UnSelling
President of Unmarketing, former music industry marketing, and professor at the Sheraton School of Business. Worked with Pepsi, Adobe, and now us...man bun and kittens mentioned. This should be awesome.
Screaming, Anger, Millennials...Ho Boy...
Why do we use the term UnMarketing? Very simple - The UN means the actual branding and selling doesn't mean as much as what we do. His book cover is BLANK. Try to convince a publisher to do that...you'll see how hard it is to push. But, it's WHAT YOU DO. Ask any students/alum - Whenever you say a student's school name/title, it's what they DO. When you see a university's logo, IT DOESN'T MATTER. Despite what you think, the logo just creates a definition of what's behind it. NO ONE has ever said "Hey, I got awful care at this hospital, BUT DID YOU SEE THE LOGO?"
(Oh my God...I'm listening...this is the very battle I'm fighting RIGHT NOW.)
A brand is a VERB, it's what we DO...it is NOT a logo.
There's two types of people: People who do good to be recognized, and people who do good just because. The story of the EKU president shoveling the driveway to get a kid to class is a PRIME example. If that president took his own picture, that'd be one thing.....but the fact that it was a student taking his picture and it's just because he was there? Stratten reached out to the President, as follows:
"You're awesome."
"Thank you."
"Why'd you do it? Shouldn't you be up in, like, an ivory tower mandating to the masses?"
"My job is to serve my students. If Twitter is the medium by which my students reach out, then I'll reach out to them this way."
He's not good at Twitter. He's good AND he's on Twitter. There is no tool that is inherently successful. There is nothing that works on its own. There is no logo that makes information more relevant and engaging. It's the push behind it. And that's IMPORTANT.
We need to learn to use EMAIL properly before we're trying to implement this that and the other thing to solve our problems. We don't need to re-design a look or a logo or a template (*AHEM*) to make our efforts more effective....we need to START PUTTING EMPHASIS ON WHAT MATTERS. The effort...the intent...these things matter FIRST, all else second. Don't use technology for the sake of technology.
...and Rosler said, "Amen".
Everything we do and say online and offline is the BRAND.
You're The Brand
Everything you say and do is the brand. You are the brand. There's no such thing as a neutral brand interaction. People need to realize they impact the brand, and a lot of times they don't realize they do. The funnel comes into play...
You can have all the likes you want...you can have all the follows...IT'S NOT NEW.
6 years ago, people are freaking out saying "we finally have a social platform", and those of us who are older school are like "B&*%h please". IRC, ICQ, etc...FORUMS...and WOE be to you if you tried to post an ad on there. You get the old "Shame and Flame". We're breaking social media. Twitter's where Scott built his world. Four books and twitter supported them all. Remember the old days of Twitter (like 9 months ago)? We just TALKED. Now? NO ONE TALKS.
What happens is when we just shout on a platform, you lose the people who create the ecosystem leave. New people come and see nothing but shouting, and they're not gonna come into it. Scott was in HR, but he had to get out...because he...umm...hated people. But they didn't like conflict, so they didn't FIRE the BAD employee. They just avoided the conflict. There's the problem.
The Milennials, Scott...they're coming
BUT WE NEED TO USE THESE PLATFORMS BECAUSE THEY'RE COMING!!!!
Fact: Milennials are from 18-35...not just where we peg them.
We LABEL milennials. What we mean is: People younger than us who we don't like. End.
(Or because they're younger than us.) We WANT them to feel a little suffering. We just want you to feel the PAIN of holding down PLAY RECORD AND PAUSE to record our favorite song on tape. we used to line up and buy 29 dollar pieces of plastic to hear the ONE SONG THAT DIDN'T SUCK. We DON'T LIKE THE GENERATION BEFORE US. Gen X-ers WERE the laziest, disloyalest, unmotivatedest...but THEN Milennials came along. And we were saved.
"But Milennials don't like meetings..."
WHO LIKES %^&*ING MEETINGS?!?!?!
"Ohh...Milennials like to travel..."
WHO DOESN'T LIKE TO ^&#$ING TRAVEL?!?!?!
But when we say Milennial, we label it and it's ALLOWABLE BIAS. If you want to stereotype, let's talk about good shit: They volunteer more than any other generation (3:1), they give more per capita to charity...they want to change the world. SO LET THEM CHANGE THE GODDAMN WORLD!!
QR CODES - What's the deal?
Out of spite, they put a QR Code on Scott's nametag...too good.
Scott loves the technology...they're a better barcode. Boarding pass, concert ticket...great. But for the general population that doesn't have a QR reader built into their camera, they're practically useless. The technology is useful to a microscopic segment of the population. Bring in the fact that use of mobile isn't permissible in all areas...are you seeing the problem?
360 video, augmented reality, virtual reality...JUST STOP. Technology for the sake of technology doesn't serve a SINGLE thing. Being tech-savvy and hip does NOTHING to getting your message and product across. Focus on your message, focus on your content...THEN, and only THEN...focus on that "other stuff".
Conclusion
Easily, by far, one of the greatest motivational speeches/presentations I've ever had the pleasure of being present for. It touched upon a very real, very immediate situation in my workplace and gave me a different perspective on the perspective Scott and I share (Content > Brand). Hysterical at all the right times, but carrying meaning like not many others have done, Scott laid out his message perfectly, and I can easily say that my "brand" will be getting an overhaul in approaching the overall "brand" I need to get behind. 10+/10...and I might even post this on Yelp.
Monday, June 13, 2016
Saturday, October 3, 2015
DevLearn 2015 The Recap - "Listen"
Me Aculpa...And All That
Let me be the first to apologize: For as much as my "Why I Blog" post referenced conference blogging, and how I live blog everything I'm in, I did a marginal job, at best, this time, and definitely feel light in the blog department. But with that apology comes another...
Sorry...not sorry.
See, there was a reason for the lacking blog presence, and it wasn't that the conference was lacking, or that the sessions weren't diverse, or that something was wrong anywhere. It was the total opposite: At this conference, I found more going on, more being taught, more intriguing "stuff", and it led me to do something that, admittedly, I'd not done in a long time: Stop typing/tweeting/etc. and LISTEN.
This year's DevLearn was off the chart in a number of areas, but the one that seemed to rise to the top in all accounts was keeping me busy. And busy is a good thing, I found...here's why:
Honey Do, Honey Do
One of the biggest differences for me this year was that I went from a paltry ONE session being presented to being involved with FOUR (assuming you consider the Morning Buzz among my numbers...which you should...just sayin). And while that would likely sound like a deterrent to anyone with their head on straight, any of you that know me know that's not the case here (re: my cranium being one attached in a straightforward method).
All kidding aside, being as busy as I was made everything I was able to attend that much more poignant. I found myself almost "thirsty" to absorb whatever I could amidst my own obligations (and in no way, shape or form am I saying that because I couldn't attend as much things were better...I'm saying that the content was incredibly rich in the narrow windows I could "attend", so I can only imagine how less busy people felt!). Additionally, presenting/participating as much as I did lent itself to my own personal learning (see: gleaning) from the awesome attendees that were in my/our sessions. We all know that peer-to-peer education is the strongest, retention-wise, and I feel like because I was surrounded by so many phenomenal audience members, I gained that much more.
(Not saying I want to do 5 or 6 sessions or anything, Dave...but busy works for me.)
The Spice of Life...(AKA Variety)
Another factor I noticed this year, in and among my attempts to breathe, was the sheer robustness of the conference. I am in no way, shape, or form saying that any previous DevLearn was lacking - Nothing could be farther from the truth. But this year, felt just...complete...in a way I'd never experienced it before.
It's not like I adhered to a track...or hung out with a docent...nothing like that. I wasn't there looking for anything in particular. But it was almost like I couldn't turn my head 90 degrees in any direction without finding/seeing something worth attending and learning AT LEAST two or three things I hadn't walked in with. Even MEMEs, which I consider myself mildly to moderately proficient in, proved educational to me (see: PechaKucha). And for a longstanding attendee, like myself? That's pretty damned awesome...(though I'm still working through what, exactly, xAPI actually is...but I'm getting there, Aaron/S Put).
Overall, just a bigger, better, badder, more innovative conference...I can't say it enough: DevLearn is the Cadillac (or whatever brand car you like best) of the eLearning circuit.
Adam Savage.Relax. This isn't me fanboying out any harder than I already did (but BELIEVE ME, I could). This heading is about, first of all, the greatest keynote speaker DevLearn has seen/heard...ever...yes, ever (so much for the not fanboying), but it's not for the reasons you'd think. It's not for the content, necessarily, of his keynote...though MY GOD it was amazing, wasn't it? (Strike 2, Rosler...). There were three different times, in the Q&A with Dave, nonetheless, where Adam Savage, for as long as I've watched him/been a fan, had me identifying with him hardcore (and feeling good about my faults):
1.) It's hard to be wrong...even for Adam Savage. I admittedly can't recall whether it was during his keynote or in the Q&A after, but Adam related to us all how he's had a problem with not knowing things. Well, last time I admitted that, Neil DeGrasse Tyson threatened to slap me (true story), so imagine my delight knowing that it's really okay (confirmed, even) to not know things. That one of the greatest joys in life is to actually hang around people who know more than you and just soak it in...that it's a badge of honor, in Adam's eyes, to admit you don't know something. He related that the smartest people he knows aren't that ones that always have the answers, but, rather, the ones that can ask for the answer when they don't know. I've struggled since the beginning of my career (and then some) to be okay with that, and hearing him say that made me that much better.
2.) It's hard to be a good listener...even for Adam Savage. For as much as I've always struggled with the whole "knowing everything" issue, those around me have (for the most part) patiently endured my perpetually pending need to spring forth with a quip, analogy, or related story when they've been telling me something. So, imagine my surprise when someone who I sincerely look up to (yes, Mr Savage) comes out to the audience as a terrible listener! And, it circles back to the whole "not knowing the answer issue"...if I've got something spring-loaded quick enough, it won't matter that I don't know...they won't have the time to realize! But it's okay to not know, and it's okay to listen and absorb...again, super reassuring.
3.) Being enthusiastic about things we like is awkward, sometimes...even for Adam Savage. Probably the point that left me the most gutted, though (in the best way, mind you), was Adam recounting how he liked things that other kids around him didn't when he was 9...and his childhood was awkward, difficult, and so on because of it. And that it hadn't ended...that even today, mega-success that he is, there's still interests he has that there's a moment (if not more) of embarrassment when he realizes those around him see his enthusiasm...and judge it, if just a bit. I don't know that there's anyone who grows up to be an e-learning practitioner/figure/guru that DOESN'T experience this, and it was nothing short of reassuring to hear the face of science on Discovery channel say: It's okay. Be honest - Your interests are different...they might even be weird. But they're only perceived that way because the perceivers are the ones who are limited. And the weird kids? They grow up to be the cool(ish), smart(ish) "adults". Trust me on that one.
But, At The End Of It All...Community Wins Again
I've exhausted my ability to recall the names of the people I used to simply watch from afar who now accept me as one of their own...wait...one of our own...so I won't even try (with thanks to Mark Shepperd for the idea to not namedrop). But, long story short, DevLearn is to me, and continues to be to me about COMMUNITY. Plain. Simple. Truth/
YES...I get it, that's my presentation. YES...I get it, that's what I wrote my recap on last year. YES...I get it...it's almost a softball response. I get it all...ALL of it.
BUT...it's true. And every year I embed myself further, it becomes more and more true. The people make the event. The people who appreciate each other, draw from each other, and give to each other tirelessly. Let's see if I can do a mass name drop (and if you're not in the mix...sue me):
Jane Bozarth, Ellen Wagner, Dave Kelly, Kevin Thorn, Sarah Gilbert, Cammy Bean, Mark Shepperd, Tom Spiglanin, Jeanette Campos, JD Dillon, Tracy Parish, Aaron Silvers, Sean Putman, Bill Brandon, Clark Quinn, Karl Kapp, Julie Dirksen, Mark Britz, Joe Ganci, Brian Dusablon, Trina Rimmer, Connie Malamed, Steve Howard, Neil Lasher...
Okay. Enough. But, as I told people in my session about Community, THESE are the people I can count on, day or night. THESE are the people who respond at odd hours almost immediately to what questions about damn near anything. THESE are the people I was nervous to approach and say "Hey...I think things...", only to find out they think them, too. Just like me.
And WE...well, we're still smarter then ME...so long as you just LISTEN.
Thanks again for another phenomenal experience...can't wait to do it all over again in 2016. And there WILL be ukes.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Session 614 - Meme-ing the Innovative World of Learning (Dave Kelly, Cammy Bean, Jeanette Campos, Jane Bozarth)
Can you do a whole session centered around memes? With these four rockstars/icons, anything is possible...20 seconds each slides...four speakers...all memes...GO!
Party Like It's 1532...or 1940 (Cammy Bean)
Cammy Bean discusses the rising prevalence of apprenticeships...taking it back to 1532...or 1940. Relates an old training video, specifically focusing on the 5 things (in 1940) to find the right people for the right position. Also mentioned that we're not providing the right training to our managers to be able to do so. THEN, the managers can go so far as to give their employees the support they need, too. GENIUS!
But where can we find this training? Cammy relates a story of her husband fixing the car by going to "The Google" and trying...and it worked for a bit. Are we supporting this kind of accessibility in the workplace? In my experience, anyway, the answer is a resounding NO. Cammy says to let go of looking to shiny things and buzzwords...just stop. We're chasing buzzwords and objects. How can we take the tools that work and use innovation to learn them? Let's use the older models of learning (apprenticeships) and "play them forward". How can we support learning naturally? Ultimately, that's what matters.
Let's innovate, not by looking ahead, but by looking to the past.
Badges...I'm Gamified! (Jane Bozarth)
Jane worries sometimes that we're so concerned and transfixed on the technology that we forget exactly what it's being used for. It's not just about being gamified, or badges...
We know that things are being automated/robotized. Bookkeepers, sports writers, pharmacists, drivers...all being replaced. We're seeing changes in the work contract...work is becoming more like Uber. We'll see changes in daily commutes and issues, then, based on this vocational change. People will be rewarded for the work they do, not for the hours they work. We won't have IT departments...they'll become custodians as opposed to gatekeepers because they're not needed.
Created/making will take on a massive upswing (craft beer), independence and beyond. Workers are going to walk away from the institutional structure, and more to freedom. Work and social are going to be more tightly interwoven. We'll develop our own personal networks, reaching out to who we need when we need them. We'll be dealing with workers who can post ideas to something like Instagram, conferring within their own network, and become more immediate.
Education is going to change massively, away from the K-12 structure it's in now. We're going to change media literacies away from text. We'll get away from learning styles, and Myers-Briggs, etc. We have a more tech-savvy, interenet-savvy workforce than ever before...and it's about damn time. They can search for answers on YouTube, Google, and so on.
Wearable tech is becoming more ubiquitous re: personal data. If you need something during the day, your glasses and watch will provide. Your "band" is monitoring your health.
How do we get people to serve the organization's goals? How do we get people to bring their best self to work? We're going to have to do a lot better at accommodating, at allowing freedom, at allowing personal style and preference.
The Future is Now (Dave Kelly)
You can't talk about innovation without talking about how things are changing. We are a group of people who don't move quickly. We're still LEARNING PROFESSIONALS, but you don't learn someone...we train them. It's not a bad thing, but it's an honest thing.
"It's gonna take you 6-8 weeks to create an e-learning course? AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT!"
People are taking control of their learning. Why are we still giving a SH*T about how many asses were in seats? Why are we still acting like we care about 'reports'? Well, what if I told you your role has already changed?
We have to wipe the slate clean COMPLETELY. We bring old methodologies forward to new ones instead of just replacing them. The "Course", for example, is the default solution...and they're fine, but it's not the only solution. We have to stop people from learning to take them, but we should be focusing on being less disruptive with our knowledge-giving. We need to be curious and look at things differently.
Change is a good thing. No, really...but we're all afraid of change...we need to do it. The future has occurred, innovation is happening in our daily lives, not just our professions. "The myth that we don't need to change? BUSTED."
Turning Training On Its Head (Jeanette Campos)
J Campos is legitimate. For real.
She loves learning and loves chemistry cat. She spends a lot of time learning and how we can do it better. Sometimes she breaks the rules and doesn't use memes.
We aren't training learners in optimal conditions. It's like putting lipstick on a pig. Now, we're doing some things right, but we still have problems. Jeanette recently spent an hour talking about flipcharts, and that's when she realized something had to change.
Everybody knows how to do the Whip/Nae Nae and it doesn't have a learning objective! Training is insufficient. Training itself doesn't lead to meaningful performance. So, what is the Innovation?
The Innovation is Integration of learning. "If you could integrate learning...that would be GRRREAT." Talent management, management, etc...if we could get learning closer to the work to learn while working, THAT'S the innovation. What if we were able to go into a workplace and invest all of our training dollars teaching colleagues how to coach? Managers should develop to be teachers and coaches...and it's HAPPENING.
Party Like It's 1532...or 1940 (Cammy Bean)
Cammy Bean discusses the rising prevalence of apprenticeships...taking it back to 1532...or 1940. Relates an old training video, specifically focusing on the 5 things (in 1940) to find the right people for the right position. Also mentioned that we're not providing the right training to our managers to be able to do so. THEN, the managers can go so far as to give their employees the support they need, too. GENIUS!
But where can we find this training? Cammy relates a story of her husband fixing the car by going to "The Google" and trying...and it worked for a bit. Are we supporting this kind of accessibility in the workplace? In my experience, anyway, the answer is a resounding NO. Cammy says to let go of looking to shiny things and buzzwords...just stop. We're chasing buzzwords and objects. How can we take the tools that work and use innovation to learn them? Let's use the older models of learning (apprenticeships) and "play them forward". How can we support learning naturally? Ultimately, that's what matters.
Let's innovate, not by looking ahead, but by looking to the past.
Badges...I'm Gamified! (Jane Bozarth)
Jane worries sometimes that we're so concerned and transfixed on the technology that we forget exactly what it's being used for. It's not just about being gamified, or badges...
We know that things are being automated/robotized. Bookkeepers, sports writers, pharmacists, drivers...all being replaced. We're seeing changes in the work contract...work is becoming more like Uber. We'll see changes in daily commutes and issues, then, based on this vocational change. People will be rewarded for the work they do, not for the hours they work. We won't have IT departments...they'll become custodians as opposed to gatekeepers because they're not needed.
Created/making will take on a massive upswing (craft beer), independence and beyond. Workers are going to walk away from the institutional structure, and more to freedom. Work and social are going to be more tightly interwoven. We'll develop our own personal networks, reaching out to who we need when we need them. We'll be dealing with workers who can post ideas to something like Instagram, conferring within their own network, and become more immediate.
Education is going to change massively, away from the K-12 structure it's in now. We're going to change media literacies away from text. We'll get away from learning styles, and Myers-Briggs, etc. We have a more tech-savvy, interenet-savvy workforce than ever before...and it's about damn time. They can search for answers on YouTube, Google, and so on.
Wearable tech is becoming more ubiquitous re: personal data. If you need something during the day, your glasses and watch will provide. Your "band" is monitoring your health.
How do we get people to serve the organization's goals? How do we get people to bring their best self to work? We're going to have to do a lot better at accommodating, at allowing freedom, at allowing personal style and preference.
The Future is Now (Dave Kelly)
You can't talk about innovation without talking about how things are changing. We are a group of people who don't move quickly. We're still LEARNING PROFESSIONALS, but you don't learn someone...we train them. It's not a bad thing, but it's an honest thing.
"It's gonna take you 6-8 weeks to create an e-learning course? AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT!"
People are taking control of their learning. Why are we still giving a SH*T about how many asses were in seats? Why are we still acting like we care about 'reports'? Well, what if I told you your role has already changed?
We have to wipe the slate clean COMPLETELY. We bring old methodologies forward to new ones instead of just replacing them. The "Course", for example, is the default solution...and they're fine, but it's not the only solution. We have to stop people from learning to take them, but we should be focusing on being less disruptive with our knowledge-giving. We need to be curious and look at things differently.
Change is a good thing. No, really...but we're all afraid of change...we need to do it. The future has occurred, innovation is happening in our daily lives, not just our professions. "The myth that we don't need to change? BUSTED."
Turning Training On Its Head (Jeanette Campos)
J Campos is legitimate. For real.
She loves learning and loves chemistry cat. She spends a lot of time learning and how we can do it better. Sometimes she breaks the rules and doesn't use memes.
We aren't training learners in optimal conditions. It's like putting lipstick on a pig. Now, we're doing some things right, but we still have problems. Jeanette recently spent an hour talking about flipcharts, and that's when she realized something had to change.
Everybody knows how to do the Whip/Nae Nae and it doesn't have a learning objective! Training is insufficient. Training itself doesn't lead to meaningful performance. So, what is the Innovation?
The Innovation is Integration of learning. "If you could integrate learning...that would be GRRREAT." Talent management, management, etc...if we could get learning closer to the work to learn while working, THAT'S the innovation. What if we were able to go into a workplace and invest all of our training dollars teaching colleagues how to coach? Managers should develop to be teachers and coaches...and it's HAPPENING.
AM Keynote - The One, The Only...Adam Savage
Innovation in the Making
"When we look at Adam Savage, this is someone who doesn't learn in the traditional ways...he's not teaching anyone, but we're all learning through it." - Dave Kelly re: Adam Savage
His Father, The Painter, The Poet
Adam's dad was a painter and a poet and wrote a limerick, calling out the falsehoods behind academia. "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like" is the quote he references, and he's spot on - Too often we have to have some kind of fact or framework to find something appealing...we can't just like it, we just can't be curious about something.
Art & Science - We often say about things that are complicated that it's an art AND a science. Art and science are viewed as opposites, but Adam doesn't believe that they are. We think of art and science as parts of our culture best handled by EXPERTS. Three reasons why:
1.) We see Art and Science as opposites. We see art as a loosy goosy thing that kids do, and science is something we suffer through.
2.) We view art as separate from ourselves. If you Venn diagramed, we and science would be completely removed circles.
3.) When we don't know something, we don't even try. Which is BS.
Let's Work Backwards
People look at Jackson Pollack and say "What's so great? My kid could do that." Fair enough...but Adam looks back through art movements throughout time...how it's tore through subject and left a story. But we do that same thing with science: Story is related re: the material science behind breaking spaghetti...and we're JUST NOW understanding how it breaks.
Ellie Lammer did a study of Berkeley parking meters, when she was 12, and whether they were timing correctly. Her study was so rigorous and so revealing that a piece of legislation (Lammer's Law) was passed and enforces standardization.
Adam foes on to give more examples, but suffice to say...we've been trying to find the story behind the subject.
Every generation since we've been writing stuff down has felt the same way about science. Want proof? SPORTS. All sports talk about science.
The Second Cause - Art is Separate From Us
"Art is ONLY what we like." - Adam's Dad
The only opinion about art that's wrong is when you take it from someone else. But we do the same thing with science..."I'm just not a math guy". But Adam's friend (a filmmaker) said "I'm great at math, I'm just not good at numbers." The art of editing is all about algorithms. So he's using it without identifying with it.
Is the SCIENTIFIC METHOD the opposite of the CREATIVE PROCESS?
Let's see:
1.) Come up with a question. Adam relates, though, that this is the hardest part. You don't start, necessarily, with the question - You start at the end point and work back to discover where the TRUE question is at (see: Running/Walking in the rain).
2.) Form a hypothesis. Based on the question, then, what potential truth is it you want to find/arrive at? Forming a hypothesis is a self-generating act...the more you come up with, the more you come up with. Ideas lead to questions, questions lead to hypotheses...
3.) Design an experiment that tests your hypothesis. Pull away variables to get past your biases and test the actual truth in something. Per Adam, this is one of the greatest ways to look at viewing art. "To know what is true in your secret heart is true for all men."
Conclusion? The Scientific Method is MOST DEFINITELY a creative process. Art and science are intrinsic to how we discuss who we are. When cavemen came together, carving stones in different ways to kill bigger animals? SCIENCE! When they got together to celebrate killing larger game and drew cave paintings of this process? ART!
It's All Story
When you stand in front of a Jackson Pollack, you'll find a story. When you look at a map of the universe and its shape? It's a story. Art and science are simply two different versions of a narrative. Science has rigor, art has everything else. Stories are the reason we have language. We evolved language in order to tell each other stories, which is a conversation. Which is culture...and culture is a conversation. We can be stewards of a better culture by realizing art and science are not opposites. How do we do better?
1.) Pay Attention - Adam is confronted with ideas and concepts he's never been confronted with before, but if he reads enough about a subject (see: science of viscosity) he can be a steward of that knowledge. What he came to learn was that viscosity wasn't actually a value, but a relationship. But if he hadn't had a conversation, he wouldn't have arrived at those truths, and the episode wouldn't have happened as awesomely as it did.
2.) Speak Your Mind - once you've investigated something enough, it's important to actually verbalize it.
3.) Stay Curious - Curiosity is something that tends to leave people...it's a great moniker for life. The more curious you are, the more interesting life is.
4.) Ask Questions - Adam's had to work hard in life at being able to say "I Don't Know". We have all pretended to know shit, but the most intelligent people Adam knows are the ones who can. WOW can I relate...
5.) Tell Your Stories (But Listen, Too) - Share your stories, but listen to other people's stories, too. Are you a listener or a wait-to-talker (!!!)? Listen to the person in front of you, stop logging your stories.
Conlusion
I could wrap it up with some summary statement, but I'll let Adam speak for it:
"Art and Science are the twin engines by which we improve as a species. They make us ALL better and NEITHER is beyond our understanding."
So, Adam Savage? Unbelievable keynote? CONFIRMED.
"When we look at Adam Savage, this is someone who doesn't learn in the traditional ways...he's not teaching anyone, but we're all learning through it." - Dave Kelly re: Adam Savage
His Father, The Painter, The Poet
Adam's dad was a painter and a poet and wrote a limerick, calling out the falsehoods behind academia. "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like" is the quote he references, and he's spot on - Too often we have to have some kind of fact or framework to find something appealing...we can't just like it, we just can't be curious about something.
Art & Science - We often say about things that are complicated that it's an art AND a science. Art and science are viewed as opposites, but Adam doesn't believe that they are. We think of art and science as parts of our culture best handled by EXPERTS. Three reasons why:
1.) We see Art and Science as opposites. We see art as a loosy goosy thing that kids do, and science is something we suffer through.
2.) We view art as separate from ourselves. If you Venn diagramed, we and science would be completely removed circles.
3.) When we don't know something, we don't even try. Which is BS.
Let's Work Backwards
People look at Jackson Pollack and say "What's so great? My kid could do that." Fair enough...but Adam looks back through art movements throughout time...how it's tore through subject and left a story. But we do that same thing with science: Story is related re: the material science behind breaking spaghetti...and we're JUST NOW understanding how it breaks.
Ellie Lammer did a study of Berkeley parking meters, when she was 12, and whether they were timing correctly. Her study was so rigorous and so revealing that a piece of legislation (Lammer's Law) was passed and enforces standardization.
Adam foes on to give more examples, but suffice to say...we've been trying to find the story behind the subject.
Every generation since we've been writing stuff down has felt the same way about science. Want proof? SPORTS. All sports talk about science.
The Second Cause - Art is Separate From Us
"Art is ONLY what we like." - Adam's Dad
The only opinion about art that's wrong is when you take it from someone else. But we do the same thing with science..."I'm just not a math guy". But Adam's friend (a filmmaker) said "I'm great at math, I'm just not good at numbers." The art of editing is all about algorithms. So he's using it without identifying with it.
Is the SCIENTIFIC METHOD the opposite of the CREATIVE PROCESS?
Let's see:
1.) Come up with a question. Adam relates, though, that this is the hardest part. You don't start, necessarily, with the question - You start at the end point and work back to discover where the TRUE question is at (see: Running/Walking in the rain).
2.) Form a hypothesis. Based on the question, then, what potential truth is it you want to find/arrive at? Forming a hypothesis is a self-generating act...the more you come up with, the more you come up with. Ideas lead to questions, questions lead to hypotheses...
3.) Design an experiment that tests your hypothesis. Pull away variables to get past your biases and test the actual truth in something. Per Adam, this is one of the greatest ways to look at viewing art. "To know what is true in your secret heart is true for all men."
Conclusion? The Scientific Method is MOST DEFINITELY a creative process. Art and science are intrinsic to how we discuss who we are. When cavemen came together, carving stones in different ways to kill bigger animals? SCIENCE! When they got together to celebrate killing larger game and drew cave paintings of this process? ART!
It's All Story
When you stand in front of a Jackson Pollack, you'll find a story. When you look at a map of the universe and its shape? It's a story. Art and science are simply two different versions of a narrative. Science has rigor, art has everything else. Stories are the reason we have language. We evolved language in order to tell each other stories, which is a conversation. Which is culture...and culture is a conversation. We can be stewards of a better culture by realizing art and science are not opposites. How do we do better?
1.) Pay Attention - Adam is confronted with ideas and concepts he's never been confronted with before, but if he reads enough about a subject (see: science of viscosity) he can be a steward of that knowledge. What he came to learn was that viscosity wasn't actually a value, but a relationship. But if he hadn't had a conversation, he wouldn't have arrived at those truths, and the episode wouldn't have happened as awesomely as it did.
2.) Speak Your Mind - once you've investigated something enough, it's important to actually verbalize it.
3.) Stay Curious - Curiosity is something that tends to leave people...it's a great moniker for life. The more curious you are, the more interesting life is.
4.) Ask Questions - Adam's had to work hard in life at being able to say "I Don't Know". We have all pretended to know shit, but the most intelligent people Adam knows are the ones who can. WOW can I relate...
5.) Tell Your Stories (But Listen, Too) - Share your stories, but listen to other people's stories, too. Are you a listener or a wait-to-talker (!!!)? Listen to the person in front of you, stop logging your stories.
Conlusion
I could wrap it up with some summary statement, but I'll let Adam speak for it:
"Art and Science are the twin engines by which we improve as a species. They make us ALL better and NEITHER is beyond our understanding."
So, Adam Savage? Unbelievable keynote? CONFIRMED.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Session 114 (J Bozarth/J Campos) - Designing for Performance...
Background Knowledge
Being friends with Jane in real life, I have followed the story of her husband and his health since day one. I have looked forward to this session in the most profound way since I heard about it...so here it is.
The Process
Leading up to K's surgery, symptoms were noticed...not surprisingly, these symptoms got bounced around by specialties until someone put their figurative finger on it and realized this had to be taken care of now. So, they did...and there was little information that was helpful to prepare them (again, being in healthcare, this isn't all that surprising...it's more in the moment-ish). The procedure happened, and rehab began...and all involved felt unprepared for all that came with it.
But, as Jane oft does, she came out handling it all, not without the help of those around her. Knowing her, and knowing K, it's great to know how things worked out, but i can't help but still feel very emotional listening to the story. When you see a story such as this from square one, it's a reminder of several things, not the least of which how little your problems should appear. When Jane talks about living wills and "not making it" makes my screen a little blurry...moving on.
Nobody's Worried About Anyone's Schedules But Theirs
The recovery process begins, but Jane was told to plan for a week off of work. A week later, K was still in the hospital. But Jane, AGAIN as Jane does, took it all in stride, going so far as to check out the homestead for any potential issues with a walker and mobility. Therapy is recommended, and Jane is handed a calendar with 26 appointments on it. 26. Damn. Appointments.
But, guess what? Jane can spring you out of a Turkish prison (so I've heard...*wink*), and she and K have both gotten way closer back to normalcy than anyone imagined...and we all couldn't be happier.
Now Over to Jeanette...
Jeanette swings it all the way back to slide one...and looks at the MRI image and asks the question: What is this? Now, those of us who know Jane or just listened know, BUT...what about someone seeing it for the first time? Tumor? Brain? That's about it...and we, as trainers, have to ask ourselves: How well and thoroughly do we really understand the content, and how good of a job do we do preparing our learners?
We look at the text of the awful "patient aid" titled "What to expect when you're expecting a craniotomy!". Long story short, the people that wrote this and provided this are BEYOND out of touch with (what would equate with) the learner in this situation. How many times do we simply posture up and say "Don't worry your pretty little head...we're smarter than you and WE'LL handle all the heavy lifting." Let's not "gloss over" anything...let's tie the learner in...let's connect them...let's allow them to own something.
Tumor's Gone...Problem Over?
Jeanette shows the picture of K post-op, with the scar...and asks "Tumor's out...problem's over?", to which we all uttered a resounding NO. Defining the problem, not just a facet of it, is IMPORTANT, and yet all too often we're happy to stop the figurative bleeding and not even consider the bandage...the healing...the wound care...etc. In K's care, there was a wide range of concerns, a wide array of people involved...there's SO MANY ANGLES that unless you put solid effort into defining the entire SCOPE of the it ALL, your solution is incomplete. Period.
Analogies and examples abound...but, Cliff Notes version is this: Despite how much we want to believe that we're working out of silos, we're still EMBEDDED in our silos. Like BURIED. Just like with a patient, we need to view learners as total pictures...not just a picture of one shortcoming/knowledge gap.
Conclusion
I've gotten a little more engaged verbally than typing-wise, but if nothing else is taken away from this, take this: Learners are our patients, and we need to see their entirety...not just the part(s) requiring our immediate attention. Easily the most emotionally engaged I've ever been in a presentation, and I can't thank Jane enough for sharing this incredible story.
Morning Keynote - David Pogue "Learning Disrupted"
The Power of Music
(Starting to blog this a wee bit late, due to technical issues...go with it)
Ocarina...the importance of music...could bring us all together. "You can't play the F#? ME NEITHER!!!" Solid segue into our music presentations...
The Internet of Things
Thermostats, Video Cameras, etc...the technology is out there. But most people who get a digital thermostat don't even program them. Solution? Infrared sensors make decisions based on your work/life balance, but the problem now is that every company is "making Internet of Things Things". Someone had a great idea to make a HUB of all the Internet of Things Things, and THEN someone made 40 of those...
...so, yeah. That's where we're at.
Apple made another laptop this year, too...and, with it? A NEW TYPE OF CABLE!! (Jerks). BUT WAIT...it's the same upside down as it is rightside up!!! HOLY CRAP!!! The Jesus Jack exists! One cord to rule them all!!
Even better news is WIRELESS CHARGING...if you're not excited about this, you're dead on the inside. Seriously. "Why are we not worried about our intestines turning into cooked steak?" (Question I was wondering about, perhaps not in that fashion...but still). Chinese manufacturers are devouring this, trying to build this technology into existing pieces of technology (refrigerators, TVs, etc.).
Infiltrative, Yet Useful...
Wikipedia, AirBnB, TaskRabbit, the "Who's Sick Around Me" site...it's all-inclusive at this point. Look at TaskRabbit - Dave's wife was sick, he went on this site, and people bid against one another as to who was going to go and get cold medicine and deliver it to his wife's office. Bidding started at 40, he ended up paying a college kid 20 bucks to go, get it, and deliver it. Insane. Uber is another example...you've got a personal chauffeur on call, but NOW there's uberX: Ordinary people like us with extra time in the family car, trying to make a couple extra dollars. This technology is infiltrating...and it's not a totally bad thing.
So, this is the new way of doing things...but when did all this arise? Answer - During the recession, out of necessity. The genie's not going back in the bottle...it'll never go back. "Fiver" - People will do a variety of things for FIVE DOLLARS...an oil painting of your damn cat? Done.
Wearable Tech: Hot or Not?
Dave pretty much demolishes Google glass...which I'm just a little bit okay with (I never got the "draw"). Google's working on the followup, which will include a more comfortable design and a record light (to avoid the whole "Are you recording?" question). Fitness trackers, on the other hand (FitBit, Nike+, etc.) are hugely successful...70 million sold this year. Until this came along, the only insight into your body you had was once a year at the doctor. But now? We wake up, and we experience "fitness through humiliation" (turning health into almost a socially competitive "game"). T-shirts are now able to sense health factors, along with baseball caps, headbands, and so on. So, catching on? Hell yes...but definitely a niche market, at least for the moment.
Oh, that one slide though...What has been seen cannot be unseen...
AND YET...there's a looooooong way to go. For example, most motion sensors today identify the act of bicep curls the same as eating a bag of Doritos. True story. But they're working on it - Google's health band, Google's contact lens (which can sense glucose levels in diabetics from tears...it's coming. Be ready.) The data is there...and if it could somehow be universally extracted, we've got the answers to cancer.
Conclusion
Trying to tune into the rest of this, as Dave is showing some amazing medical technological advancements. Go find him online (@pogue), like immediately...solid, solid stuff. Long story short, while learning may be disrupted and our lives interfered with from new and emerging tech, we would do well to welcome these intrusions.
(Starting to blog this a wee bit late, due to technical issues...go with it)
Ocarina...the importance of music...could bring us all together. "You can't play the F#? ME NEITHER!!!" Solid segue into our music presentations...
The Internet of Things
Thermostats, Video Cameras, etc...the technology is out there. But most people who get a digital thermostat don't even program them. Solution? Infrared sensors make decisions based on your work/life balance, but the problem now is that every company is "making Internet of Things Things". Someone had a great idea to make a HUB of all the Internet of Things Things, and THEN someone made 40 of those...
...so, yeah. That's where we're at.
Apple made another laptop this year, too...and, with it? A NEW TYPE OF CABLE!! (Jerks). BUT WAIT...it's the same upside down as it is rightside up!!! HOLY CRAP!!! The Jesus Jack exists! One cord to rule them all!!
Even better news is WIRELESS CHARGING...if you're not excited about this, you're dead on the inside. Seriously. "Why are we not worried about our intestines turning into cooked steak?" (Question I was wondering about, perhaps not in that fashion...but still). Chinese manufacturers are devouring this, trying to build this technology into existing pieces of technology (refrigerators, TVs, etc.).
Infiltrative, Yet Useful...
Wikipedia, AirBnB, TaskRabbit, the "Who's Sick Around Me" site...it's all-inclusive at this point. Look at TaskRabbit - Dave's wife was sick, he went on this site, and people bid against one another as to who was going to go and get cold medicine and deliver it to his wife's office. Bidding started at 40, he ended up paying a college kid 20 bucks to go, get it, and deliver it. Insane. Uber is another example...you've got a personal chauffeur on call, but NOW there's uberX: Ordinary people like us with extra time in the family car, trying to make a couple extra dollars. This technology is infiltrating...and it's not a totally bad thing.
So, this is the new way of doing things...but when did all this arise? Answer - During the recession, out of necessity. The genie's not going back in the bottle...it'll never go back. "Fiver" - People will do a variety of things for FIVE DOLLARS...an oil painting of your damn cat? Done.
Wearable Tech: Hot or Not?
Dave pretty much demolishes Google glass...which I'm just a little bit okay with (I never got the "draw"). Google's working on the followup, which will include a more comfortable design and a record light (to avoid the whole "Are you recording?" question). Fitness trackers, on the other hand (FitBit, Nike+, etc.) are hugely successful...70 million sold this year. Until this came along, the only insight into your body you had was once a year at the doctor. But now? We wake up, and we experience "fitness through humiliation" (turning health into almost a socially competitive "game"). T-shirts are now able to sense health factors, along with baseball caps, headbands, and so on. So, catching on? Hell yes...but definitely a niche market, at least for the moment.
Oh, that one slide though...What has been seen cannot be unseen...
AND YET...there's a looooooong way to go. For example, most motion sensors today identify the act of bicep curls the same as eating a bag of Doritos. True story. But they're working on it - Google's health band, Google's contact lens (which can sense glucose levels in diabetics from tears...it's coming. Be ready.) The data is there...and if it could somehow be universally extracted, we've got the answers to cancer.
Conclusion
Trying to tune into the rest of this, as Dave is showing some amazing medical technological advancements. Go find him online (@pogue), like immediately...solid, solid stuff. Long story short, while learning may be disrupted and our lives interfered with from new and emerging tech, we would do well to welcome these intrusions.
Conference Introduction - Dave Kelly
What Is Innovation?
So, Dots is a game I apparently shouldn't play, should I want a social life...I lack said social life already, so I'm all in. Thanks, Dave...
"People make decisions on the dots they see...but the Innovators in the world see the dots BEYOND the screen...the ones that other people miss." Dave mentions that innovation is more than that, though...it's about seeing patterns, it's about seeing what they do together and beyond.
Always Be Connecting Dots....
That's what we're going to be doing here at DevLearn...it's about a community looking to do "stuff" beyond the status quo. If any statement has ever encapsulated what it is we do here, it's that - It's why I present on the importance of Community, it's why I look forward, more than the conference itself, to the people...the interactions.
Dave goes on to cover the conference details...awesome, but if you're following this on the back channel it might not be worth too much. Suffice it to say, no matter what, that the statement still holds true: If you can get here, get here. I told my Morning Buzz crew (handsome lot that they were), who were mostly first timers to DevLearn, that Community is the most important thing at any conference. People make community, and without people, the community isn't as rich. Your presence, just like everyone else's matters. Make it happen.
More to come later, but SUPER stoked for this year...should be a great one. Stay tuned...
So, Dots is a game I apparently shouldn't play, should I want a social life...I lack said social life already, so I'm all in. Thanks, Dave...
"People make decisions on the dots they see...but the Innovators in the world see the dots BEYOND the screen...the ones that other people miss." Dave mentions that innovation is more than that, though...it's about seeing patterns, it's about seeing what they do together and beyond.
Always Be Connecting Dots....
That's what we're going to be doing here at DevLearn...it's about a community looking to do "stuff" beyond the status quo. If any statement has ever encapsulated what it is we do here, it's that - It's why I present on the importance of Community, it's why I look forward, more than the conference itself, to the people...the interactions.
Dave goes on to cover the conference details...awesome, but if you're following this on the back channel it might not be worth too much. Suffice it to say, no matter what, that the statement still holds true: If you can get here, get here. I told my Morning Buzz crew (handsome lot that they were), who were mostly first timers to DevLearn, that Community is the most important thing at any conference. People make community, and without people, the community isn't as rich. Your presence, just like everyone else's matters. Make it happen.
More to come later, but SUPER stoked for this year...should be a great one. Stay tuned...
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