JabrWoky - Following the white rabbit since...

The Art of Melting Ideas

Guess the right combo of energy and fire required to melt and liberate a frozen idea is called imagination.
From Mervyn Kurlansky's book 'Masters of the 20th Century: The Icograda Design Hall of Fame'. Quote by fellow graphic designer David Bernstein.

'State of Beta' Goes Mainstream

Russell Davies first coined this phrase here (or at least that's where I stumbled on it first). It's an apt and succinct term that captures the state of constant flux of the digitally connected world we inhabit today. You notice the term 'beta' on most of the web sites you visit from Gmail to Joost. It's one of those things that's so apparently out there and ubiquitous that you really tend to miss it. It's got many meanings.

Design and innovation seems to be the buzz words in business today. And 'beta' is just another manifestation of that in the rapidly evolving technology sector or rather the Silicon valley tech folks have been using it for a long time. IDEO had embraced the idea of rapid prototyping and constant evolution of product development through positive feedback loops since it set shop in the 1980s. Now the concept of 'beta' seems to be trickling down to mainstream business models. As is evident from this excerpt from Bruce Nussbaum's recent speech at the Royal College of Art in London:

"There are moments in history when the pace of change is so fast and the shape of the future so fuzzy that we live in a constant state of beta."

We are at that moment of history where life and technology is intertwining rapidly into a state of beta flux. Bruce also brings up this truth that is staring right at our face:

"our business models are melting down around us, our personal careers are morphing—or disappearing-- and there is less certainty about tomorrow than at any other time in our lives. Every industry, every company and every one of us is swept up in this veritable flood of change."

Now 'beta' applies to each of us individually. So it's not just brands and companies that are at threat of extinction if they don't evolve fast enough; it's also us mortals that are in danger of becoming obsolete professionals. And that's a thing to watch out for.

Springwise is Trendwise

Springwise would have been passed off as yet another one of those so-called trend-spotting sites, if not for its simple formatted design and content. It is a site which collects new and innovative ideas from around the world (through its springspotters). The key attractive thing about the site is that it is easy to navigate and the data is presented without any chaotic humdrum. Little things like the country flag to signify where the idea was spotted is simple brilliance. The website links at the end of each posting makes it an ideal place to check out some innovative small businesses from around the world that you otherwise would have missed.