Mark Hurst, Mr Gel, included this link at the end of his latest newsletter.

I love the idea that someone has go to the trouble!

And over 538,000 people have taken a look.

Don’t ask why, ask why not!

Every student looked at me, blank.

One student said she didn’t have a dream!

And today I stumbled, again, upon the idea of using Icebergs as a viable water source.

This is not a new idea but it sure is a great dream and that dream is becoming closer to reality.

Disney was right, again!

What I love about crazy, far flung, ideas is that there is always an abundance of passion in and around them.

Crazy ideas create new parameters for solutions because crazy ideas never work within the current realm of thought.

And crazy ideas generate opposition which builds more passion and even more far flung solutions because there is an element of, “I will show you”, generated around the whole idea.

Check out the video at the end of this post.

First it is simply great photography.

Second it is testament to sticking with an idea and working it through.

Too often we reach a roadblock and get frustrated because people do not see what we see.

Time, time, time, if you work on something long enough others will see what you see and the solution will be found.

1. you need passion

2. you need to break the problem into small parts that others, and yourself, can realize

3. ignore time

4. tell a great story

5. rework your plan as new ideas and variables become present

6. go with your gut

7. it does not matter what others think in the short-term because you are in it fore the long haul

All of that comes from this video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

While in California I could not help but make my way into a McDonald’s to see what the fast food giant was doing to re-invent itself.

Well, there were the huge LCD televisions playing sports, in this case high school basketball and then there was the game consul above. And not just one but half a dozen of these machines with a variety of education games free and ready to use.

And then there was the free high speed internet!

McDonald’s knows that it is providing affordable food and in the process it is creating an environment that feeds other hungers for entertainment and distraction.

Top  marks for creating an inviting environment now we need to work on the food keeping in mind the prevalence of obesity and diabetes among children today.

As I stood there watching this and got muscled out of the way by patrons to the store I couldn’t help but ask why all grocery stores don’t have this system?

Proven fact cold and flu nasties can be caught from handrails and door knobs, I had never even thought about the grocery cart.

Great idea that is simple to implement and has a positive health and a little commercial benefit as well.

Sure the way an aircraft engine is manufactured is not simple, but the ignition and monitoring of the action can be.

I think we spend too much time complicating things.

Sometimes complexity makes us feel better, we get a sense of self worth.

Sometimes complexity is forced upon us by situation.

Sometimes we just have to play the game.

More often than not I believe we simply make things complicated for no good reason.

So what do we do?

First, look around for examples of complex possibility that is not presented in a complex way as inspiration.

IN-N-OUT Burger is my favorite.

Here is an organization that has been around since 1948 and there are essentially 5 menu items!

Talk about taking complexity and tossing it out.

Second you need to ask yourself are there lessons to be learned?

Sure.

Third write the lessons down.

1. keep things simple so people can engage

2. change for the sake of change does nobody a lot of good

3. believe in your work and do it very well

I think at the end of the day people see you and what you do for what you are.

IN-N-OUT have figured the complex vs comprehensible matrix out and make it work.

Fourth ACTION!

I wonder if we could not learn a thing or 2 from a burger joint that has been around since 1948?

]]> http://jamesed.com/2011/02/simplicity-works/feed/ 0 http://jamesed.com/2011/02/space-matters/ http://jamesed.com/2011/02/space-matters/#comments Tue, 15 Feb 2011 08:00:09 +0000 James http://jamesed.com/?p=1361 Today I moved my classes to a soon to be lab.

Soon to be are the three words you need to hang on.

At this moment the space I have moved my classes to is a big echoing box with a few desks for good measure.

Funny about the desks in my class, I only asked for chairs and the facilities crew brought desks for good measure.

The 1st thing my students said, “this room is different”.

The 2nd thing my students said, ” where is the projector”.

The 3rd thing my students said, “I don’t like the desks”.

I am teaching a media history, media ethics and public presentation course in this space.

What we do have is a great wifi connection and a lot of walls to stick paper on in this space.

I have never been one to go on about the space I teach in with my philosophy having been that it is the content and presentation that matter the most, I was wrong.

I think content, space and presentation all share an equal part in the mix of creating the best possible education experience.

Remember education is all about experience.

I am not sure how the space issue escaped me as I have been talking about moving classes all over the place for a long long time and event have put the idea of the coffee shop class out there.

But this room gets me well out of my comfort zone and presents a whole new canvas upon which to place my education/experience tools.

Take a look at this room day 1 and imagine what it might look like in 20 weeks if the construction process doesn’t start first!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Why are our primary school classrooms so inviting and warm and the University classrooms or lecture halls so sterile?

Space Matters! Yet at some point we think the content or thought process is more important, it isn’t, when it is just another equal part of the equation.

I had never heard of Spy Films, the company, but now I cannot stop talking about them.

The film/ad I was treated to is just very cool.

Spy Films and directing duo Alex & Steffen, roll out the latest spot for communications company, Batelco.

“At over three minutes long, the film plunges the viewer into an Inception-style environment and delves into the minds of its protagonists as they re-imagine the world around them. And since the film was launched on its dedicated Facebook fanpage earlier this week it’s been gaining international momentum.” – Shots Magazine

I love the fact that this is all happening in the main character’s mind.

Click here to view the embedded video.

It is this kind of work that makes me say, “wow”, and hope my children go into the creative industry to make their dreams come to life.

I find it amazing how many events there are globally and wonder if I can plan a vacation or year sabbatical attending TEDx events, writing, filming, blogging and creating the ultimate learning resource? Think of it as the resources for the degree of tomorrow, today!

Of course I need to get Zayed University to buy in or a patron.

TEDxDubai rored onto the TEDx scene in 2009 setting the benchmark  for the mega TEDx event. Giorgio Ungania and Natascia Radice took TEDxDubai to the next level of intrigue this year with Reboot.

What I love about TED and TEDx events is the manner in which they provoke us to stretch out imagination and comfort with ideas.

TEDxDubai is not just a conference but the prototype of the new university, really!

Short multi-sensory presentations.

Idea rich conversations.

Idealism.

Optimism.

Space to converse.

So what am I taking about?

Take the opening of TEDxDubai this year and the UAE national anthem.

This was the ultimate mash-up and the prelude to a day of idea exercises, exactly what a university education is suppose to be!

Check out the opening show.

Click here to view the embedded video.

My goal is to teach every class in the spring term with this level of engagement!

The reality is simple.

We all have an opportunity to do something, anything, no matter how big or small to make our environment a better place.

The question is are we willing and ready t stand up to out responsibility?

It is much easier to say I am too busy or I can’t do anything or my ideas are silly or make some other excuse.

But as Tamara shared with us the smallest action can make a profound change for many people not only on a personal level but a community and maybe even national level.

Change starts with us!

What is that saying, be the change you want to see!

Home? Coffee Shop? Library? Car?

How do you make the best of the imperfect work environment?

I have come to realize, after 11 years of work in a University environment,  that we spend too little time think about our personal work space.

University offices are generally identical, desk, cabinet, drawers, chair.

It took me 10 years to realize that the environment created by the pieces within it were doing me no favors when it came to promoting the thought process or conversations with clients (students).

So I have been putting my own personal work space through a radical refit.

Lighting has been altered, seating altered and work space reconsidered.

Finally I have gotten my office to a state where it is 98% finished!

There is still some tweeking to do, 2%!

Here is what my space looks like!

Notice the desk has been reduced to a table that is used as a visual filing cabinet, by design! A few book ends needed to hold up files still.

The desk is reduced to a movable chair with a sturdy armrest desk/tablet.

I find the environment works, I have created an environment.

Here is what a typical office looks like at my University. Better than many places for sure.

Of course to each his own.

I am not saying we need to all conform to my thinking.

But just for a second ask yourself what the place where you feel most relaxed and productive looks like and feels like?

Our home space for engaging with people might be a ‘living room’ or ‘rec room’ or ‘majilis’ none of which look like a typical office!

I think we need to spend more time thinking about our work environments as they have a huge impact on our work product.

Let’s share! Show me your office in its ideal form.