Colin Harman

What can people in business learn from studying the ways successful designers solve problems and innovate?

Colin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:24:34 +0000

A friend of mine Pete Amato shared this with me and it’s amazing how accurate it is. I couldn’t help but share it. I now want to read the book Glimmer from which this is based.

What can people in business learn from studying the ways successful designers solve problems and innovate? On the most basic level, they can learn to question, care, connect, and commit — four of the most important things successful designers do to achieve significant breakthroughs.

Having studied more than a hundred top designers in various fields over the past couple of years (while doing research for a book), I found that there were a few shared behaviors that seemed to be almost second nature to many designers. And these ingrained habits were intrinsically linked to the designer’s ability to bring original ideas into the world as successful innovations. All of which suggests that they merit a closer look.

Question. If you spend any time around designers, you quickly discover this about them: They ask, and raise, a lot of questions. Often this is the starting point in the design process, and it can have a profound influence on everything that follows. Many of the designers I studied, from Bruce Mau to Richard Saul Wurman to Paula Scher, talked about the importance of asking “stupid questions”–the ones that challenge the existing realities and assumptions in a given industry or sector. The persistent tendency of designers to do this is captured in the joke designers tell about themselves. How many designers does it take to change a light bulb? Answer: Does it have to be a light bulb?

In a business setting, asking basic “why” questions can make the questioner seem naïve while putting others on the defensive (as in, “What do you mean ‘Why are we doing it this way?’ We’ve been doing it this way for 22 years!”). But by encouraging people to step back and reconsider old problems or entrenched practices, the designer can begin to re-frame the challenge at hand — which can then steer thinking in new directions. For business in today’s volatile marketplace, the ability to question and rethink basic fundamentals — What business are we really in? What do today’s consumers actually need or expect from us? — has never been more important.

Care. It’s easy for companies to say they care about customer needs. But to really empathize, you have to be willing to do what many of the best designers do: step out of the corporate bubble and actually immerse yourself in the daily lives of people you’re trying to serve. What impressed me about design researchers such as Jane Fulton Suri of IDEO was the dedication to really observing and paying close attention to people — because this is usually the best way to ferret out their deep, unarticulated needs. Focus groups and questionnaires don’t cut it; designers know that you must care enough to actually be present in people’s lives.

Connect. Designers, I discovered, have a knack for synthesizing–for taking existing elements or ideas and mashing them together in fresh new ways. This can be a valuable shortcut to innovation because it means you don’t necessarily have to invent from scratch. By coming up with “smart recombinations” (to use a term coined by the designer John Thackara), Apple has produced some of its most successful hybrid products; and Nike smartly combining a running shoe with an iPod to produce its groundbreaking Nike Plus line (which enables users to program their runs). It isn’t easy to come up with these great combos. Designers know that you must “think laterally” — searching far and wide for ideas and influences — and must also be willing to try connecting ideas that might not seem to go together. This is a way of thinking that can also be embraced by non-designers.

Commit. It’s one thing to dream up original ideas. But designers quickly take those ideas beyond the realm of imagination by giving form to them. Whether it’s a napkin sketch, a prototype carved from foam rubber, or a digital mock-up, the quick-and-rough models that designers constantly create are a critical component of innovation — because when you give form to an idea, you begin to make it real.

But it’s also true that when you commit to an idea early — putting it out into the world while it’s still young and imperfect — you increase the possibility of short-term failure. Designers tend to be much more comfortable with this risk than most of us. They know that innovation often involves an iterative process with setbacks along the way — and those small failures are actually useful because they show the designer what works and what needs fixing. The designer’s ability to “fail forward” is a particularly valuable quality in times of dynamic change. Today, many companies find themselves operating in a test-and-learn business environment that requires rapid prototyping. Which is just one more reason to pay attention to the people who’ve been conducting their work this way all along.

Warren Berger is the author of “GLIMMER: How design can transform, business, your life, and maybe even the world” (Penguin Press). He edits the online magazine GlimmerSite.com.

Posted via email from Colin Harman’s Posterous

12 Things People My Age Will Regret Later In Life

Colin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 01:54:53 +0000

I’ve been giving this list some thought over time, and though this is only a portion of them, but here we go.

1. Trendy Tattoos

If there is one thing about tattoos that makes my brain nervous is that 99.99% of them are born out of and defined by some trend. I think with enough experience you could train a monkey to identify what time period and under what conditions a person got their sweet tat. We’ve all heard a story like, “Oh ya, I was belligerent drunk one night and since that’s when I catapult into my high quality decision making mind-state, that was when I got my tattoo of Optimus Prime fighting the Ninja Turtles over who liked Chuck Norris the most on my lower back. I thought it’d be cool.” Wrong. Have fun explaining that one to your grand kids who are going to be asking you to tell them stories about the days when you “used to use paper.” Don’t be that guy or girl.

And while we’re on the subject let me settle the bet for you: Forget Chuck Norris. Mrs. Pacman wins the awesome award 1000% of the time, don’t even bother arguing with me.

2. Mullets

It’s said that a mullet is business in the front and a party in the back, but it should be more accurately described as a face-to-face debacle you lost to an angry mexican gardener with a weed-eater. Let’s face it, mullets aren’t cool. You just need to choose a hair length and roll with it, you can’t just say “I choose both” and think we as society will accept that as a legitimate answer. You’re clearly not very good at making decisions, but is that really a character trait you want to flaunt on your head? For shame.

3. Not taking risks

Anything worth doing is a little risky. Think of all the companies that would have never started if investors didn’t take risks in a huge way? I don’t even want to attempt to fathom the amount of pop-ups I would have had to wade through during the process of trying to write this post had some big money millionaire not invested money in funding the start of Apple. Go do something scary. Jump off of something. Drive too fast at least once. Go do something you should only do in a group. Challenge yourself. Find out what is the max you can handle of something and then do it just a little bit more. Do something you would watch someone else do and say, “That guy’s an idiot for doing that.” It’s good for you, and it gives you a memory to look back on.

4. Not Traveling

Trust me on this one, I’ve yet to travel as much as I would like to, and it’s already becoming more difficult than I’d like it to be. There will never be a time in life when it’s more simple for you to drop whatever it is your doing and go. There’s so much more world than you’ve seen, and just because it’s more cozy in your room, or you know the streets around your town and that’s enough for you, suck it up and go explore. It’s worth it to have the adventures and to learn how other people experience life differently from you.

5. Video Games

I know logging in every late at night and playing the joint campaign until the morning sunrise with guys from Germany and Albania is totally awesome but winning that Tricidian 3-edged up-angled spirit sword is not only lame, but also dipped in a vat of real-life-friend retardant. The amount of time you spend playing video games is only that, time spent. Sure you can say it improves your “hand-eye coordination” but really it’s just going to melt your corneas and give you carpel tunnel. Your Xplay-Weestation-Box is not going to get you a job testing video games. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

6. Not Getting Married/Getting Married

This one could go either way. I think it goes without saying that “when you should get married” varies for each person. I have friends from high school that I know will never get married because they love WoW, Magic the Gathering, and beer pong too much to ever grow up and do something with themselves. However, in the same way I have friends who were ready to have a wife, 9 to 5 job, a house with a picket fence, and 2.5 kids as a package deal with their high school diploma. Make sure you are getting married for the right reasons for you, and not for anyone else. Either way it’s worth the wait/rush.

7. Inappropriate Internet Photos

This one doesn’t need much explanation, but no matter what you do with your life, you’ll never be proud of your lack of “facebook upload discretion” from the “good times” from your youth. Good luck explaining those same principles to your kids while those not-so-kodak moments exist forever frozen on facebook or the futuristic equivalent (remember Myspace? Ha). For your sake, your future kids, and my future kids, be wise, don’t be an idiot, and don’t be trashy. Period.

8. Smoking

Oh Tobacco and your manipulative controlling ways. You’re like the mother-in-law everyone dreads, yet people choose you. I bet you feel so cool when you exhale that smoke out of your nose. It won’t affect you right? And you know what isn’t that cool? Chemo and radiation. It’s not gonna feel so awesome when you can’t even get out of bed and your lungs (if you still have them both) are blacker than african sin at night in a cave. It’s also gonna be cool when you’re kids are stealing your last pack of Marlboro lights out of your glovebox with their stubby six year old fingers. That jank will kill you, maybe not ‘right now’ but it will, so cut it out.

9. Not Volunteering

Let’s get serious for a second—there’s something about selflessly giving of yourself that is written into the human nature of DNA. However, in our world of self-preserving pretentiousness that has turned us into time/effort/resource/money hoarding buffoons that can’t see past the end of our noses, doing something for someone else out of the pure kindness of your heart will never return void. I promise.

10. Tanning Beds

Many have lied to themselves and said “I just want a base tan so I can look hot in (insert article of clothing here)“. But let me be the first to tell you that it’s gonna be hard to say that when you look more like a dried shammy or an old leather briefcase in your 50’s. Prepare yourself now to not be an aloe vera dependent hot mess of skin cancer later. A little extra darkness now is not worth it.

11. Bad Credit

That Louis Vuitton matched luggage set is not an investment no matter how you spin it. Don’t confuse something you want with something you don’t need. Having bad credit will only make your life difficult in nearly every way. Frivolous spending, though promoted in our culture is not the way to happiness. Pay your bills on time, don’t buy useless crap you can’t afford, and for goodness sakes get a savings account that isn’t shaped like a piggy on your dresser.

12. Being Lazy

This one is nothing but a choice. I can’t think of one person that sits at home all day, covered in cheetos, watching infomercials about knives that can cut through shoes and exhaust pipes that is doing something meaningful with their lives. Do something people. Be passionate about something and do everything you can to achieve it. We live in a world that tells you to relax, do nothing, take time off, and don’t do more than is asked of you. While I agree there is a time for that in life, it’s no way to live your life. While you sit on your couch watching PBS trying to mimic the sound of a weasel’s mating call to impress your sister, I’ll be working on something worthwhile so I can make something of my life for a purpose bigger than myself. I challenge you to do something and do it better than you originally thought you could.

That’s all I’ve got for now, but I know there’s more spinning in your head.

What did I forget? What do you think will be regretted in the not so distant future? Do tell, I know you’ve got it in you…

Posted via email from Colin Harman’s Posterous

Echo Conference 2010

Colin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:09:33 +0000

The Echo Conference is a three-day gathering of creative church leaders who are passionate about digital media and the gospel. This year’s event will be held at Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas, from Wednesday, July 28 to Friday, July 30. Together, we’ll explore topics such as visual storytelling, event programming, social media, online community, graphic and motion design, and more.

Though that’s the official “google echo and you’ll learn that it’s:” definition, for me it’s something I’ve looked forward to for over a year. I didn’t get to be a part of it last year, and figured this year I’d be flying solo coming out here to take in this experience, to learn, to meet, greet, and see what I could glean. However, now that I am writing this from our hotel in Dallas, I am joined by our Technical Director Andrew Hunt, our video producer/editor Tim Gosnell, and our K-5th Technical/Creative Guru Chad Schaub. Though coming here with just me would have been rewarding for sure, an experience like this is always best when shared. We all come to this bringing something different, but can learn from one another in ways that just one of us could never have learned.

I look forward to hearing some great speakers in the big keynotes and breakout sessions, some of which are guys/girls I’ve looked to for wisdom, advice, and inspiration for a long time. Getting to sit it on their talks or possibly even meeting them kinda makes my brain melt. Also there are people here who I’ve only communicated with through blogging or Twitter that I’ll get to meet for the first time, so that’s exciting as well. For me it will be a huge opportunity to network with relevant people who are eager for and passionate about the same goals that I am.

A few of the speakers:

I’ll try to debrief from each day as much as I can. I’m an avid notetaker so it’ll take some time for me to parse through all my info into some sort of meaningful blogpost, but I’ll do my best.

Looking forward to it.

Posted via email from Colin Harman’s Posterous

AT&T Rethink Possible Commercial

Colin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:17:02 +0000

I love this commercial.

I feel like I could watch it 100 times and it would make me smile each time. It’s a brilliantly simple in concept, but the compositing work in it to get all the window reflections, shadows, motion-tracking etc looking as good as they do would take some serious effort. It’s top notch. I have AT&T and could get on the bandwagon of their shabby network coverage, but this commercial somehow makes that all go away, at least for a second. Thanks Gene Wilder for singing that little tune to make me feel better…

Hey AT&T, maybe take the same awesome sauce you dabbled onto this commercial and lob a dollop onto your network. Just a thought…

What ya think? Watch it in HD if you think about it.

Posted via email from Colin Harman’s Posterous

Powers Signs Inc.

Colin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 09:09:20 +0000

This site for Powers Signs Incorporated was a quick collaborative effort between Clay Powers and me. They already had their logo (originally a hand drawn font back in the day) that they were set on not changing, and had chosen their color scheme from the very beginning so there wasn’t a ton of flexibility in the branding. I did the front end work and he coded all the under the hood jquery and other fun glory. We churned this site out in about 6-8 hours. So not too bad. There’s things I’d do different, but for the time invested, I’m ok with it.

Reverberate

Colin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 08:44:21 +0000

A quick graphic I did for student ministries at Blue Ridge Community Church. Nothing super fancy here, just a fun color scheme, a homemade star field, and some audio waves. Sadly it still has to be in 4:3 and not 16:9, but I suppose that will come soon. I hope.

What ya think?

Explore. Dream. Discover.

Colin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:04:49 +0000

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain

Posted via email from Colin Harman’s Posterous

I don’t know why but…

Colin — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 03:11:28 +0000

I don’t know where it is from, who to it, or when, but I love it. It’s everything I imagine a sunset on the water should be. If it look at it long enough a d try to imagine myself in that place, I feel like I can hear the soothing sound of the waves crashing on a beach. I can feel the salty air on my face, and it makes me feel serene.

There is something to be said about “that place”. I love when I can, even if for just a second, be taken to another place simply because of a photo, video, sound, or aroma.

I at times wonder if other people experience that level of departure from reality whence they encounter something so seemingly captivating.

Do you have that place you go to? What relaxes/excites/soothes/captivates you? Do tell…

Housemates Adventure

Colin — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 21:51:34 +0000

An adventure with my housemates Andrew & Wade to Charlottesville is always a good time. Looking forward to it as we’re on our way now.

Posted via email from Colin Harman’s Posterous

Thank you.

Colin — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 18:43:39 +0000

I am not a big “go all out for my birthday” person, but I am so grateful for the people who care enough to spend time with me. I love you all, thanks for caring about me so much.

In other news, Despicable Me is hilarious, go see it. Here’s a link to a little sneak peak.

Posted via email from Colin Harman’s Posterous