... a beginner at something

Purple Pointr re-design

Some of the people whose blogs I admire for their content and cleanness in design have the navigator on the right side. Overall I find that more natural to focus reading on the newest article starting left top and then drift over to  "more" or "diversions" on the right. So I tried that. What do you think?

While at it, I shifted  the search to Lijit because it has visitor map and recent readers, too.  And added the ShareThis button based on a twitter reply which I misunderstood.

A few days earlier, I changed the blog mantra to "cope, connect, co-create". That's just what you do when faced with a challenge bigger than your current knowledge.

Thank you for reading, sharing, and your comments. 

P.S. Blogging for almost 9 months has shared my life, er I meant changed my life... too. See you.

The potential for discovery

Today's poetry

The potential for discovery is infinite.

Everything new to you
could be remarkable to you
until it gets old to you
and then you focus on the next new thing
to prevent eternal boredom to you.

(i) inspired by Hugh MacLeod, and Bonnie, triggered by Becky .

Finally, it seems safe to say ...

(continued from Second, the incredibly efficient ...)

... that when you remove certainty and predictability, engagement and awareness rise. The concept of shared space makes that clear.

Let's read that again in context, too:

First, extremely simple rules create surprisingly powerful outcomes.

Second, the incredibly efficient self-ordering effect of adhering to these rules can achieve something far superior to anything imposed order or control can.

Finally, it seems safe to say that when you remove certainty and predictability, engagement and awareness rise. The concept of shared space makes that clear.

Source: In Pursuit of Elegance • Why the Best Ideas Have Something Missing, by Matthew E. May (2009) p. 52 and p. 68.

Sounds like it could be true?

Quote:

In 1985, eighty-five brave souls, or there abouts, gathered in Monterey for The Third Annual International Symposium on Organization Transformation. The first two iterations of this continuing international event (we are now at OT16) were organized in a most traditional manner. Papers, panels, and all the rest. But the consensus of participants was, that despite monumental planning effort extending over a long time, the real excitement came in the coffee breaks. Which of course weren’t planned at all. And so the Third International Symposium was going to be different.

And different it was. At the point of arrival, the participants knew only when things would start, when it would conclude, and generally what the theme might be. There was no agenda, no planning committee, no management committee, and the only facilitator in evidence essentially disappeared after several hours. Just 85 people sitting in a circle. Much to the amazement of everybody, 2½ hours later we had a three day agenda totally planned out including multiple workshops, all with conveners, times, places and participants.

Observably, the operative mechanism was simplicity itself. As each person determined ...

Source: Opening Space for Emerging Order by Harrison Owen (2001)

Now you have three choices:

1. If this is not your pursuit, just mouse away. Fine with me, no hard feelings.
2. Stay tuned for a different post. Subscribe to the RSS/Atom newsfeed.
3. Get the book that (i) inspired these three posts.

Here is more about the book:

Author's website or ...

...　order now. (released 2009-05-19)

Free slice of the new book!

Disclosure: not affiliated with the author or the bookstore. Only thrilled and  (i) inspired by this book, and just about to finish chapter two.

Second, the incredibly efficient ...

(continued from First, extremely simple ...)

... self-ordering effect of adhering to these rules can achieve something far superior to anything imposed order or control can.

Let's read that again in context:

First, extremely simple rules create surprisingly powerful outcomes.

Second, the incredibly efficient self-ordering effect of adhering to these rules can achieve something far superior to anything imposed order or control can.

Source: In Pursuit of Elegance, by Matthew E. May (2009) p. 52.

Does it work? How?

Here is a simple set of rules for something as complex as organizing a large and productive meeting. Just four principles and one law.

The principles are:

1) Whoever comes is the right people, which reminds people in the small groups that getting something done is not a matter of having 100,000 people and the chairman of the board. The fundamental requirement is people who care to do something. And by showing up, that essential care is demonstrated.

2) Whatever happens is the only thing that could have, keeps people focused on the here and now, and eliminates all of the could-have-beens, should-have-beens or might-have-beens. What is is the only thing there is at the moment.

3) Whenever it starts is the right time alerts people to the fact that inspired performance and genuine creativity rarely, if ever, pay attention to the clock. They happen (or not) when they happen.

4) When it’s over it’s over. In a word, don’t waste time. Do what you have to do, and when its done, move on to something more useful.

The Law is the so called Law of Two Feet, which states simply, if at any time you find yourself in any situation where you are neither learning nor contributing – use you two feet and move to some place more to you liking.

Source: Opening Space for Emerging Order by Harrison Owen (2001)

You have two choices:

1. Mouse away, halfway sure this is not for you.
2. Stay tuned for the next post. Or subscribe to the RSS/Atom newsfeed.

(to be continued)

First, extremely simple ...

... rules create surprisingly powerful outcomes. 

Writes Matthew E. May in his just published book, In Pursuit of Elegance, on page 52.

Matt's blog says the book will be released on May 19, yet I have my copy already here in Japan, via Amazon.

Second, the incredibly efficient ...

(to be continued)

This product is no longer available for purchase.

Was looking for a portable GPS navigator, because it would cost almost the same as the rental car GPS add-on upgrade for our summer vacation in the U.S.

Found some with good reviews on Amazon. Can we download a map for Europe, too?  Some Tom Tom navigators come with it, according to Amazon. No map info there, so over to sony.com. Search window, "Sony NVU94T", click and found. Quote:

This product is no longer available for purchase.

Add to Wishlist

Select Your Service Plan:

NV-U94T | 4.8" Portable Satellite Navigation System NV-U94T 

And the product features, technical specifications etcetera. That's it. Ooops.

What is missing?  An OFFER! Just a newer product, an older product, any alternative, and I would be happy!  Looked over that web page again. Nope, nothing. Bad marketing decision, a disconnect.

A Textbook fail!, remarkable and blogworthy. So, there.

Here I am, a prospective customer,
navigated the maze, found the page,
this brand got my attention.

And then it refuses to keep me as customer
by not even trying to sell anything else. Boooh!

If you sell anything and happen to discontinue offers, please be more intelligent about keeping your personal brand attracting customers. Do not make the same mistake. Now that you know what to look for, check your own web pages.

---

Page 56 ...

Eric Anderson  (i) inspired this post.

The game is simple:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open it to page 56.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.

Results for me:

It's been fascinating to both observe and participate in the debate about blogs in the enterprise.

The New Rules of Marketing and PR

by David Meerman Scott.

Eric followed me on twitter today, he had the post Page 56... on his blog . I will follow him back now.

Get talked about = more customers, no?

Dear Shopping Mall,

signs like this are dumb to me. They hurt your sales. You do not permit me to show my friends what I like about you.

I understand you do not discriminate against the blind, you allow guide-dogs.

But you do not allow me to guide friends who may like to see  what it looks like in your mall before they commit to the trip.

Maybe you wish to prevent photos by the competition so they cannot easily copy your mall or spy on prices inside.

I bet you did not know that competing sales staff have been using cell phones or buttonhole cameras for years and people shop the internet for prices.

So by your own decision you do not want additional visitors who may turn into customers. Fine with me. I respect that. I will not even tell them where I photographed this sign.

Imagine your loyal customers would spread more word about you, made easy by photos they share with friends on flickr, twitpic or social networking sites. Wouldn't that be good for business? 

Or is it because friction rewards intent and creates scarcity?

Sincerely,

CoCreatr

P.S. Upon second look, if only photographing is prohibited, using a different camera to make a video for YouTube is OK with you?

Update: With all the surveillance cameras going, you might even find out what people take the most photos of and make that more of an attraction. Read why shopping was boring in 2002. And it still is.