Chris Conley, Gravity Tank, IIT Professor

We’ve lost the art of how to work together. We’ve lost this in a profound sense, especially to organizations. We need a new way of working: creative production.

Peter Drucker: “Profit is only a measure of marketing and innovation.” Marketing is about identifying opportunity. Innovation is designing and launching it. The best products such as the iPod are a combination of both. It recognized a market opportunity and designs it well.

Our organizations are made up of amazing talent. One of the main problems is how we organize that talent. To maintain what exists is fine (80%). For the other 20%, siloed organizations work horribly.

How do we really work today? EEEMP: Email, Email, Email, Meetings, and Presentations

Story is central. What things are about resonate with people. Story is a device to move people. All products should have stories. Not a narrative that people watch, but interfaces that people interact with.

There should be a Producer and a Creative Director on all teams. Classic opposite sides of the spectrum. Idea of an ensemble–experts coming together creates something amazing. Working on all aspects at once, within and without of the product. Never sure where you are going to innovate.

Work low-fidelity to high-fidelity.

Don’t give a powerpoint–give a pitch. Bring emotion into it.

Use dailies. Review work and critique it every day. Create an environment that allows critique. Make meetings into activities. Open up meetings. Don’t worry about the meeting going “in the wrong direction.” The talent in the room will affect the outcome!

Is the thing that is embodied close to what you want it to be? Critiques need to come from a base of respect.

Push beyond “the edge” (what people are comfortable with) to make the team better.