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Seeing differently leads to

thinking differently

My own “thinking differently" is rooted in my second life as a professional artist. That is why I use visual arts as a tool in many of the courses I present for thinking differently. The visual arts confront us with the out of the ordinary, even the weird and outrageous. Bereft of our usual intellectual crutches for understanding, we need to think freshly, differently.

This approach has now been bolstered by scientific evidence. Gregory Berns, world-famous neurologist reveals in his book, “Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently!” that the easiest route to thinking differently is simply to look at things that you normally won’t look at. Thinking differently begins with a fresh visual experience. His argument is supported with proof from magnetic brain imaging techniques: The brain is compelled to economise its use of energy because it is so energy intensive. So, the brain will always use a shortcut and fall back on conventional frameworks. You literally have to shock the brain out of its complacency by confronting it with material that is so novel that it cannot make sense of it from past experience. So, we should look at things that we don’t normally look at and train ourselves to overcome our fear of the new.

Design thinking applied to better business processes

Ask the following questions:

1.  What is the bigger picture of which this is part? (The strategy question) 

2.  How would the end-user go about using this step by step? (Recipient’s point of view)

3. How convenient is this to the user?

4. How can we simplify this?

5. Can I describe the structure in five (5) simple sentences?

6. How easy is it to damage?

7. How easy is it to misuse? (Is it clear what the purpose is? How are user interests served?)

8. Is the detail significant?

9. If not significant, is the detail entertaining? Or seductive?

10. Has it got stickiness? (a special feature that attracts)

11. Is the balance between big picture and detail appropriate to the big picture? (How sane is this? Aren’t you ridiculous? Is this fit for purpose or an over kill?)

12. Can I describe the experience as enjoyable?

13. Can I fall in love with it?

14. What is wasted?  

“Wing of Victory,” trophy design for Ellerines Holding Limited. Concept sketch on the right.

Inspiration: “Winged Victory of Samothrace.”

“Upstream”

Student sculpture. Various modules of my “Think Differently!”programme have been a fixture for the past  four years in the  African Bank and Ellerines Leadership Forum.

“This a quick note to tell you how your course (Imagination for the Business Mind) has helped me to adjust when I moved to Saudi Arabia.  One of the key elements you emphasized during the course was the categories of the brain and how it was created over time through experiences.  You also mentioned how, as adults, we tend to reject new experiences that do not form part of the existing categories.  This is a basic, yet fundamental lesson.  This new insight has allowed me to constantly remind myself of my existing views/categories and how it was shaped.  It also enabled me to constantly develop new categories.  This has allowed me to successfully adjust to my new environment on both a personal and professional level. My open-mindedness and positive attitude, in what can be an extremely difficult environment, has already been recognised and I owe much of it to what you have thought me. Admittedly the first two days of the course was extremely unsettling.  However, I am mindful of the fact that you designed it as such. I think one needs that “shock” to fully appreciate what you have to offer and to truly make it your own. Once again, Thank You!!!!!”  René  Thumbran (GIBS MBA class of 2010).  

In 2004 I scripted and project managed the ground breaking MNET Carte Blanche one hour documentary: “So, where do we come from?” The documentary researched the light recent findings in DNA a and palaeontology could shed on South African history. Mr Mandela was so kind as to have his DNA tested for the programme. He is on the left of the photograph with members of the camera crew and myself on the far right. The documentary was accompanied by an unprecedented publicity campaign. Click here to find Mr Mandela’s results and those of other prominent South Africans.

What did Mr Nelson Mandela’s DNA reveal about his ancestry?

“Only Sweden and Norway spend a greater percentage of their GDP than SA on social grants.”

I lead the research team that reinvestigated the SA Gini co-efficient. The results has been publihshed as a working paper by the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The FM and Rapport reported on the findings