InnovationLabs Introduction
Models
Michael Kaufman In a moment we'll talk about the process we're going to be using over the next couple of days - but first - what’s this? (holds up plastic brain)
• A cauliflower
• A brain
• A model
What is a model?
• A visualization
• A depiction
• A presentation
• Something tangible
• Demonstration of how parts fit together
• Something to follow or build in
• Far cheaper than the real thing
Why do humans make and use models?
• They’re helpful
• You can manipulate them in ways you might not want to with the thing it represents
• It’s a tool
• It transfers information, sometimes knowledge
• You can experiment on them
• It’s clean and dry
• You can focus on particular things
What does a model tell us about the model-maker?
• What they value and what’s important, possibly their priorities
• Their knowledge of the subject matter
• How goofy or realistic they are
• How their limited by their materials
Do models contain all the information of the thing they represent?
• No. otherwise it would be the thing itself
So the model-maker needs to make choices of what to include and what to exclude in the model.
What are models of what we use every day?
• Menus
• Phones
• Blackberries
• Anything on a screen
• Maps
• Charts, tables, signs
• Credit cards, money
• Clocks
• Mirrors
• Expressions
• Words
If words are models, what happens when two people talk to each other?
• Miscommunication
• Exchanging concepts
• Model building
• Acoustic triggers
How do we know that the model you speak of creates the same model in my head?
• Continued conversation
• Exploring possibilities
• Further defining
• Processing
• Feedback
If you come to consensus, which is a big if, you create a similar model. What happens when there is model conflict? What are the different ways to resolve it?
• Clarification by asking questions
• Collaboration
• Negotiation
• Describing the details
• Justifying
• Distinguish between fact versus fiction
• Persuasion
• Allowing to revision one model
• Accept one model
• You need to be aware of biases and possibly let them go
• Test the models and decide which is better
• If communication is a tool, then you can eliminate the distortions of understanding by creating definitions of intentions
• Avoidance
• Accommodate
• Deep understanding
So there are several ways of resolving conflict. One is domination, to use one model over another. One is negotiation, to take pieces from each model and create a new model. Another is we can agree to disagree and avoid the conflict. Another way would be to create a third model - something new.
What are the traps in models and model-making?
• We mistake the model for the thing it represents
• Having biased information
• Thinking it’s the only correct model
• Getting stuck in a comfort level
• The model-makers perception of what's important
In model fixation the brain gets stuck, actually becomes blind, when we think our model is the right model. How many of you have ever had the visceral experience of realizing that everything you know is wrong? It’s an incredible and powerful experience.
It’s essential to understand that what is in conflict is the model and not the people themselves.
How do you know a model is a good model?
• You test it against criteria
• It enables you to do something you want to do
One of the biggest traps in model-making is having a model that actually works because then you think it will always work.
• What if one model gives more reward than another?
• If something is dominant it doesn’t mean it’s the best model
It’s really hard to go from a dominant model to another one even if the other one is better. Better is relative and is also a model. So we would have to have criteria to understand that.
What is the point of having the conversation about model-making?
• We have an element of perception
• Certification is a model
• We want to walk out with an agreement that we really understand
• We all came in with models in our head
• We’re going to have to take our model to the stake holders and will have to transfer them to other people
• We have to work in groups and storming and norming we have to be considerate of the dynamics
• It raises our consciousness about my own models
We’re doing model-making all the time and the more awareness we can bring to what we do, the better our conversations can be.
• It helps us appreciate the diversity to be aware of each others’ models
We have a great potential here with the diversity we have in the room. We can come up with something greater together than what we came in with.
• We have 84 intellects who can agree on the model while we’re in the room. How to avoid the diversions that will come later?
Trying to control others is not really valuable. I think we’ll just have to see what happens.
• We can commit to something which is voluntary and then by making a promise we will leave this room and honor the model we come up with.
My sense is that you have good relationships in general as a group of people. It’s important for groups to understand, especially since none of us here are under 30, that our pattern of models and changes is out of sync with how fast the world changes now.
There is no such thing as a perfect model and some models are useful.
Process
This is the longest time you’ll sit in these chairs listening to us. The rest of the time is for you to talk to each other. You’ll be doing some activities over the next two days and you’ll get to work with different people in each round. We’ll find ways for you to share what you make. There will be a lot of small group conversations and things will be happening in parallel. The process is iterative which means that you won’t necessarily have enough time to solve a problem in each activity but you will revisit it again in another activity from another perspective.
One way to get large groups to be more productive is to not having formal breaks. Please take care of yourself throughout the process. Please be sensitive about how what you do impacts the rest of the group. We will have a working lunch.
We’ve brought tools for you to use. The white walls are on wheels, so ideas can move, people can move. We are documenting everything you do and have it available on the website where your pre-event web site was available.
So it’s time for our next exercise. This activity is called back-casting. We will ask you to put yourself in the future and imagine your agenda has been successful. Now, looking back tell us how you did it.
Scribing
