Idea Surplus Disorder

Idea Market Moved to October 22nd

Matthew Homann — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 22:19:35 +0000

Due to a previous commitment and the absurdly early third Monday this month, I've moved the next Idea Market back to the 22nd of October. The last several Idea Markets have been very activity-based, and though I'll have a few new activities this time around, I want to make sure to have plenty of "Innovation Time" for members to work with each other. If you've got something you want to present (using this format, perhaps?) or submit to the group for help, please let me know in advance. Thanks.

"Build a team, you shall, young Skywalker."

Matthew Homann — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 22:10:30 +0000

Want a team-building activity for an afternoon that "only" costs $500? Got a few geeks in your office? Have I got an idea for you: the LEGO Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon. Check out this post, and make sure to watch the YouTube video of seven people putting one together in just over two hours.

And if anyone wants to get me something cool for Christmas...

20 Slides. 20 Seconds Each. Pecha-Kucha

Matthew Homann — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 22:01:13 +0000

How would your next presentation go if you only had twenty slides and could show each one for "only" twenty seconds (for a total of 6 minutes 40 seconds? A format embracing these very constraints is called Pecha Kucha, and was started by two architects in Tokyo as part of a designers' show and tell. It seems like a natural fit for an Idea Market, as a replacement for a panel presentation, or any time a lot of presenters have something to say.

I'm doing a very short speech (nine minutes) on innovation in two days, and am going to give this presentation format a try. I'll let you know how it goes. In the meantime, if you'd like to learn more, check out several examples on You Tube, or this recent Wired magazine article. If you are in the St. Louis area and want to have a Pecha Kucha night, let me know.

Give Your Group a Robotomy

Matthew Homann — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:46:28 +0000

Here’s an icebreaker I’ve developed that I’ve been using a lot in my work at XPLANE. I call it the somewhat generic “Building Your Robot,” but I think “Giving Yourself a Robotomy” has a nicer ring. Here’s how it works:

Ask people to write down a list of the skills, attributes and talents they possess that make them great at what they do.
Put up several easel-sized Post-It notes around the room (one for each person), and draw a different abstract shape on each one.
After each person has completed their skill/talent list, give each a marker, and direct them to one of the easel-sized Post-Its.
Tell them they have to create, from the abstract shape, a Robot that could do their job. It should include something to represent each of the items on their list.
Make them name their Robot. Something like the Mattinatron 3007
Make them sign their name to their work of art.
After everyone is finished, have everyone take turns introducing their own personal Robot.

I’ve found this icebreaker has several benefits. First, everyone gets up and draws something, without being intimidated by a big blank piece of paper. Second, they are committed to the exercise when they begin writing down their skills before realizing they’ll later be asked to visually depict them. Third, they aren’t asked to draw something real. Everybody can draw a robot. Finally, when they “introduce” their Robots, they give a really insightful look into what they view as their unique talents and skills.

IABC Idea Market

Matthew Homann — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:54:53 +0000

I’m pleased to be hosting an Idea Market for the International Association of Business Communicators on August 30th. Details are here, if you’d like to come.

Icebreaker Icebreaker

Matthew Homann — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:41:09 +0000

At tonight’s Idea Market, we are going to do something I’ve tried before, but with a few twists. It is an Icebreaker Icebreaker. It works like this:

The room is divided into groups of 4-6 people. Each group is given 20 minutes to “invent” a new icebreaker exercise. The “icebreaker” must be easy to explain, it must take ten minutes or less from start to finish, it must introduce everyone in a similarly sized group to one another, and it must be completely new.
After each group develops their icebreaker (and experiments with it on themselves), they pair up with a second group and each group uses their icebreaker exercise to meet the people in the other group.
Finally, depending on the number of people in the room, each team can describe their icebreaker to the rest of the group.

Idea Market IX

Matthew Homann — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:38:39 +0000

Sorry for the radio silence. The next Idea Market takes place August 20th at the Art of Living Building. There are more details here. I’ve also got some more Idea Market news coming tomorrow!

Explaining XPLANE

Matthew Homann — Thu, 31 May 2007 14:43:02 +0000

As I wrote the other day, I have joined XPLANE as a full time consultant. I want to thank everyone who has reached out to me to offer me their congratulations and support. I also want to answer several of the questions I’ve received, and figured it was far easier to do in a blog post. So here goes:

WHAT IS XPLANE? XPLANE (Wikipedia Entry) is one of the pioneers in Visual Thinking, which is the process of distilling complex processes and concepts into easy-to-understand and visually striking XPLANATIONS. In short, XPLANE helps companies improve their business communication. XPLANE has offices in St. Louis, Portland and Madrid.

WHY XPLANE? Since I returned to St. Louis over a year ago, I have been spending many of my Thursday afternoons at XPLANE’s Visual Thinking School, a weekly design and thinking exercise conducted primarily for internal XPLANE personnel. I was invited by XPLANE CEO Dave Gray to attend, and found myself intrigued by the way XPLANE used drawing and visuals to communicate complex business processes. At the same time, XPLANE folks started coming to my Idea Markets, where I began to incorporate many visual thinking and drawing exercises and found it startling how much more effective a little “out of comfort zone” drawing could be than simply a verbal-based exercise. After several months of VTS, Dave asked me why I didn’t work for XPLANE. Surprised by the question, I began to consider it. Six months later, and after a trip to visit the Portland office, I’m here.

WHAT WILL I DO? My official title is “Consultant,” though that really doesn’t describe what I’ll be doing. Part of XPLANE’s unique process is pairing up a consultant/facilitator (me) with an artist/concept designer (the people with real talent), and going to a client’s office for a day-long discovery session. Instead of taking written notes, the artist will actually use live drawing to help visualize the client’s story, audience, goals and needs. By combining this live-sketching with a number of brainstorming and drawing, XPLANE is able to elicit a far more complete picture (literally!) of what the client wants to communicate. Here’s an overview of the process.

My role is to be the consultant/facilitator in the client sessions. In addition, I will work within XPLANE to expand the consulting practice and further develop the process for multiple client scenarios — not just those that need an XPLANE “product” delivered at the end of the engagement. Finally, I am going to work on a “visual thinking module” that will bring the benefits of visual thinking to workshops, conferences and retreats.

In short, I get to do the same kinds of things I was doing before, but within a really cool organization, with amazingly talented people, and for much larger clients.

XPLANE will also begin to sponsor the Idea Markets. More on that soon.

WHAT ABOUT THIS BLOG? I will keep the [non]billable hour going. I am working on a redesign, and you will see some cool new things in the next 90 days. I am also going to be re-purposing much of the older content in ways to make it more accessible to newer readers.

WHAT ABOUT LEXTHINK? Dennis, JoAnna and I will be having a sit down soon to figure out what’s next. We have too many cool things planned for LexThink to let it go. Stay tuned.

WHAT ELSE? If you have any more questions, shoot me an email at homann@gmail.com or mhomann@xplane.com, and I’d be happy to answer them. I am so excited to be working for XPLANE. I have spent most of my working life as an entrepreneur, and to find an employer where the entrepreneurial spirit is part of the fabric of the organization is really cool. Thanks for all your support!

Matt

Boise Idea Market

Matthew Homann — Thu, 31 May 2007 14:41:07 +0000

I’m going to be in Boise, Idaho next Friday to speak on innovation to a group of Idaho lawyers. While I’m there, I’m going to be hosting an Idea Market with Steve Nipper and Tac Anderson for a group of entrepreneurs and technology folks. Here are the details from Steve’s Blog:

I’m thrilled to announce the Boise Idea Market. It is something I’m putting together with Tac Anderson (TechBoise) and Matt Homann (http://www.realBIGthinking.com). I’m really looking forward to it.

What is an Idea Market™? Think brainstorming + collaboration + networking + happy hour. The brain child of innovation consultant, retreat facilitator and conference planner Matt Homann, an Idea Market is part think tank, part focus group and part social club. At the Idea Market, attendees bring their business challenges, questions and (of course) ideas, and share them with some of the most creative and generous people in the community as they participate in fun exercises designed to cram the most innovation into a two-hour collaborative experience.

Who Should Come: If you are a blogger, entrepreneur, speaker, consultant, designer, webmaster, writer, artist, salesperson, or technologist, you’ll enjoy the Boise Idea Market. We only ask that you be passionate about sharing ideas and helping others. Everything else will take care of itself.

When: Friday, June 8, 2007 at 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Where: Louie’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant, 620 W Idaho St, Boise, ID 83702-5930

Cost: $10.00 (to cover pizza & soda & tip)

How To Attend: We’ll have room for around 35 people for the Idea Market. We’ll use Renkoo to handle the invite process. Email me (snipper@gmail.com) and I’ll send you an invite.

Take Better Pictures

Matthew Homann — Wed, 16 May 2007 19:22:55 +0000

If you are like me, you take a lot of digital photos to boost your creativity and inspire you. Check out this series of articles on Fodor's to help you take travel pictures like a pro.