Yesterday I attended an interesting event at the IMPACT HUB in Westminster.  It was an introduction to Design Thinking by Stephan Huerholz.

The presentation was very interesting as I had heard about Design Thinking but it was the first time I learnt about it (Thanks Stephan!).  In a very practical way he summarised the steps of: Understand, Observe, Point of view, Ideate, Prototype, Test and Iterate.

I found it very useful and reminded me about other techniques that can be used for problem solving or development and acronyms that I have read in the past, as well as some famous quotations and concepts I hear a lot in recent times: wicked problems, minimum viable product (lean approach), diversity, brainstorming (and other variations), metaphor, etc.

Stephan did very useful comments and examples and answered our questions about the topic.  It is very interesting the idea that even if it seems a process for product design, it is much more than that.  As it was mentioned, it can be applied to anything, and it is very useful also for social entrepreneurs.

From my point of view, it is very interesting to see common aspects among  different processes such as for product design, for personal development (coaching), problem solving, reflective practice, scientific method, lean approach, continuous improvement cycle, etc.
P-D-C-A
G.R.O.W.
I.D.E.A.L.
GIBBS MODEL OF REFLECTIVE PRACTICE

LEAN MANUFACTURING
A3 PROBLEM SOLVING
LEAN THINKING
5S METHODOLOGY
8 Disciplines of problem solving
LEAN STARTUP
SCIENTIFIC METHOD

Is it not wonderful to think about the combinations and variations we can create with concepts using creativity techniques?

Another link to a design thinking presentation


The process can vary and there are different ways of doing it.  There can be different emphasis at different stages of the process and the iteration can be going back to the prototipe or the point of view or starting since the begining if needed.

Stanford

TOOLKIT

This weekend I attended another inspiring event with Tony Biola, owner of Grow Personal Success.   Anthony Abiola D.A.D.A. (aka Tony Biola) does a very interesting work helping people, empowering people.  Previously founder or Urban Voice  where he already started helping young people to succeed.  

The event was in Battersea, in Crowne Plaza Hotel (I enjoyed the helicopters flying so close), not far from Clapham Junction, where this video was recorded at the time of the riots in London: 

Tony delivers a powerful message with strong principles about having a vision, discovering your gift, how to use it with purpose, take action, the importance of having clarity and being authentic, as well as "the secret law of giving"... very inspirational messages that led me to think about myself and write my own thoughts.

Tony has a special way of doing things.  He sets the tone by being very personal, he started the session by singing a song (without music), and developing a friendly, family type atmosphere.  

I think some of the reasons why I came to this event is because I admire his personal style, it is an opportunity to think about your values, your skills and challenge yourself.  Besides, there is an opportunity to see people who have graduated from his mentoring program.  


This is a wonderful opportunity to see how people have changed their lives, what leaves you with a "feel good" mood.

It is interesting to observe how his work has been developing during the years, starting from working with young people and continuing working with young people and adults... helping them to succeed.  


As Tony says, his gift is to see the talents in others, what can be shown on many examples that are really inspiring.

This weekend I attended two interesting events: The first one was with Destiny Agugu, owner of www.uspcopy.co.uk and the title of the seminar was  "Develop your brand voice".

The main reason why I attended this event is because I think her blog (and her website) is unique.  Generally I feel that many people (that maybe have a lot of knowledge about search engine optimization and other stuff likewise) have a website or a blog that is not easy or comfortable to read, as there might be too much information, or it is not clearly displayed, etc.

In the case of USP Copy, the blog is something I look forward to read, as it is not something that is being bombarded every week... maybe you can read it once a month and it is something easy to read, inspirational, thought provoking, useful... that leaves you with interest of reading more about it, thinking more about it.


For some reason it is the type of blog that you can go back to read things you have read before to think more about it, or just for the enjoyment of reading without effort.  I guess the reason for this is the values that are embedded on her work: uniqueness, integrity, simplicity...


This is the way to understand the importance of what she explained: The need to understand your brand, who you are, so you can write your content according to your brand.


It is very inspiring to listen Destiny talking about USP, not only about products, services, organisations that are different, but about the person who is behind and his/her values, what can make that in a very competitive market, the decision can be made accoding to the values of this person.   It is not only about what you do, but how you do it and why? What problem do you solve? explained Destiny.  This made reference to the famous Simon Sinek "Start with Why"

As Destiny mentioned, when you think about these questions, you clarify your values, identify your ideal client and create a message that speaks to them.

One of the tips I got was to keep in mind your top values.  Another one is to choose which type of client you want to work with.  I suppose that by working with people sharing similar values, work can be very fulfilling.

My reflection is to continue thinking about my values, to have them present, to value them (to value my values).

On the other side, watching Destiny talking about "Develop your brand voice" there is something about the way she presented it, that seemed very genuine, because the seminar was brief, in a relaxed atmosphere and at the same time very inspiring in the simplicity of the way the ideas were presented.  Something to learn and to practice: how to simplify the message, how to condense in few words a message that reflects so much meaning.  Very useful when thinking about doing an "Elevator Pitch", I think.

I was surprised when I read in her website how many things your business copy need to do....  but as she summarize it in brief:


"To ensure that your business message is clear and speaks to the right people. Simple."

Yesterday I assisted to a unique session about lateral thinking in Mary Ward Centre, an Adults Education College in Central London.  According to Wikipedia: 

"In a speech to mark the opening of the Settlement in 1898 Mary Ward stated its mission as: “education, social intercourse, and debate of the wider sort, music, books, pictures, travel”. She added: “It is these that make life rich and animated, that ease the burden of it, that stand perpetually between a man and a woman and the darker, coarser temptations of our human road”


Being in this type of college is quite inspiring, but the main reason for me to assist to this event was the trainer, Gerard Darby, a researcher, writer and trainer specialised in enterprise, creativity and lateral thinking.  I had already met him at another training session in Mary Ward College several years ago and found some of his works very inspiring: "Dare to Dream".
"Hyper Island UK"   "The young entrepreneurs" , BBC4 Radio programme about creativity and education".  He also co-edited with Vincent Nolan an incredible book titled "Reinventing education" in which Gerard Darby wrote about "An enterprising education".  

Even though I have been reading and writing about creative thinking for years, to attend a session with Gerard Darby is a fresh look at topics I think about.  Participating in this event, I had the opportunity of challenging myself and think about my thinking.  Besides, the way he organised the setting, with a mix of activities, sense of humour, stories, puzzles, images, references, contemporary examples we can relate to, practical activities for own personal and professional development, made me look at things from different angles, explained by somebody with a lot of experience...  I suppose it is like a coach being coached by another coach or a psychologist being supported by another psychologist.  In this case, I was inspired by his expertise about creative thinking.

This was a learning experience, not only about lateral thinking (as he explained, a concept invented by Edward de Bono), but about the way of training in an engaging, friendly and effective environment, what is one of the themes of creative thinking when focusing on products, individuals, processes and environments.

In "Reinventing Education", Gerard Darby writes about the need of having a much more enterprising approach to education. As he states:

"Successful businesses are ones that put the consumer at the heart of their operation.  Similarly successful learning should put the student at the core.  In reinventing education, let us focus on the most important people in education- the students.  Let us value them as they truly are, as individuals with individual ideas, thoughts and aspirations and who, given the right encouragement and environment, could deliver an enterprising future for us all"

Yesterday I got my new glasses and today I am travelling to Spain as the intention was to celebrate my parents Golden Wedding Anniversary (50th Wedding Anniversary).  However, my father is in hospital... so there is a change of plans.

Maybe because of the proximity of this two events, I awoke this morning thinking about an interesting analogy.  This is the first time I am having two different type of glasses, for reading and for distance (I am getting old... and besides, many years without going to check my eyesight).

The analogies are based around perception (seeing) and thinking.  For example, the same way that now I use different glasses to read (or use the computer) and to see in the distance, I was thinking that when we think we can focus in the present (or short term) or in our life time (or long term).  Relating it to the fifty anniversary, I was revising photographs that have been taking since many years ago, what brought to me thoughts and emotions that even if there were not forgotten, there were "a bit far".  That is interesting to be compared with the "present mode" in which usually I am thinking about the day to day basis (or even maybe the month to month basis or yearly basis).

When I went to do the eye examination, it is interesting that I was not only checked how I see in different distances, but also about the health of my eye.  The eye examination can include discussion about your health, about the many different type of glasses available (or contact lenses), different options, about the age, digital retinal photography, habits such as use of computer, etc.  This reminded me when I had a conversation with my cousin, Isabel, about nutrition and she asked me about my eating habits to adjust my diet, making it a healthier one adapted to my timetable, work patterns, habits, etc. not only a standard diet that is good for everybody (if everybody was having the same life routines).

The truth is that I should have been aware that I was needing two different glasses (I suppose I was feeling some headache, tiredness, etc., specially after using the computer or reading for a long time).  Now I feel better, more comfortable (I was not feeling really bad before, but I feel better now), I feel more relaxed and I enjoy seeing more in the distance (yesterday I was even looking into the eyes of people wearing sun glasses).

As a thinking coach, I can see some analogies with an optician:  It is not only about the quality of thoughts, about the number of ideas, but also about the health of the mind generating the ideas.  Can you imagine if somebody was needing some to type of injection, medication or drink to generate ideas?  In the last few years it is happening to me something very interesting: It is in the morning when I awake with ideas I was not thinking about, like the idea for this blog.  It makes me believe in that idea that the brain works unconsciously while you are asleep.  Maybe some people think about thinking as an effort (a work to do), while other people think about thinking as a game (something to play with).

The same as an optician, I could suggest different techniques to think, to generate ideas (comparing with glasses to look at different distances, for example, could be suggestions about analogies that are from similar fields or from different ones).  Thinking about health, there could be some discussion about "healthy ways of thinking", not jumping into conclusions, not thinking all/nothing, not guessing the future or what other people are thinking, not thinking about the worst of the situations, etc.

What about using special glasses that can provide more information? I can think about microscopes, telescopes, google glasses (facial recognition, translation, information from wikipedia, maybe it could be used to record the process of problem solving, generating ideas, etc. so that it can be improved).  What if I was a dog with special smell ability, an eagle with special eyes, a bug, a bat...?

Different distances (looking with a microscope or with a telescope), different times (present, a life time, a century), different motivations, different backgrounds, different expectations, different, fears, different worries, different hopes, different mistakes, different experiences, different educations, different perceptions, different senses, different abilities and disabilities, different countries and cultures, different ways of thinking, behaving and living.


Happy anniversary!!!