powerpoint 4b

design & right-brain thinking

DANIEL H. PINK – A WHOLE NEW MIND

a whole new mind• daniel h. pink

– former white house speech writer and american author who has published four books and whose articles have appeared in the new york times, harvard business review, fast company and wired

– his work focuses on the shift from the information age to the conceptual age

• the four ages of man– agrarian society

• individualized work: work centered on subsidence and the ability/output of one worker

– industrial age• the assembly line improves speed, efficiency and productivity • the machine replaces the individual worker

– information age• knowledge becomes the supreme commodity • the product is information and content, no longer centered on

physical or temporal limitations – conceptual age

• consumers have too many choices in an age of abundance • products can be made cheaper and more efficiently by outsourcing

and automation • creativity and empathy become the only competitive edge Pink, Daniel H. A Whole New Mind. New York, NY: Riverhead Books, 2006.

the six senses• building on previous work

– Pink references both: • Betty Edwards’ Drawing on the Artist Within and Drawing on the Right

Side of the Brain• Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow: the Psychology of Optimal Experience

and Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention– from Edwards, Pink emphasis connections and relationships

within the big picture – from Csikszentmihalyi, Pink quotes, “creativity generally involves

crossing the boundaries of domains”– these sources support Pink’s new era and new mind theories

• introducing the six senses – in the conceptual age the left-brain must be complimented by

the right • left-brain thinking focuses on logic, logistics, reason, and analysis • right-brain thinking is more creative, more holistic and more intuitive

– new aptitudes must be developed which will be high-concept and high-touch• over-arching “what-if” scenarios which give meaning, purpose and

succinctly explained through purposefully designed premises • human creatures require a human touch – personalization is

desperately needed in the new marketplace Pink, Daniel H. A Whole New Mind. New York, NY: Riverhead Books, 2006.

immersed senses by rios tam

sense 1 & 2: design & story

• not just function but also DESIGN– products and services cannot be merely

functional, but must also add to experience and lifestyle

– the new marketplace demands beautiful, whimsical and/or emotionally engaging objects and experiences

• not just argument but also STORY – information and data, alone, cannot offer a

sufficient argument – everything requires a narrative, from political

campaigns to product placement – the essence of persuasion, communication, and

self-understanding comes through narrative Pink, Daniel H. A Whole New Mind. New York, NY: Riverhead Books, 2006.

michelin challenge design 2010, the “mo-du-lo” by french designer thierry dumaine

apple black hole by french designer josselin zaïgouche

sense 3 : symphony• not just focus but

SYMPHONY– the information age was dominated

by focus and specialization – the conceptual age requires the

ability to piece things together– this emphasizes synthesis over

analysis – requires seeing the big picture– being able to cross boundaries – being able to combine disparate

pieces into an arresting new whole Pink, Daniel H. A Whole New Mind. New York, NY: Riverhead Books, 2006.

sense 4 : empathy• not just logic but EMPATHY

– logic and reason are often thought to be the capacities and aptitudes which make us human

– logic alone is no longer enough in a world of ubiquitous information and advanced analytical tools

– understanding and sympathizing – being able to put oneself in someone else’s

shoes – seeing situations from multiple perspectives

– forming and maintaining relationships – care: emotionally concerned and regarding,

considering and providing for others Pink, Daniel H. A Whole New Mind. New York, NY: Riverhead Books, 2006.

sense 5 & 6: play & meaning

• not just seriousness but also PLAY– there are ample health and professional

benefits of laughter, lightheartedness, games and humor

– there is a time for seriousness but this must be balanced for overall well-being

• not just accumulation but also MEANING – deriving purpose and pleasure other

than material plenty– develop more significant desires:

purpose, transcendence and aestheticsPink, Daniel H. A Whole New Mind. New York, NY: Riverhead Books, 2006.

the nintendo wii• pink’s theories in action

– satoru iwata, president of nintendo co., ltd. released a series of online interviews explaining the vision, aesthetic, function and innovation of nintendo’s wii

– these interviews can be viewed at this link: http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/wii_console/

• in these interviews iwata details:1. the wii uses state-of-the-art technology in

unprecedented ways2. the wii was designed for everyone so that anyone,

young or old, could enjoy playing3. the wii was designed aesthetically and functionally

• no bigger than 3 dvd cases wide and can be displayed vertically or horizontally in order to fit any home entertainment center

• glowing blue light for aesthetic • clean, white, sleek look • television channel-like menus

things to ponder…• visual communication

– the principles of design and the visual language have been integrated into a new field: visual communication

– this field emphasizes the use of images, graphics, typography, illustration, symbols, and signs to communicate ideas

– vis. comm. is used to persuade, inform, educate and entertain – vis. comm. is now a multimedia, design-orientated major of study at most

college campuses today which pulls from photography, digital art, graphic design and other forms of design

– how do these different fields relate to one another? how has technology influenced them?

• concrete examples of Pink’s theories – can you think of other products or services which exemplify Pink’s ideas, as

the nintendo wii does? – how has the history of design and visual communication evolved and lead up

to Pink’s theories?

things to ponder…• your place in the conceptual age

– what is your future worth in this new era? have you developed the six senses Pink says are crucial to success in the conceptual age?

– ask yourself these questions:• can someone overseas do it cheaper?• can a computer do it faster?• am i offering something that satisfies the

nonmaterial, transcendent desires of an age of abundance?

• reflection: which ones do you possess? – design: function and aesthetic – story: a narrative gives purpose – symphony: synthesis and the big picture – empathy: care and understanding – play: humor and lightheartedness – meaning: the journey of life has intent and is

significant