And you thought Post-Its were just tools for facilitating brainstorming sessions, losing phone messages and displaying curt reprimands for annoying roommates or spouses!
This article titled Elvis Spotted in the Conference Room by Charles Mangin of CapStrat, a strategic communications firm in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Julian Beever is an English artist who’s famous for his art on the pavement of England, France, Germany, US, Australia and Belgium.
Beever's drawings are anamorphic and contain a distorted aspect ratio. To accomplish this, he creates compositions completly in diforms that give a 3D image when viewed from the right angle. It is a very nifty trick of perspective.
See for yourself it’s amazing !!!
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| Image viewed from the "wrong" vantage point. | The same drawing from the "right" point of view!" |
See more photos of Beecher's work: HTML gallery or Flash slideshow
[Forwarded by Jay Smethurst of Sente Co.]
The art of anamorphism really evolved as optical devices were developed: mirrors, metal orbs, prisms, lenses, etc. These enabled artists and scientists to explore the boundaries of what is seen (in terms of optical data) and what is perceived (in terms of cognitive powers) and what is understood (in terms of synthesis and meaning).
Many trainers, facilitators and coaches use such techniques with
corporation and organizations as part of facilitated events or
one-on-one coaching session.
Increasingly, professional theaters such as Chicago's Second City have developed specialized corporate improv teams to meet the demand. And, a growing crop of multi-disciplined facilitator-artist-improv types are blending management consulting, design methods and performance in truly innovative ways.
Continue reading "Benefits of Improv for Business Innovation" »
Many visual learners have discovered the benefits of MindMaps,
the technique developed by Tony Buzan in the late 1960s.
MindMaps use
radiant thinking and simple drawing skills to synthesize complex sets
of information. His classic work The Mind Map Book, is essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand the intricacies of how the mind, cognition, memory, emotion and learning work together.
The Buzan Centre describes the tool as follows:
A Mind Map is a powerful graphic technique which provides a universal key to unlock the potential of the brain. It harnesses the full range of cortical skills – word, image, number, logic, rhythm, colour and spatial awareness – in a single, uniquely powerful manner. In so doing, it gives you the freedom to roam the infinite expanses of your brain. The Mind Map can be applied to every aspect of life where improved learning and clearer thinking will enhance human performance. (More at http://imindmap.com)
However, MindMaps may be difficult to consistently use. It helps if you can write and draw, while listening deeply to a discussion or presentation.
Several companies have developed software tools based on the concept. Tony Goodson shares his experience using MindManager and a tablet PC.
ABOVE: Poster by eBoy, a digital artist collective (buy poster).
Ever wonder how the creators of SimCity and other on-line games create their wonderfully complex worlds of simple pixelpeople?
We listened the founder and CEO of Magnatune on IT Conversations and it blew our minds.
The interview is from the series Voices in Your Head, hosted by Dave Slusher.
Just as iTunes fixed the flat tire inhibiting the legal purchase of music on-line, John Buckman and Magnatune Records, has embraced Creative Commons licensing, internet streaming and distribution of music, and introduced innovations such as
customer-chosen pricing for albums. Buckman recent article for Five Eight Magazine answers critics, proving that Creative Commons can work in the real world.
Even though they are an official record label, Magnatune's slogan is "We Are Not Evil."
Continue reading "Magnatune: The Answer to the Evil Music Empire" »
About The Cubes:
Finally, the drudgery of corporate life has been captured in a play set for adults! Bob, Joe, Ted, and Ann spend eight hours a day, five days a week, at tiny desks in tiny cubicles in a giant room packed with countless similar cubicles in a giant building filled with countless similar rooms.Each set has one 2-3/4" posable plastic figure and all the necessary plastic parts to build a classic corporate cube: four walls, desk, chair, file cabinet, in/out box, phone, and computer. Comes with a sticker sheet of decor for your cube, complete with graphs, charts, screens for the computer and pithy office posters. Also includes a job title sticker sheet so you can create a convoluted and meaningless position for your employee.
(thanks to Jarrell McAlister, author of DonkeyTop)
Need a pair of those wind-up chattering teeth? What about 480 kush balls for your next facilitated session? For direct access to the wackiest and most whimsical of office toys, visit Office Playground.
Great for workshops or just for outfitting your own cubicle, these toys serve the same purpose as rope swings at the zoo's monkeyhouse: They save poor, confined primates from boredom and monotony.
For the more vindictive crowd, they even offer voodoo dolls!
This site has all those squishy stress balls, desk toys, fortune telling devices, perpetual motion machines, puzzles and zen gardens that you see and ask yourself, "Where the hell do people buy this stuff?"
DESCRIPTION: IDEO Method Cards show 51 of the methods they use to inspire great design and keep people at the center of their design process. Each card describes one method and includes a brief story about how and when to use it. The cards are divided into four categories Learn, Look, Ask, and Try making it easy to reference, browse, sort, and share the cards.
(Thanks to Nikki Wise for introducing us!)
Everyone needs a little guidance before leaping off the cliff of creativity and brainstorming a way to break the fall!
These simple rules are reflected in the methodologies of IDEO, ThinkShop, Russell Williams Group and many, many others.
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