A design thinker's personality profile. Do you have one?

I was reading Tim Brown's Blog when I came across the article he had written for HBR. In the article, titled 'Design Thinking', are his views on what constitute design thinking. In it, he wrote that many outside professional design have the natural aptitude for design thinking - black turtlenecks not being a requirement.

What caught my interest as I skimmed through the article was Brown's idea of the design thinker's personality profile. He lists down empathy, integrative thinking, optimism, experimentalism and collaboration as characteristics to look for in design thinkers. Design thinkers, based on this list, are people who can see the situation from multiple points of stakeholder views: from the client's, the developer's, the end users', the supplier's - and this helps to design a solution that is more desirable and relevant. Design thinkers also believe that no matter how challenging the situation is, there is a set of solutions that is better than the current alternatives. They also keep on experimenting, in order to continuously improve the proposed solutions. Finally, they go beyond working alongside multiple disciplines; they themselves have experience in more than one.

You can read the article here.

Ya, sure he's describing the IDEO designers, who come from all walks of life and represents the perspectives of sociology, psychology, physics, and more. What I like about this list is that it's true - one does not need to be formally-trained in design school to have a design approach in one's thinking. The design approach helps in many aspects of getting work done.

I'm beginning to feel weary, though. I feel that I am one of the few ones that keep on asking questions, experimenting, pushing for awareness of multiple perspectives, exploring possibilities and eliminating unusable options, that I'm just tired. I'm not saying I'm so bloody great at it. What I'm saying is that if more of us learn to think this way, collaboration would be fun and brainstorming would actually yield cool ideas. I think my unconscious mind is listening to my words and is programming my body to react thus. I've been fighting a severe ear infection and horrendous headaches for 3 weeks now - a possibility that my body is experiencing some sort of dis-ease. I'm frustrated and angry and I need to suppress those feelings because it doesn't do anyone any good if I lose it and just shout "just think, people - think!" and bring the team's morale up. I don't care anymore. I don't even care if the work gets done or not. I just don't care.

There. Finally I've admitted that to myself. What do I do next?

Been busy, yes. Been a little bit ill too.

But most importantly, have been working on my stuff for the KLue Urbanscapes 2009 @ KLPAC, under the KLickr group. Didn't go to the one last year, and this year's program looks smashing.

More updates coming up when I have them. In the meantime, check out the urbanscapes page at http://www.urbanscapes.com.my

See you there.

How to successfully organize a social networking event for ’single, busy professionals’

um…er…how to (un)successfully organize the above, rather. Here are 5 ways.

ONE

Announce and market the event to the correct target group i.e. single, busy, professionals, get their payment, and then do nothing to whet their interest after they pay. Don’t find out what they’d like to see in a social networking get-together. Don’t even think of calling them for a nice chat to find out if they’d be shy or hesitant to join any particular activity or ‘party games’ and get their ideas on what kind of fun activities they’d feel happy about. God forbid if you’re thinking of asking them about their experience with similar socials, especially if it’s getting them to tell you about their experience in one or two that they may have thought of as lovely, or executed nicely. What do these people know about social networking anyway? You’re the experts, aren’t you?

TWO

Once the people arrive at the event you organize, make sure you get their business cards and other contact information, point them to the bar to get their complimentary watered-down beer, and then LEAVE THEM TO MINGLE ABOUT BY THEMSELVES. Don’t introduce people to each other, don’t offer small facts that may be interesting e.g. “I’d like to introduce you to so-and-so, who’s also in the sports apparel industry,”. Don’t walk around among those sorry lot for ‘how-do-you-dos’; other people might think you’re one of them. Oh and for goodness’ sake don’t help them – especially the ones who really look like they’re painfully shy and just stands there by the corner, by himself or herself. Focus instead on sitting together with your fellow organizers, continue looking great and MAKE SURE you introduce your team as experts in organizing social networking events for single, busy professionals. They all know that they are losers anyway, these poor sods, that they’d even pay you GOOD money to meet other single, busy, professionals in a social setting.

THREE

If you have latecomers, especially people who arrive about one hour late than the planned time, because they were too busy to plan their work properly and leave the office earlier in order to meet your stipulated time, implement step TWO and be very pointed about them being late to YOUR event. MAKE SURE that you don’t have anyone on stand by at the front door or the restaurant entrance so that when these sorry sods arrive, they’d feel so embarrassed standing alone at the door, not sure where to go, that they’d learn their lesson and never be late again for YOUR SOCIAL NETWORKING event THAT THEY HAD PAID FOR EARLIER. The key here is to make them feel so unwelcome so that they’d remember to be on time next time.

FOUR

Halfway into the event, just as they begin to look rather comfortable (or less shy) with each other, intrrupt them to officially introduce yourself and your team, emphasizing again on your collective experience of running these shindigs. Then you hand out pencils and pieces of paper containing some senseless questions, incomplete sentences or empty boxes. Tell those sods that they need to go on a manic rush to get all answers or matches within a stipulated time (the shorter, the better. Try 45 seconds and cut it from there). Once this mad frenzy is finished, announce the ‘fastest’ and ’slowest’ networkers, applaud the one with the most completed answers and punish the slowest sod with some humilitating command. Get them to sing, say out a poem, gyrate their hips or something like that. The more embarrassing the task is, the better. It shows how much of an expert you are, because single, busy professionals are always the best group to embarrass, because they don’t have partners like the rest of us NORMAL people.

FIVE

Never ever ask for feedback. You never need to improve on perfection, do you? Besides, what would those busy, single, busy professionals know about meeting other people in a social setting anyway? YOU are the experts in this area, aren’t you?

Yeah. What Randy said.

Sometimes, borrowing other people's words help to explain more clearly what I mean. Today, I will borrow Dr Randy Pausch's words, from his book, The Last Lecture. 

"The questions are always more important than the answers."

That's so true - because I believe the best answers are the ones that hits you between the eyes like a hockey puck although not as hazardous; stuff that you realise yourself. I tend to answer questions by asking questions, especially at work. I love to see the A-HA! moment when the realisation dawns on people's faces that they have found a great potential solution to their issue. The ownership is there, and after the eureka moment, there's a spring to their step as they go off to tackle their to-do-list monster.

There are also the people I work with who do not respond well to this approach. Then I will see their face redden a little while they furrow their eyebrows and roll their eyes. Stop being too pedantic, they tell me. Just give a straight answer, they say. I tried, but with my deepest apologies, it's just more tiring to think for other people in that manner. 

"Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. You’ve got to get the fundamentals down because otherwise the fancy stuff isn’t going to work."

Many times I struggled with things because I didn't see the big picture. Didn't ask the question behind the question. Didn't have my own EUREKA! moment of the general idea before rushing off to plan activities and take actions. Remembering this statement calms me. I have renewed strength in my decisions that relate to this statement. Like not buying a DSLR within the next 60 days because I'm just having too much time learning the fundamentals on my Powershot SX100 point-and-shooter.  

However, there are times when I confess I may have deliberated too much because of a skewed perception of what forms fundamentals. Sometimes I don't see the line between analysis paralysis and I then end up not doing the nike (just do it). I don't have many regrets, but there are at least 2 actions that I should have taken within the last 24 hours that would have put me on a different path than where I am right at this moment. But no. I mistakenly thought I was still in data-gathering mode that will end once I feel I have enough to grasp the fundamentals. I forgot that data-gathering mode is a continuous process in most cases. And now, I'll never know what could have been, and perhaps I never will.

"My colleague told me: "It took a long time, but I finally figured it out. When it comes to men who are romantically interested in you, it's really simple. Just ignore everything they say and only pay attention to what they do."

This one's funny. Funny weird and funny ha-ha. I just have one important thing to mention here. Based on what I've seen, no matter how much their words appear to contradict their actions, they'll still find a way to tell you that they don't really mean what they did, it's what they say that matters. And no amount of crying will change that.

"When you're screwing up and nobody says anything to you anymore, that means they've given up on you."

I'm doing that to someone in my life right now. Because I've given up on him. It's very rare that I've given up on someone, but when I do, there's just no turning back.

"Find the best in everybody. Wait long enough, and people will surprise and impress you. It might even take years, but people will show you their good side. Just keep waiting."

I thought I could do that. I didn't realise the cost of waiting. Maybe someone should write about that.

"The key question to keep asking is, Are you spending your time on the right things? Because time is all you have and you may find one day that you have less than you think."

I know I said I'd wait. I didn't know that it's so easy to get comfortable with the routine and some would never come round to realising that what they're looking for is right there, in front of them. My bags are packed and I am ready to take off on the next part of the journey. If you don't feel that it's worth your time to take the initiative and just touch the sky with me, then so be it. 

So be it.

Saudade, Vol 2

Based on A. F. G. Bell's book 'In Portugal', 1912 , one might make a strong analogy with nostalgia as a feeling one has for a loved one who has died and saudade as a feeling one has for a loved one who has disappeared or is simply currently absent. Like someone you love who went out for a walk along the beach and never came back; you long for every approaching shadow to prelude his or her return, I suppose.

Here's the idea that sparked my exploration into the difference and/or integration of nostalgia and saudade:

"From the beginning he'd consumed liquor only to get drunk. That was half of the equation. The other was the haunting sense that something fundamental to his happiness, his wholeness, been taken from him. When sober, he couldn't name it." [He remembers a trip to Lisbon with his first wife who is a fashion designer.] "...her buyer there...had taken the Parkers out for a night of fados. Fate songs. ... He asked the buyer what the lyrics meant, and the man explained , 'Saudade, my friend...the presence of absence.' "

SOURCE: "Cry Dance" (Kirk Mitchell)

Several days ago, a friend left a comment on this image on my flickr stream that said 'this is a powerful image'. I was curious to what that means - powerful in what way? To me, this image strikes at my core. I still feel like I'm been punched in the center of my chest whenever I look at this photo. But, almost like a glutton for punishment, I return to it repeatedly. Rather like getting injured in kickboxing practice to feel the external aches that match the agony of the internal lacerations.

This image describes the presence of absence that is inside my heart; the moment just before a tear breaks away from my eyelashes and drops onto my cheek; my memories of conflicts caused by past decisions that were taken purely out of urgent necessity.

I'm beginning to realize that this image does not only represents anguish, it also represents hope and growth.

Growth? Like roots to the trees, providing a base and nourishing nutrients: I'm reminded that I am responsible to continue living and learning. My own snapshot of the priceless value of BEING the change that I want to see in the world.

Hope? Like looking forward to the brilliant blue sky that will take over once the rain clouds are gone: perhaps the same being that feels and even inflicts pain (no matter how unintentional) can also brighten up and create joy in their own little corner of the world.

It's about how much we all need to continue fighting the good fight. We all need to be who we are (even if we're described as not soft-spoken and demure), be aware of who we want to be (maybe NOT demure *LOL*) and balance the exploration of these two paths in order to get the best combination of traits that'll help us on the journey to be a good human being.

It's about soldiering on, no matter how tough things may seem, and how bleak the situation looks. It's a reminder to me, first and foremost. It's about aiming for something and going for it, while at the same time accepting the idea that if it's not yours, it could be because someone else needs it more, or you're destined for something else; having faith that every step takes you closer to where you want to (and need to) go.

To me, that's what this image is all about. What does it mean to you?

*the photo's on my flickr stream, http://flickr.com/photos/fazk