2. Personal Relevance
Design Document – Design Lessons Learned / December 8, 2009
1. Overview
Although it wasn’t required reading for the course, I found a lot of helpful tips in presentation zen by Garr Reynolds. I centered my project on the theme of Chapter 3 of Reynolds’ book titled “Planning Analog” (Reynolds, 2008, p. 45). I even “borrowed” Reynolds’ words and titled my project “Plan Analog.” It’s about stepping back from all of the technology that we use as Instructional Designers and using the basics like pen and paper.
2. Personal Relevance
When I have an assignment or a project to complete, you’ll find me at the computer planning out my project. I rely on tools that are within my Mac Mini rather than my head. I read Chapter 3 of presentation zen and was reminded of the days when I worked as a field trainer. The four of us would go to a conference room with a huge whiteboard for brainstorming sessions. The sky was the limit and we came up with some pretty interesting and effective training tools.
By starting at the computer, I limit my creativity. I might sit down at the computer and open Word to start my project with. Unfortunately, you can get too far into or committed to a project before you realize Word wasn’t the right medium. Planning using more traditional tools like drawing on a whiteboard, jotting ideas down on paper, or just talking things out with someone helps me to uncover ideas that I wouldn’t have by sitting at my computer. Just getting out of the office or area where you usually work can be the spark that ignites the creative fire.
The computer can also be a huge distraction. I find myself checking my email or seeing what friends are doing on Facebook rather than focusing on my work. Sometimes it’s just a good break to do your work in a different venue. That can be a different room, a coffee shop or even outside.
3. Design Decisions
Thinking about working with the group of field trainers took me back to our days of brainstorming in a conference room with a white board. It’s a blank canvas. Ideas can take you anywhere practically!
I wrote PLAN on the board with a dry-erase marker. I covered the lines with Post-it notes. Reynolds discusses the use of Post-it Notes at Apple and how he uses them. They are the original “cut and paste.” You can reorder your thoughts and drawings on them with very little effort. (Reynolds, 2008, p. 52) I thought it would be interesting to use them in a different way. I spelled out the word plan in Post-it Notes as the center of this project thus moving the notes from their supporting role in the design process to the center of attention.
From there, I had all of this white space around the Post-its. I picked up a dry-erase marker and started drawing. I’m not confident in my drawing skills but I gained the courage from reading Dan Roam’s The Back of the Napkin (2008). For the most part, I think you can tell what I drew (If you can’t I Photoshopped in labels). Dry-erase marker is the perfect tool for brainstorming. It’s not permanent and easily removed with a paper towel, eraser or even a fingertip. It allows for instant editing so mistakes can be easily erased. It’s a safe environment to just throw everything and anything out there for consideration.
I’m not quite sure what Chip and Dan Heath, authors of Made to Stick Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, would think of my project. The intent of my project (or the Commander’s Intent as Heath & Heath might call it) is to remind viewers and myself that using technology isn’t always the best place to start when planning a project (Heath & Heath 2007, p. 25-28). The theme of “Plan Analog” follows Heath and Heath’s concept of “Simple = Core + Compact” (2007, p. 45).
What the authors may appreciate the most about my theme does allow the viewer to walk away with one goal but the way one can reach that goal can vary. I drew ideas as to what it means to me to “Plan Analog” but they are there to support the phrase not to be a solution for everyone. I want people to remember my Commander’s Intent of “Plan Analog” but each individual can choose the best way to accomplish this result (Heath & Heath, 2007, p. 26-27).
Resources:
Heath, C. & Heath, D. (2007). Made to stick why some ideas survive and others die. Random House: New York
Reynolds, G. (2008). presentation zen. Berkeley, CA: New Riders
Roam, D. (2008). The back of the napkin Solving problems and selling ideas with pictures. London: Penguin Books LTD.
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