All about stories…
Had a great lunch last week in North Melbourne with Shawn Callahan of Anecdote. We met at the Auction Room which is a relatively new neighbourhood restaurant in the area where Anecdote’s offices are now located. I was able to walk from the Spot Building (where my office has been for the last two weeks […]
From career to passion via design thinking
We a country, province and region worry about productivity. Part of this is making sure that as many people as possible follow their passions. Here is Part 2 of the Aldergrove Secondary School design thinking story. After the introductory exercise, Mike started the class on another project — aligning with the Planning 10/Graduate Transitions curriculum. […]
Why do I have to think?
Sometimes you can’t help but wonder who is out there reading our blogs. And whether the posts just end up attracting people who write about anti-wrinkle cream or anti-snoring pillows? But then faith is restored. Someone has responded seriously to your blog. They are excited about design thinking. And better yet they teach secondary school […]
Scenario planning for Port Metro Vancouver
Imagine 2050. What will Vancouver be like? What will Port Metro Vancouver be like? I was pleased to spend roughly a day and a half with around 100 stakeholders in an exciting scenario buidling workshop around the Port and its possibilities for the future. We were asked at the end of the session by the […]
Seeing the bigger picture…multi-dimensionally
Since engaging in exploring ways to introduce different ways of thinking into the Sauder curriculum, I have struggled with terminology. I realize that I am not alone in this struggle. The various LinkedIn groups around design thinking have regular discussions about definitions and labels. So it was with great interest that I read a “Comment” […]
Productivity and Competitiveness
Yesterday I attended the BC Business Council’s “Business 2011” conference as a guest of the Vancouver Economic Development Commission. The keynote was The Honourable Kevin Lynch, Vice-Chair, BMO Financial Group — but better known as a career federal public servant in a variety of important and influential roles — Clerk of the Privy Council, Secretary […]
design thinking…business thinking
It’s always fun to step back and as some big questions — especially in January. I keep pondering the relationship between design thinking and business thinking. How do they interact? Helen Walters is an engaging writer and speaker. She is the former editor of Innovation and Design at Bloomberg BusinessWeek. I just finished re-reading […]
10 Take-aways from the d.studio
Making lists is a wonderfully creative activity. Challenging oneself to generate 3 ideas, 10 ideas or 50 ideas really does help push the envelope and go beyond. So I am challenging myself to articulate 10 important take-aways for me from the undergraduate d.studio class experience: Teaching and Learning is Fun and Energizing: Am reminded how […]
Evaluating design/business learning
Marking. Grading. Evaluating. Asessment. An A. A B+. 77% or 83%? Rubrics. Check-lists. Giving feedback. It is that time across educational institutions where we kick into high gear evaluation mode. Not our favourite time. Although potentially a time of great learning on the part of the whole learning team: the learning designers, the learning facilitators […]
Design-Thinking 101: Discovery
One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries – A. A. Milne As a fourth year Commerce & Economics BCOM student at the brink of graduation, learning something original and completely out of the box was the last thing I expected from my final year. Of course, every […]