Week 8: Collaboration

Vanity & Ego

01 – Are you capable of being vain about your art & design?

Yes. I think most people would be capable of vanity in regards to their art and design as it means to be excessively proud (or concerned) about ones appearance, qualities or achievements. R01

02 – Do you have a healthy ego?

I think I have a fairly healthy ego – I believe it is fairly well balanced between the extremes of not having good-self esteem and egotism. I have a good sense of self – I know what I am capable of yet I am always challenging myself to achieve greater things.

03 – What defines an unhealthy ego?

Either of the extremes: not having good self-esteem/self-image or being conceited and full of self-importance.

04 – When others want to change your ideas, do you get offended?

Not at all. I appreciate when others are willing to speak up and give constructive criticism. I’d rather have others’ opinions to keep it balanced and in perspective.

05 – When you are asked for opinions on other’s work, do you compare it to your own?

Yes, at times, and other times I might compare others’ works to notable designers, etc, as a benchmark. Although most of us would probably do this, I still try to remain objective, constructive and mindful of other people’s feelings.

06 - When you are asked for opinions on your work, do you compare it to others?

Yes, at times, and other times I might compare my work to notable designers, etc as a benchmark. I try to be honest, yet balance in my opinions of my own work.

07 – If somebody plagiarised your work, would you be proud?

This has actually happened to me before – and at first I was quite annoyed because parts of my work, were blatantly used without any credit given. But then there was a strange sense of flattery that someone else considered my work good enough that they wanted theirs to look/be just like it.

08 – What is the difference between pride in your work, and vanity about your work?

It is good to have confidence and a high opinion of yourself and your work, but it is also important to not go over board and be excessive in your pride and self-importance.

09 – Do you expect others to listen when you speak?

Yes – it is a sign of respect.

10 – When somebody else speaks are you thinking about what you are going to say

next?

Yes, I am guilty of this at times (especially when I have lots going on in my head). When I catch myself doing it I quickly bring myself back into the moment to just listen.

11 – Do you form opinions about others quickly?

Generally not. I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. My opinions usually form after they’ve had a few chances to express themselves.

12 – What percentage of you judgements about others talents are right?

Having an idea of the field you are judging others talents in certainly helps. Perhaps my judgements about others’ talents are approximately 70% correct.

R02

Idea Evolution

In regard to creative collaboration:

1 . Do you have a strong belief in your personal ideas?

Not always at first. My own belief usually becomes stronger when I get other’s positive opinions about it. Eg. If I am working on a particular design in class, sometimes when you’re so absorbed in it, it is hard to look at it objectively. I work well bouncing ideas others, and it helps build a strong belief when I get a positive response. Sometimes judging by the response I get, my work may not have been as good as I thought, or perhaps it got a better response than I was anticipating.

2. How do you evaluate your personal ideas over a period of time?

I work best given a bit of time to mull over ideas. My ideas constantly evolve over time and with exposure to other things in daily life. Evaluating them often involves comparison and getting others’ opinions.

Eg. When I paint, I often evaluate my ideas as I go along. Quite often I will stare at a blank canvas for days/weeks/months before I decide which idea is worthy enough to be expressed on the canvas. One day I might think I have a good idea, but I’ll sit on it for a bit as it quite often evolves into something better. This process can even happen once I start painting so the look and feel of the artwork is constantly changing as I evaluate, compare and receive opinions on it.

3. How flexible are you in changing your mind about the value of your ideas?

Depending on my strength of belief in the idea. The more I believe in it, the harder it is to change my mind about the value of it and vice versa.

Eg. When I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in design, I had quite strong ambitions and drive to complete a tertiary course. Having discussed the prospects with family and friends, some suggested that I just get a full time job anywhere first and then get into the study later. The value of this idea weighed quite heavily for me and so I decided to embark on this course part time and work part time. I felt this was a valuable priority for me, but I also understood the importance of balance and earning an income.

4. How flexible are you in changing your mind about the value of others’ ideas?

I am quite flexible when it comes to accepting other peoples ideas, however if I have good background knowledge of the matter, it can influence my flexibility. Sometimes being an outsider can allow me to see things more objectively than the person in the situation or with the idea.

Eg. At work, sometimes clients have grandiose ideas about what they want in a commercial without realising what actually goes into it. As I have knowledge on how it all works, there is no flexibility in changing my mind, as I know some things just cant be done.

5. Does hanging on to your old ideas block new ones?

It can do, but sometime they can also give inspiration for new ones if you can just think about it a different way or from a different perspective.

Eg. At the moment I am pretty set on an idea that I would like to go and live overseas in the next couple of years. I am so set about making this happen that I find myself shutting off to other ideas that come up for this time. I have since stopped and thought about these other suggestions and thought, “why can’t we do that and then go and live overseas?”

6. Are you slow or fast in moving on when an idea has burnt out?

I think I am fairly fast to move on with things. There may be a bit of annoyance and disappointment for a little while, but it doesn’t help to stay stuck on an idea that can’t/won’t give any more. I feel better and more productive when I start thinking of new ideas to achieve what I want to and get around such obstacles.

Eg. I had my heart set on going on an overseas trip this year, but for reasons beyond our control (timing, cost, etc) we decided that we couldn’t do it, the idea/prospect had burnt out. Of course I was disappointed because I had already done a lot of research, etc, but I didn’t spend too long feeling sorry for myself. I felt much better when I started to research and plan ways around the obstacles we faced this time – it served as a good learning curve to (hopefully) an even better result in the long run.

R03

R01 – www.dictionary.com
R02 - www.reneelevy.com
R03 - www.rd.com

Week 8: Origination

The Laws of Simplicity

Chapter 7: Emotion

1.  When Maeda uses the “Feel, and feel for” principle, he is drawing on peoples

connection to a very personal experience: feelings. List 3 ways that would make

use of this principle to visitors of your exhibition.

“Everything starts from being sensitive to your own feelings” – so in regards to the exhibition, we need to appeal to potential visitors feelings in the following ways:

E-tiquette – when the exhibition is on, it is up to us as students and budding designers to be polite, dress/act appropriately and make guests feel welcome.

Nude Electronics – by using methods such as SHE (shrink, hide and embody) to set up the exhibition we can create a “smooth and simple” exhibition space (including using the Macs to display works). We can then “accessorise” the space and express ourselves through our design work.

Aichaku – We need to inspire respect and affection for our work - by creating emotion in our artworks we get people to engage. Also artworks that empathise with the environment around them help to make the experience more relatable for the visitor.

2. What is animism? Why do you think the “Tamagocchi” craze of the ‘90s became

such a craze? How can you apply this to your exhibition?

Animism believes that everything in our environment, including inanimate objects, has a living spirit and deserves respect. Tamagocchi’s ‘yearned’ for human attention and they also create an illusion of life – people need contact. Tamagocchi’s often took the form of a pet/baby – convenient and fashionable (at the time), but non-committal in the long term. 

The following YouTube clip challenges the assumptions of animism by comparing the feelings of that of a wall or a bicycle to a dog; or in other words, the inanimate compared to the animate.

 

3. Name 2 products that you have purchased that gave you that feeling of “Aichaku”.

What feelings did those products evoke? Was it the feeling that sold the product

to you?

Aichaku is the Japanese term for the sense of attachment one can feel for an artifact.

MacBook Pro laptop – sense of value, freedom, convenience, I would be lost with out it. The feeling of Aichaku came after I had purchased it.

My engagement ring – although this was not purchased by me, I have a huge emotional attachment to it for what it symbolizes. A very close friend also handmade it, so it has that added element of preciousness.

4. How do the references to emotion relate to the simplicity/complexity relationship

discussed in Law 5 - Differences

With emotion comes more complexity.

If something is perceived as too simple it can become emotionless and “ugly”. It can also be perceived as having less value.

Week 7: Collaboration

The Legal Framework / Creative Content

PART 1: UNDERSTANDING THE LAW

1. The Berne Convention

It is an international agreement for the protection of Literary and Artistic works governing copyright. It was first accepted in Berne, Switzerland in 1886. Below the blue counties represent the signatory countries:

“The Berne Convention requires its signatories to recognize the copyright of works of authors from other signatory countries in the same way it recognizes the copyright of its own nationals” R01

Copyright under this convention must be automatic and the agreement also requires members to provide strong minimum standards for copyright law.

2. IP (Intellectual Property) legislation in Australia

Intellectual property represents the property of your mind or intellect. In business terms, this also means your proprietary knowledge. R02

The following are different types of IP:

• Patents – for new/improved products or processes

• Trademarks – for letters, words, phrases, smells, shapes, logos, etc. Anything that distinguishes the goods/services of one trader from those of another

• Designs – for the shape/appearance of manufactured goods

• Copyright – for original material in literary, artistic, dramatic, musical works. Films, multimedia and computer programs.

• Circuit layout rights – 3D configuration of electronic circuits/layout designs

• Plant breeders rights – new plant varieties

• Confidentiality/trade secrets – including know-how R02

Formal steps must be taken to register your IP to obtain the legal rights of ownership (copyright and circuit layout rights are automatic).

Registering your IP rights in Australia does not give you international protection – this must be applied for separately. R02

Different IP rights vary in the protection they provide – more than one type may be necessary to fully protect your creation. R02

3. Australian Copyright Law

Copyright is free and automatically granted when an original work such as writing, images, music and film is created. It is a type of legal protection to prevent others from doing certain things (such as copying and making available online) without permission. R03

Copyright protects the form or way an idea/information is expressed, not the idea or information itself.

4. Creative Commons

Creative Commons (CC) is a non-profit, world wide project that encourages copyright owners to allow others to share, reuse and remix their material legally. R04

The organization has released several copyright licenses known as Creative Common licenses free of charge to the public. These allow creators to communicate to communicate which rights they reserve and which they waive for the benefit of other creators/recipients. There is a factsheet that details the 4 licensing protocols and 6 standard CC licenses that can be created from them, which can be found at:

http://creativecommons.org.au/learn-more/fact-sheets/what-are-the-cc-licences

Creative Commons was invented to create a more flexible copyright model, replacing “all rights reserved” with “some rights reserved”. Wikipedia is one of the web-based projects using a CC license. R05

5. P2P networks and software licenses

P2P or Peer-To-Peer networks refer to a combination of things: software applications, network technologies and the ethics of file sharing.

It can be described as "A type of network in which each workstation has equivalent capabilities and responsibilities.” R07

Peers make a portion of their resources (processing power, disc storage or network bandwidth) directly available to other network participants without the need for central coordination. R06

Often when people hear the term P2P they think of peer-to-peer file sharing over the internet, rather than the traditional peer networks as detailed above. P2P file sharing systems have become the single most popular class of internet applications this decade. R07

A P2P network implements search and data transfer protocols and to be able to access these networks, users either download or install a suitable software application.

While some P2P activity such as collaboration is legal; most P2P activity of sharing and downloading copyrighted material is illegal and considered software piracy. R08

PART 2: DEFINING YOUR OWN ETHICAL APPROACH

1. Is it illegal to copy a design?

Yes it would be if you copied it exactly and did not supply a reference.

2. Is it ethical to sell a non-original design as your own?

I don’t believe it is ethical to gain profit and credit for someone else’s design.

3. What is the difference between ethics and law?

Laws are usually written and enforced whereas ethics are rules of conduct which can vary from person to person. Ethics are like the unspoken rules of conduct that people generally adhere to.

4. Do you value others intellectual property the same as your own?

Yes. I definitely wouldn’t want anyone else disrespecting my rights of intellectual property, so I value and respect others’ rights.

PART 3: APPLYING YOUR CODE

Make a list of 5 behaviour principles you consider essential for each of these:

1. At CDU in the MacLabs

• Communicating clearly

• Honouring commitments (especially for team work)

• Honesty

• Respect for other’s ideas and opinions/equipment

• Sensitivity towards classmates (ie language difficulties)

2. Outside class in a social setting

• Respect for others’ and the physical environment

• Communication

• Sensitivity towards others’ – everyone’s situation is different

• Obeying rules/laws (for overall wellbeing and safety)

• Being mindful of what’s going on around you

3.In a professional workplace in which you may be employed after studies

• Respect for co-workers and the physical environment

• Communication

• Obeying company code of conduct

• Honouring commitments

• Honesty

REFERENCES:

R01 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berne_Convention_for_the_Protection_of_Literary_and_Artistic_Works

R02 http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/ip/introduction.shtml

R03 http://www.copyright.org.au/information/cit014/wp0125

R04 http://creativecommons.org.au/learn-more

R05 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_Commons

R06 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer-to-peer

R07http://compnetworking.about.com/od/p2ppeertopeer/a/p2pintroduction.htm

R08 http://www.css.edu/Administration/Information-Technologies/Software-License-Compliance-FAQ.html#p2p

Week 7: Origination

The Laws of Simplicity

Chapter 6: Context

1.  What does the word ENTROPY mean and why is this relevant? 

Entropy means a lack of order or predictability. It is a natural decline into disorder.

This is relevant because there’s so much technology around us, at times, too much, so it can be hard to “see the wood for the trees”. Eg. You are looking for employment. You have 1000 numbers in your phone however only 5 of these numbers are for jobs. In actuality, you would be ringing 5 numbers per day not 1000.

2.  If you are attuned to everything around you, does it help you deal with what is in front of you and why or why not ?

Yes, it helps put what is of immediate importance into perspective. Eg. White/negative space on a page actually directs focus onto what is on the page. 

It’s all about contextualizing (knowing what’s around you) and applying it to what is in front of you. In a design context, designers need to communicate with their teams, individuals can’t just go off on a tangent and work on only what they think will work – they need to consider the ideas of the wider team for a more balanced approach.

3.  How is this different from FOCUS ?

Focus is just concentrating on what is at hand – sacrificing everything in the background for the sake of attending the all-important foreground ie light bulb or laser beam approach.

The ideal approach to any project is using context and focus together. Eg. When using Illustrator, the most effective approach to work on detail is to use the zoom tool, but it is also important to put this detail into perspective of the whole design, and therefore you need to zoom out and see the picture in its entirety. 

4.  Being “comfortably lost” is a balance between what 2 feelings? 

Knowing where you are can give you a sense of comfort and familiarity. It can generate positive feelings when things feel safe makes complete sense, however this can also feel boring. Being lost can evoke negative feelings of danger which to some, can also be a thrill.

5.  Describe a recent scenario when you found yourself to be “comfortably lost”. Did you enjoy the sensation?

As a part of the Darwin Festival, my partner and I participated in En Route.

http://www.darwinfestival.org.au/Theatre/en-route.html

Yes, I enjoyed the sensation – I guess I was comfortable because even though it was an individual experience, I had someone there with me, I was walking around a city I am generally familiar with and I was being guided by text messages being sent to the mobile phone with me. I was lost in the sense that the music and narration of what I was listening to taking my mind to another place and in the literal sense when we were wandering through areas that I never knew existed. It was like a walking meditation. In some ways your senses are more attuned to what you are seeing and experiencing, rather than finding your way.

6.  If you couldn’t hold back the urge to write on the “don’t write on this page” page – what would you write? 

I wouldn’t write. Instead I would probably draw something like a smiley face. However, because of the challenge Maeda put out to the readers about writing on the blank DON’T WRITE ON THIS PAGE page, I wanted to resist the temptation.


This YouTube clip is a lighthearted approach to using words out of context. It demonstrates the importance of understanding subject matter and the importance of context in communication:

THINKING GAME – LATERAL THINKING DISCUSSION

Edward de Bono’s “6 Thinking Hats”

• Which HAT best represents your group?

The Blue Hat best represents the Logistics group.

• Why?

It is all about the managing the process of organising an exhibition as a whole.

Depending on where the over all decision making process needs to head, our group needs to direct the activity to the appropriate group.

• Describe an Exhibition Group meeting where you may adopt the BLACK hat

Perhaps when a group is suggesting something that isn’t practically possible in the timeline, we may have to adopt the black hat and make them aware of why this idea/suggestion may not work.

• In your blog write 6 labelled paragraphs on your group’s progress to date, using each

of the 6 hats as a perspective.

Logistics - White Hat

Each week we focus on the data made available to us from what other groups post on Google Docs. I put this data into a calendar which is presented to the class each week so everyone can see exactly what is happening and when theoretically across all groups. We take things at face value and focus on the practical side of things such as deadlines.

Logistics - Red Hat

We try to encourage all groups to participate equally (by sending out emails and suggesting the use of templates to make it easier). Praise is given to the groups who are contributing valuable information. By taking on a ‘red hat’ approach we can be more diplomatic when dealing with individual people and groups.

Logistics - Black Hat

As we are keeping an eye on the overall timeline for the exhibition we need to be able to foresee why ideas/suggestions and activities of the other groups may not work due to time constraints. By taking an overall approach we can lessen the risk of failure and come up with contingency plans.

Logistics - Yellow Hat

Again with our ability to look at the overall progression of this exhibition project, we are able to give positive feedback on progress and encouragement when everyone can see the advancements we are making.

Logistics - Green Hat

Logistics can contribute to the overall creativity of the exhibition by liaising with and directing activity to groups such as Theme & Branding and Print.

We can also come up with our own solutions to keeping everyone informed and engaged with the use of visuals such as the weekly calendar.

Logistics - Blue Hat

This is what the Logistics group has to do in a nutshell – as explained, we manage the whole process of organising this exhibition. We need to direct activity to the appropriate groups to get the specific jobs done within the specified time frame. A weekly logistics report is given to keep the class up to date with the overall progress.

Week 6: Collaboration

Acknowledging Differences – CROSSING THE LINE
*I was not here for this class. Due to the instructions being given in class, I am unsure of what the activity actually entails.


Discretion & Judgement

Professional discretion and judgement may relate to:
• assessing when to keep quiet
• being aware of and responding to different personality types
• knowing when it is appropriate or inappropriate to share information
• knowing with whom information should be shared
• the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation
• avoiding causing offence or revealing private information


2. Give a REAL example from your own experience to illustrate all 6 points
• Eg. I had a co-worker who was continually late and took extremely long lunch breaks – especially when the boss was not there. This annoyed me but I didn’t feel that it was my place to talk to him about it, plus the boss could see it happening on occasions when he was there. It was between them, I just had to keep turning up and doing my job. This worker eventually got his comeuppance from the CEO of the company and now no longer works for the same company. I made the decision to keep quiet and get on with my own job, however if I was asked about it, I would have told it like it was.

• Eg. When I began work in a small office (there were 3 of us), there was one lady who was loud and boisterous and another who was more serious and reserved. Obviously dynamics in such a small office are crutially important, so I got to know them in slightly different ways. For the more serious lady, I respected her position and asked her lots of questions about how things were done, etc. These conversations gradually expanded onto many more topics and eventually to having barbeques at each others’ places. The more bubbly and boisterous lady was easier to start conversations with in the beginning and this working relationship also turned into a friendship over time. Needless to say, because I considered their different personality types the dynamics between the three of us was great!

• Eg. When the prospect of first moving to Darwin came up, obviously there was a lot of consideration to be made! Once this idea had turned into a likely event, I decided to share the information with my immediate co-workers. At this stage I felt it was too premature to tell management because the decision was not yet a definite thing. Once it was a definite move, I felt it was then appropriate to share with management and my co-workers felt as though they had a ‘heads-up’.

• Eg. I like to keep the lines of communication within a professional environment as open and transparent as I can. I appreciate being kept in the loop, so often I will cc appropriate people in on emails, such as the accounts department so they are aware of exactly where the job is at and if I am not there to follow it up, they are not held up for lack of information and can act on it themselves if need be.

• Eg. When I used to work in retail, we often had little ‘gifts with purchase’ which we could give away to customers at our discretion. I often gave such ‘gifts’ to customers who had purchased a reasonable amount and or were just nice in general – people you had spent a bit of time with to help them finalise their purchase. I was less inclined to give such gifts to customers who demanded them or were rude.

• Eg. All my emails to coworkers are direct and concise, and I always maintain a professional context (as they may get forwarded onto clients, etc). However, sometimes there are issues that need to be addressed and the way that things can be written can potentially cause offence. This is when a little light-hearted explanation or a smiley face comes in handy for the lack of tone an email can have so as not to offend.
I rarely forward on an email to a client, however, if I do, I am always careful to read the whole email before forwarding onto a client as it may contain private professional information.

3. What is the difference between “discretion” and “judgement” in your own words?
Discretion is behaving in a discreet way, taking into account other people’s feelings and basing your decisions on what you know to be appropriate or inappropriate. Judgement is reaching an opinion after careful consideration.


4. Why do you use these two things in a professional setting?
You are not only representing yourself within a profession, you are also representing the business and the profession itself. If workers’ don’t think of the whole context that their behaviour can affect in relation to discretion and judgement, it can have negative consequences like a ripple effect. Discretion and judgement are also applied to the way you behave around your colleagues and clients. By using these two attributes effectively and wisely, they can help you make informed decisions that consider the best outcomes for all the people involved.

Week 6: Origination

The Laws of Simplicity 

Chapter 5 - Differences

1. Describe the relationship between complexity and simplicity

Simplicity and complexity need each other – without one, we could not recognize the other when we see it. This relationship can either manifest in the same object/experience or in contrast to other offerings in the same category. Eg. iPod vs iRiver

2. What analogy does Maeda use to demonstrate this relationship?

Maeda uses the analogy of a child being allowed to eat ice cream for three meals a day – nobody wants to eat only desert as they would eventually tire of it. This demonstrates that simplicity and complexity need each other for contrast to help us identify qualities that we desire.

3. In what context does Maeda discuss rhythm / beat in relation to the fifth law

Contextualise this relationship and discuss how this can be used in relation to the

Student Exhibition - giving specific examples

Maeda talks about achieving the right balance between simplicity and complexity – achieving a situation where differences enhance instead of cancel out and he likens it to the concept of rhythm. In visual terms it is a line that curves up towards complexity and downwards again towards simplicity and this continues to occur over time.

Maeda’s reference to the beat is also a great example of how simplicity and complexity need each other. If a simplistic rhythm was created such as taa taa taa taa taa taa, the audience would get bored because it is such a monotonous beat. On the other hand if the sequence was complexity complexity complexity complexity complexity complexity …simplicity, simplicity becomes the salvation. In order to make a good and interesting rhythm and beat, it needs to be a mix of both simplicity and complexity to engage the listener.

In relation to the student exhibition, balance can only be achieved when all groups participate in the process. If the organization is left up to just a few willing groups, ideas, plans, implementation will be carried out from a more narrow viewpoint not necessarily from a more wholesome perspective. Each group will have different suggestions and ideas to contribute which make the whole process more balanced and give and take, much like the rhythm/beat analogy.

Visual examples of design and multimedia work that represents simplicity and complexity:

REFERENCE: http://www.euphorish.com/category/graphic-design/

I think this logo demonstrates the relationship between simplicity and complexity in that the overall shape (letter) is minimalistic in its simple typeface, however, the detail within this logo is more complex and cleverly contrasts the overall idea of the logo. The variety in this logo keeps us engaged but doesn’t overwhelm us. 

REFERENCE:http://noisydecentgraphics.typepad.com/design/graphic_design_reviews_/

These speculative posters for the 2012 Olympics are simple in their bold, bright, flat colours and plain shapes, yet they are complex in the movement created with these shapes. The images are minimalistic and abstract representing one word (ie. Diving), and once we associate this word with the graphics, it is clear to us what it is (The ripples left from the diver entering the water). Perhaps it is because they are simple that our imagination kicks in and allows us to find more within their representation.

Thinking Game – Lateral Thinking

The “6 Thinking Hats” is a technique created by Edward de Bono in his book of the same name. It helps you make better decisions by encouraging you to think about the problem/task at hand from different perspectives. Each hat represents a different way of thinking as expressed in the following YouTube clip:

White Hat

Focuses on the data available and what you can learn from it. This comes from analysing past trends.

The White Hat calls for information known or needed. Neutral. Face value.

Based on the Logistics group, we focus on the information given to us by all the other groups, deadlines, etc.

Red Hat

Uses intuition, gut feelings and emotions. This perspective thinks about how others will react emotionally also.

The Red Hat signifies feelings, hunches and intuition.

Logistics: if some groups aren’t participating or sharing information as freely as others, we can help give them a nudge by encouraging the use of templates and posting information, regardless of how insignificant it might seem.

Black Hat

Pessimistic, cautious and defensive thinking. Why ideas and approaches might not work. Highlights the weak points for contingency plans and altered approaches to lessen the risk of failure and see problems in advance.

The Black Hat is judgment -- the "devil's advocate" or why something may not work.

Logistics: making a call on deadlines, etc, when things aren’t running to schedule to be completed by the due date, we need to address this with the other relevant groups.

Yellow Hat

Positive, optimistic thinking. This perspective sees the benefits, value and opportunities.

The Yellow Hat symbolizes brightness and optimism.

Logistics: giving positive feedback on progress, encouragement when people can see the advancements

Green Hat

Creativity. Developing creative solutions with very little criticism.

The Green Hat focuses on creativity: the possibilities, alternatives and new ideas.

Logistics: we can contribute to the ideas of other teams such as Theme and Branding and Print.

Blue Hat

Process Control – depending on where the over all decision making process needs to head, the person with the blue hat will direct the activity to the appropriate hat.

The Blue Hat is used to manage the thinking process.

Logistics: this is what the logistics group has to do in a nutshell. Manage the whole process.

REFERENCE: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_07.htm

http://www.debonothinkingsystems.com/tools/6hats.htm

 

 

 

Week 5: Collaboration

What are ethics?

Formal and informal codes and conducts that govern a persons or groups behavior.

It is about respecting others by acknowledging their views and adopting a balanced view yourself.

Trustworthy and ethical behavior in collaboration may encompass the following:

• acknowledging discomfort or anger

• being prepared to fully participate

• communicating in an open way

• honesty

• honoring commitments

• sensitivity to social, cultural, personal situations and dynamics

• showing respect

• understanding of the consequences of actions

• being mindful of what is going on around you

• obeying rules that are in place for the good of all

Essential

Communicating in an open way

Honesty

Honoring commitments

Sensitivity to social, cultural, personal situations and dynamics

Showing respect

Understanding of the consequences of actions

Obeying rules that are in place for the good of all

Eg. For the roadways to work and for people to commute relatively safely, people must communicate their intentions to other drivers – ie. Blinkers, horns.

Acknowledging discomfort or anger

Being prepared to fully participate

Being mindful of what is going on around you

Non-Essential

Acknowledging discomfort or anger

Being prepared to fully participate

Being mindful of what is going on around you

Eg. A disgruntled customer cannot expect to be automatically acknowledged if they do not speak up first and communicate what the problem is. Often others are busy and sometimes things need to be pointed out to them.

Being prepared to fully participate

Who’s Got a Dollar?

In class we completed this group exercise whereby we were asked who had a dollar. That person then had to give up their dollar to another person. This kept going from $1, to $2, to $5, to $10, to $20. Each person as they received the money had to say what they most liked about working in a team environment.

In relation to the above exercise, we then had to answer the following questions:

1. Would you volunteer your money - that is, take risk?

Yes, I did volunteer my money. I had trust in the exercise and the people in the group that it would most likely be returned anyway.

2. How did you feel?

I felt willing to participate and curious as to where this exercise was going.

3. Did you feel a little sheepish?

No, not really, I would have felt sheepish if I didn’t have anything to contribute to the exercise.

4. What about when the ante was upped to ten dollars?

Again, I was curious as to how far this would go and what would actually happen with the money, but I didn’t feel sheepish or worried.

5. Twenty?

Much the same as above.

6. Did you think the volunteers were foolish?

Perhaps if we were in a bigger group and most of us hadn’t contributed then some may wonder why the volunteers were so willing to give up their hard earned cash. In a smaller group, I did not feel that the volunteers were foolish.

Trust & Creative Partnerships

As a group exercise, we had to practice some different scenarios with one another;

• Maintaining eye contact with another class mate for 60 seconds

• Maintaining eye contact with another class mate for 60 seconds whilst holding hands

• Maintaining eye contact while standing at different proximities: comfortable, closer and further

Eye Contact

Looking straight into someone’s eyes for 60 seconds feels, too long and too intimate.

ETHICAL BEHAVIOR

It can be inappropriate and impolite to stare directly at someone for a prolonged period -it can be considered rude and disrespectful in some cultures. The amount of eye contact varies amongst people depending on how well you know them and how you feel about them.

TRUST

If you know someone well, a prolonged look can mean trust and understanding. If you don’t know someone, their use of eye contact, their use of eye contact can give you an idea of what they are like, trustworthy, etc. Eye contact used in the appropriate way can signify openness, confidence or interest. If a stranger stares for too long, it can be creepy/untrustworthy.

Eye Contact + Touch

Looking at someone whilst touching them requires close proximity. When completing our group exercise of holding hands and looking into the eyes of a classmate for 60 seconds, it felt too intimate and uncomfortable.

ETHICAL BEHAVIOR

Looking and touching requires 2 people to be close and when doing this with a stranger, it feels as though you’re invading personal space and therefore breaching respect.

TRUST

Eye contact AND touch is usually reserved for those that you do trust. When it is someone you don’t know, it can make you feel uncomfortable, wary and suspicious.

Proximity

Comfortable distance between two people can mean several things such as: interested (depending on where their body is facing, if its open, etc). At comfortable proximity it still feels uncomfortable to maintain 60 seconds of eye contact.

Closer proximity whilst maintaining eye contact was even more uncomfortable. Personal space varies from person to person and it also depends on how well we know the person and how relaxed we are when around them. Doing this with someone you don’t know very well is awkward and uneasy.

Further proximity was more comfortable when maintaining eye contact with someone you don’t know very well – but it still felt a bit uncomfortable and invasive.

ETHICAL BEHAVIOR

Respect comes into how close you stand to someone – people need their space to feel comfortable. Some cultures have closer proximity between people than others.

TRUST

A comfortable distance is usually for acquaintances or people meeting for the first time.

Closer proximity is usually reserved for people in closer relationships (unless your at a concert or in a crowded train) and there is more trust involved. Further proximity is generally for strangers and people you have less trust for.