five dangerous ideas for designers
DESCRIPTION
There are truths about how the world works that creatives don’t like to talk about. We get angry and frustrated when we’re not granted the power we think we deserve, but there are often good reasons the world works ‘against us.’ This talk takes these ideas head on, from how power truly works, to our unavoidable dependence on salesmanship skills, so we can convert them from frustrations into practical behaviors for empowerment and achieving our dreams at work.TRANSCRIPT
1. Everyone is a designer
http://fightclubmpm17.wordpress.com/thoughtless-acts-stephanie/
Thoughtless Acts?, By Jane Fulton Suri
“Rats. My client thinks he is a designer. “
He is a designer, just an extremely bad one.
Designers are ambassadors for
good ideas Good designers are the
only mentors for bad designers
2. You have no power
What decisions are completely yours?
Artist / Designer / Advisor / Lackey
If you have little territory, fortifying it
buys you nothing
Whoever uses the most jargon has the least confidence in
their ideas
Power can be: A. Granted B. Earned C. Claimed
3. The generalists are in charge
If there are more than 5 people in the room, you have less
power than you think
In room power vs.
Out of room power
What is the culture’s appetite for change? - Margaret Stewart, YouTube
Ownership Accountability Involvement
How much of yourself will you put behind your own ideas?
4. We work in sales (regardless of your job title)
Everyone has to pitch ideas
Surprise: these are sales tasks
• Prototyping • Pitching • Evangelizing • Going to meetings run by someone else • Asking for resources • Giving presentations • Growing influence
“Talk to people you don’t like” - Samantha Starmer, REI
Secret: we got into tech, so we can work with software, instead of all the people we don’t like
If people think you are smart and useful your job title is
irrelevant
If people think you are dumb and useless your job title is
irrelevant
5. Creativity is Risk
Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston
Who will:
- Ask the tough question - Do the extra work - Be willing to fail, and learn - Put their reputation on the line - Commit to a big crazy idea
Photo Credits • Stove: http://fightclubmpm17.wordpress.com/thoughtless-acts-stephanie/ • Various, Thoughtless Acts?, Jane Fulton Suri • Sales : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Salesman_-beach_-_bikini-
_sun-27Dec2008.jpg • Maginot Line: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maginot_Line • Masada night - http://www.flickr.com/photos/18129976@N08/4530206067/ • Bunker: http://www.bunkertours.co.uk/metrich/block_1.JPG • Masada above - http://www.bible-architecture.info/Masada.htm • Masada map - http://www.bible-architecture.info/Masada.htm • museum 1 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsifrancis/3256582969/ • Museum 2 - http://www.baunetz.de/talk/crystal/gallerie.php?
group=22&lang=en&temp=crystal&id=9 • Museum - http://architecturerevived.blogspot.com/2008/11/institute-of-
contemporary-art-ica.html
Thank you. Five Dangerous Ideas
@berkun scottberkun.com [email protected]
• Everyone is a designer • You have (no) power • Generalists are in charge • You are a salesperson • Creativity is risk
Photo Credits • Wrong way:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nadav/108792921 • Stove: http://fightclubmpm17.wordpress.com/thoughtless-acts-stephanie/ • Various, Thoughtless Acts?, Jane Fulton Suri • Sales : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Salesman_-beach_-_bikini-
_sun-27Dec2008.jpg • Maginot Line: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maginot_Line • SPL 4th floor: http://www.flickr.com/photos/devos/96388620/ • SPL Escalator, http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenhill/113977751/ • Jargon List: Blue Flavor • Bunker: http://www.bunkertours.co.uk/metrich/block_1.JPG