Intelleto

Tomorrow (Wed 12/17/08) I’ll be presenting an Adaptive Path virtual seminar on Sailing the C’s of Change.

I’ve been thinking, wondering and tracking four themes over the past 18 months. In this seminar, I’ll share the patterns I’ve identified and propose ways that we can start to make the most of these opportunities.

Seminar description:
This seventy-five minute virtual seminar explores four key themes that are emerging in the creation, adoption and adaptation of digital products and services, and what companies and practitioners can do to capitalize on these trends.

Who is this seminar for?
What does it mean to “Sail the C’s” of change? The leading edge of Web 2.0 is long behind us; we’re now entering a time where past innovations are an expected way of doing business. What is the legacy left by the early adopters and what are the themes we should be aware of as we move into 2009? As product leaders, marketers and designers, what can we do to align our strategies, teams and products to take advantage of the new opportunities that are maturing?

Kate Rutter offers her unique point of view on four key themes that are emerging as a next wave of change in the marketplace.

Curation:
Harnessing the storytelling potential of your content to answer unmet needs.

Cobbling:
Listening to and learning from the use (and mis-use) of your products and services in the wild.

Collaging:
Layering social media to create new conversations with customers.

Chording:
Harmonizing across multiple channels to deliver a sum that is greater than the parts

This seminar will explore the underlying principles that are driving these themes, and offer insights on possible futures as these trends evolve.

What will you learn?

• Understand how trends in the Web are prisming through other channels.
• Learn how to use tools such as storytelling, market listening and integrated service design enable you to connect more deeply with your customers.
• Inspire new possibilities for taking your products and services forward in 2009.

I’m excited about the seminar and invite you to participate. Since it’s virtual, you can join in from the comfort of your own desktop. It’s easy to register here.

See you on deck!

I was having lunch with Julia, and while we were wrapping up and paying the bill, she did a great job recapping the topics we covered, summarized my concerns/ideas, and reiterated the list of things that we had decided to do based on what we talked about.

Now Julia is a productivity maven, which in no way undermines her incredible sly sweetness. She’s really on the ball. But this was over-the-top on-the-ball. I told her I was impressed. She said “I’m reading this great book on facilitation. I don’t have issues, I have action items.”

The last part cracked me up. But actually, when I thought about it more, I was quite moved and inspired.

I’m sick of business-speak that euphemizes “issue” or “challenge” when what people really mean is “problem.” There is a difference, folks. I checked out the dictionary and pulled the definitions to see what nuance each word had:

• Problem : Any question or matter involving doubt, uncertainty, or difficulty.
• Issue : A point, matter, or dispute, the decision of which is of special or public importance: ie: the business issue.
• Challenge : Difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulating to one engaged in it.

Sometimes the matter at hand isn’t of special importance. It’s not an issue, it’s a problem.

And often, there’s no stimulation or engagement for the person responsible for solving it. It’s not a challenge, it’s a problem.

But one thing they all have in common is that some action, decision or solution needs to happen. Julia hit the nail on the head. They all have action items. Or at least they should. Awesome.