Next Year's Class

Suggestions for next year's class:

- Reading: I didn't really learn much from the reading we did. The articles seemed very basic and frankly, uninteresting. I would have preferred more challenging or thought provoking reading, if any.

- Class time. The exercises given for group work could have been completed outside of class - then we could have used that time to cover more class material. It was nice to have that time so that we didn't need as many meetings outside of class... but I think that time could have been better used. I do appreciate the feedback that you and guest lecturers gave during that time though.

- I liked the videos and found them inspiring. I would have liked to have been "required" to watch more (otherwise I tend to not get around to it) - and I liked the blogging aspect of the class as well. I thought it did a good job of challenging me to process and reflect on the material, etc.

- I really enjoyed the guest lecturers - specifically Architecture for Humanity. She did a great job of explaining her company and business - how it works and why - and I really appreciated her transparency and willingness to walk through that with us. I would have liked more Bay area businesses to do similar things.

- Lastly I liked hearing stories about Maria and Christopher's business - specifically how certain problems were handled, etc. (The more personal stories as opposed to general information not relating to any specific situation.)

Thank you!

Attitude Change?

As we are still in the midst of the class, it is a little early for me to be as reflective as I would like to be for this post. However, my husband has made comments to me about changes he has noticed as I've shared ideas with him and told him about what is going on in class. He thinks I have learned how to think through business ideas with a lot more clarity and depth and that this class has given me confidence to consider more options upon graduation. I feel like I have a clearer idea of what will be involved in developing or starting a business - as well as what to look for in other companies, etc.

One thing I noticed is that our instructors would challenge our business ideas to become bigger and broader. I did not realize how small and specific we were thinking. Few groups were able to start with a very big vision with global and local effects. I think those ideas came later and with guidance. I don't know what to think of this - but I did think it was worth mentioning.

Business Presentation Run Through

This a video of our practice presentation. This is for Team #8 - Sue, Brian and I. It introduces Playe - positive impact sporting equipment and our first product "Golfun". This practice presentation is a little "flat" due to the fact that I am not practicing in front of a live audience. I perform with more energy when I present in front of a crowd. Please provide any comments or suggestions you may have. Thank you!

Unique Storyboard Method

The process of using receipt tape to lay out ideas and transitions was more interesting to me than watching the final result. In the video, I found the visuals to be a little distracting - I had to listen to her voice and try to figure out the drawings at the same time. Therefore, I choose to focus on her voice rather than the specifics of the drawing. Nancy Duarte has a very soothing and calm voice - she is pleasant to listen to. I like how she took time to breathe and used pausing wisely. She knew when to slow down her words, pause to provide time for us to catch up, and then when to speak faster and with more energy. This aspect of presentations seems to get the least attention from the design field. I think we focus primarily on how visuals look rather than voice or content. In an information age, where we are exposed to thousands of messages a day, I think it is important to not get too distracted by how visuals look to compose a complete message. I actually think it is easy to hide behind a powerpoint or visual presentation - and that speeches with no or few visuals require a different kind of boldness and energy. I like how Kevin O'Malley said "Use slides only as support. They support you - not the other way around."

I also appreciated how she mentioned transitions. This is one of the hardest parts for me - creating smooth transitions between different point of information. I can easily lay out the main points and what needs to be said - but struggle to make it all work together as one complete story. Do you have any tips for how to make great transitions?

The Value of Teams

I am currently working on two product design projects - sporting equipment for disabled athletes and teapots. The latter project is being designed by a team while the former is an individual undertaking. One notable difference between the processes (I've noticed this especially in the last few days/weeks) is that group projects enable me to overcome uncertainty quicker and smarter. I believe that the mutual support and purpose found in a group boosts my confidence and decision-making skills. For example, with the sporting equipment project I often spend a great deal of time finding reliable people to answer specific questions. Today I was working on designing a metal piece for a wheelchair and ran into some questions I could not answer or find out on my own - so I tried a local sporting goods store who then redirected me to a local metal shop. Though the welder/metal smith was incredibly helpful - I spent a good portion of the day on one small aspect of the project. There were several other questions still waiting for my attention. I think I may be "wasting" a lot of time deciding where to start when I am working by myself - especially when I hit a "wall" or challenge that I am not sure how to overcome. However, when I am working in teams, these challenges seem easier to overcome because I can rely on the group's collective intelligence while receiving affirmation on good ideas - in other words it helps filter out the bad or weaker ideas faster.

The teapot has moved at a much quicker pace in comparison. The team is able to make quick and confident decisions due to the group's thoughtfulness and mutual commitment to the project/purpose. A mutual commitment makes a significant difference in my ability to work well with others. If I doubt a teammates dedication or interest I am unable to fully trust them - which usually results in me doing most of the work and restricting their role - whether directly or indirectly (whether I deliberately choose to or instinctively do so). It is one aspect of my work that I have noticed and attempted to change - I try to give others the benefit of the doubt and allow them the freedom to explore in their own ways. As someone who places a strong sense of ownership into everything that I do - it can be hard for me to let others in. Though in a place like CCA, where I am surrounded by talented artists and designers, I rarely have this problem.

Regarding the Harvard Business Review article, "The Disciple of Teams", there was one quote that reminded me of my past experience with an architecture firm. On page 11 the author suggests that some corporations constrain themselves by assigning team roles based on positions rather than skills. In my last architecture job, the principals decided to form a special team to clarify a company document. As I was considered one of the better writers in my department, I was nominated to be a part of the team. I was very excited about it and invested significant time into the project - working with the others to help with the document. When our team went to present our ideas to the others (two principals) they did not let us share our ideas - in fact before we could even begin to speak they assumed control over the team and disregarded all the work that we had done completely. It was extremely frustrating and I was very frustrated with the company - who frequently boasts about how they empower their employees to develop their skills, etc. These two principals continued to edit the document according to their own agenda and it was a terrible piece of work. Because they were in higher positions in the company they ignored the input from their younger staff to achieve a weaker result. In fact, they eventually acknowledged their ideas were weak and opted to keep the document as it was originally. I wish I could have cited this article at the time of the final meeting!

Operational Efficiency

As an aspiring product designer, I've focused on how objects are made concerning materials but not necessarily on how this affects the business productivity. Therefore, I can think of several companies that are modeling innovative material use (such as Targus which offers vinyl free backpacks) but I struggle to identify operational advantages.

The first thing that came to mind is Berkeley grocery stores that sell local produce specific to northern California such as the Monterey Market.

The Monterey Market has partnered with several local farmers to provide fresh, seasonal produce to its customers. The store focuses primarily on produce with a limited variety of dairy products. They sell dry goods, such as grains and nuts, in bulk containers as well. They do not sell any meat products. The produce is displayed in large crates that sit in rows outside and inside the building.

The store does not need any warehouse or storage space - they display everything they have in the crates. The farmers are responsible to deliver their goods to the store on a weekly basis. The Monterey Market does not have to maintain as much as other grocery stores - with simple concrete floors, little refrigeration, no storage, and hand written signage. Their setup allows them to adjust very quickly to seasonal changes. They do not discriminate between large farms and small farms, providing both and allowing the customer to choose what they prefer. I think this is a good example of operational efficiency because it has been so successful. They have been able to sell a high quality product in an effective and trustworthy way. They have empowered the farmer to sell more directly to the customer.

Debt Fear

Business finances and money management intimidate me. The numbers and math themselves do not bother me - it is the amount of detail and responsibility associated with these aspects of business that cause concern. My personal finances already add enough anxiety to my life!

A Pentagon employee, and close friend, recently told me that "the greatest threat to the United States is debt." It is the number one issue that crosses his desk each day. Other friends, primarily living in Kansas, strongly recommend the Dave Ramsey programs to reduce and eliminate personal debt. In today's economy, becoming debt free seems to be becoming a priority to avoid further conflicts. Yet, as potential business entrepreneurs, debt seems unavoidable, even necessary in order to translate an idea into a profit. Though we can obtain legal status to protect our personal finances, the risk of financial failure, loss or debt is daunting. This potential failure is the reason that business finances intimidate me. The idea itself can be paralyzing.

Aside from the fear of financial loss and debt, the other aspects of business money management, such as how to accept cash, credit cards, and checks is understandable. My father, as a dedicated Citibank employee, explained banking principles and credit technologies to me - it took me awhile to understand the technology required by credit cards and all the hidden fees, etc. that business must pay to use. Though it is a complicated process, with processing equipment and transaction fees, its benefits far outweigh these costs, as the article, "The Basics of Money Management" suggested. I have even began to wonder when cash will no longer be used, except as an educational tool for children.

I do have one question from the article, concerning checks. It suggested writing down the customer's driver license number on the check - how does this help protect your business? Does it simply provide a way to track down the customer upon trying to cash a fraudulent check?