Complexity is straining the ability of traditional plans to function as designed. When mass systems change is afoot, the key is not to jettison traditional planning, but collaborate with complexity rather than ignore it. In an earlier post I made the case that the days of linear planning were over. I stand by that, but […]
Cooperative Complexity and Planning Read More »
Systemic changes are happening all around us and the need for preparedness for an uncertain future has never been more salient. While operational plans and strategy are critical, psychological preparedness is just as important. Preparedness is anticipating certain kinds of events and outcomes tied to those events. Let’s look at environmental issues. For example, every
Psychological Preparedness By Design Read More »
Humans tell stories to each other through narrative, pictures, and data and models can help us make sense of things, but do they help us act? Or worse: do these models contribute to inertia? If you want to get a lot of traction on social media with a certain crowd, put up a model or
Models for Clarity or Confusion: Are Your Sense-making Efforts Serving You? Read More »
Creative ideas, new insights, and sustained action thrive in a community. As the world adapts to new ways of organizing and distributing our work, it’s worth considering what kind of spaces support this. I work with organizations seeking to innovate and rarely does the topic of space come up at the start of the conversation.
Systems, Places and Spaces for Innovation Read More »
Canadian wildfires are ravaging millions of hectares of forests prompting the evacuation of thousands of people and smoke plumes that are affecting millions. It’s a case study in how we address the psychology of climate change, invoke systems thinking about health, and apply what we know about design to it all. In a recent interview
Wildfires: When Sparks Lead to Flames Across Systems Read More »
Trust has never been worth more than it is now – and its value is only increasing. Designing for trust will be the most focus of our organizations in the months and years to come. Trust-making is going to be the design skill for the future. That’s my prediction. You might be inclined to say
Designing for Trust: The Critical Skill for The Future Read More »
More data does not always bring deeper insights, and the confusion between having good information, making a good decision, and taking the best action creates more folly than foresight. A strategy is a narrative about what you do, how you (intend to) do it, and what you expect to accomplish. Analytics are a way to
The Folly of Analytics in Strategy Read More »
How do we remember something that has yet to happen? One way is to project backward from an imagined time when we know the outcome and see where it leads us – like death. Kevin Kelly recently sat down with Shane Parrish on the Knowledge Project podcast and spoke about life lessons. Kelly’s recently published
Remembering Our Future End: Strategic Considerations For Better Living Read More »
We are trained to use our powers of evidence and research to make our point. What if we used much less research to make much more of a point? When I get into a debate or look to persuade something, my natural tendency is to gather and align as much evidence as I can to
When Less is More When it Comes To Influence Read More »
Nicholas Thompson’s regular posts on The Most Interesting Thing in Tech are informative, timely and enjoyable. However, sometimes the most interesting thing isn’t the tech, but the humans around it. Generative AI is everywhere and has an enormous impact on the arts. Recently, Canadian electronic superstar artist Grimes announced that she is willing to work
Avoiding the Technology Trap with Innovation Read More »
