Ringling College 2010 Design Summit

Last week I got to spend two days in Sarasota as a participant in the Ringling College 2010 Design Summit. It was energizing to be immersed in a group of business and governmental leaders for two days exploring the idea of Design and Business. What I heard and experienced was gratifying for us at IDEAS because the resounding message was that the design-thinking we apply in our Innovation work is deeply needed in business. Moreover, our StoryJam protocols are a viable system of applied design! I learned all this by listening to people from across the country explain it. It was at times all I could do to now leap up and yell “Yes, Right On! That’s us! We DO THAT!” OK…I DID leap up and say it but only once.

Friday our long time creative collaborator, designer and composer Tim Duffy, joined me in presenting a 2 hour seminar to 50 or so students. We got to share our own tales to The Creative Journey and listen to theirs. It’s so powerful to see how much fresh talent and energy is being unleashed. Our pal Dr. Wanda Chavez teaches here and she got us connected. Friday afternoon I was able to give a talk on the Power of Story as a design tool to the conference audience and it went well. I think these kinds of events really stretch my head about who we should be working with and how we can help clients in new ways. Later this month, I get to go to Albany NY and do a similar workshop for educators. I’ll let you know how that goes.