a networkof communitiesof communities
with no hierarchy.with no hierarchy.
LEGO
creating worldscreating worldswith your friendswith your friends
in your living room.in your living room.
LEGO >> Minecraft
creating worldscreating worldswith your friendswith your friendsaround the globe.around the globe.
Encyclopedia
one source ofone source ofinformation thatinformation thatmay get updatedmay get updatedannually at best.annually at best.
Encyclopedia >> Wikipedia
multilingual sourcemultilingual sourceof information thatof information that
gets updatedgets updatedminute-by-minute.minute-by-minute.
collaboration is acollaboration is askill, which can beskill, which can bestrengthened withstrengthened with
repeat use.repeat use.
certain people arecertain people arebetter at setting upbetter at setting up
flywheels.flywheels.why?why?
"...the magic number"...the magic numberfor true expertise:for true expertise:
ten thousand hours.”ten thousand hours.”
Malcom Gladwell, Outliers
our new generationour new generationhas created manyhas created many
collaboration experts.collaboration experts.
the flywheel effectthe flywheel effectdoes not occurdoes not occur
in a vacuum.in a vacuum.
what can a billionwhat can a billionexperts accomplishexperts accomplish
if they workif they worktogether?together?
"how does this"how does thisapply to me?"apply to me?"
you again!
think about allthink about allof the free timeof the free time
in the knownin the knownuniverse.universe.
there are billionsthere are billionsand billions ofand billions of
potentialpotentialcontributors.contributors.
if you operate inif you operate ina closed manner,a closed manner,
you excludeyou excludeso many possibleso many possible
new offers.new offers.
there are challengesthere are challengesto face, butto face, but
working togetherworking togethermakes overcomingmakes overcomingthem much easier.them much easier.
if you leave allif you leave allthe problem solvingthe problem solving
up to "them", youup to "them", youforgo your chanceforgo your chanceto chime in later.to chime in later.
unless you decide tounless you decide toscratch your own itchscratch your own itchand share the results.and share the results.
how will youhow will youspend yourspend your
free time?free time?
free timefree time..community
code andcreativity
Ryan Price@liberatr
www.slides.com/ryanprice
improimpro
Keith Johnstone
cognitivecognitivesurplussurplus
Clay Shirky
reality isreality isbrokenbroken
Jane McGonigal
wherewheregood ideasgood ideascome fromcome from
Stephen Johnson
the starfishthe starfishandand
the spiderthe spider
Rod Beckstrom and Ori Brafman
the powerthe powerof pullof pull
John Hagel, John Seely Brown, Lang Davison
thetheinnovator'sinnovator's
dilemmadilemma
Clayton M Christensen
the leanthe leanstartupstartup
Eric Ries
free timefree time..community
code andcreativity
Ryan Price@liberatr
www.slides.com/ryanprice