HOW TO MAKE TOAST: Visual & Systems Thinking Approach

Today we learned the difference between toast (toasted bread) and "a toast" (an Italian sandwich style). 

But more importantly we participated in an exercise in visual thinking by drawing the steps for how to make toast/a toasted sandwich, which revealed systems = nodes and links in that process.

Everyone had different ideas, points of view, and approaches. The important thing was participating as a group, generating ideas, and representing what you felt intuitively was needed.

Here is a link to Tom Wujec's TED Talk, and explanations of systems:

http://www.drawtoast.com/

Next week (Oct 31), you'll have a creative branding challenge in which I'll ask you to apply the "toast," or visual thinking approach. So, be prepared to draw your ideas.

Read more about systems thinking and its benefits here:

https://www.disruptdesign.co/blog/7-systems-thinking-benefits-that-every-organization-needs

EMAIL HOMEWORK FOR TUESDAY, OCT. 30th: Language for the right tone when giving advice.

Today, October 24, we worked on clear email messages and how to give advice in a kind and respectful way. We discovered that many expressions contain conditionals and focus on 4 main topics: 1) acknowledging positive aspects 2) reminding people of things 3) drawing people's attention to things 4) suggesting /recommending.

Homework for Tuesday, October 30 (I will give you feedback in class if you send me your email by 16:00 on 30-10-2018).

 Choose one of the situations below, and write an email response to your colleague.  Add any extra information you may need. Remember to do the following:

• Acknowledge what has been done well- (point 1 above).
• Hightlight the important points - (points 2 & 3 above).
• Make practical suggestions (point 4 above).

CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS:

1. A colleague asks your advice about an email to their boss about taking a long period of time off. It contains dates and is clear, but you think the mail is too employee-focused, and that it should explain how the work will be covered.

2. A colleague has sent you a draft presentation for a talk he's giving next week. The slides are full of energy and color, but you feel they detract from the key messages. There is a lot of informative text on each slide, and some of the animation is annoying at times. 

EMAIL: EXPRESSIONS FOR A KIND & FORMAL TONE AT WORK

Acknowledge positive aspects	Remind	Draw attention to something	Suggest something
I agree that… we should use green.	Can I remind you that…/ I would like to remind you that…	Specifically… It’s important to….use the style guide. / Especially important is…reading the style guide/ the style guide.	I’d suggest …you consult the style guide. / I’d recommend consulting the style guide.
You’ve made a good choice… about using green / on the green.	Don’t forget also…/ Also, don’t forget…to follow the company’s style guide.	I think it’s important…to follow the style guide.	How about….consulting the style guide?
It’s good that… you chose green and white for the brochure because they are our company’s official color.	Remember… to follow the style guide. / Remember that following the style guide is required.	I’d also like to point out…that we need to follow the guide.	Perhaps it’d be a good idea…to consult the style guide.
			Can/could I suggest….?/ May I suggest…? / Might I suggest…?

PARAPHRASING EXERCISE: Vocabulary Quiz from Oct. 24

B.  PARAPHRASING EXERCISE – VOCABULARY QUIZ, OCT. 24, 2018

SUGGESTED ANSWERS

1.    EVERY TIME A COMPANY SHIFTS OFFICE SEATING, WORKERS OFTEN THINK OF IT AS A COMPLETE ANNOYANCE.

2.   INTERIOIR DESIGN COMPANIES HAVE ALWAYS PROMOTED THE POSITIVE EFFECTS THAT CAN COME FROM REARRANGING SEATING ASSIGNMENTS BY HIGHLIGHTING HOW OPEN-FLOW ENVIRONMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO MORE SPEAKING, WORK, AND INNOVATION BETWEEN EMPLOYEES.

3.   DR. LEE’S RESEARCH UNCOVERED HOW EMPLOYEES IN THE OPEN-SPACE OFFICE GENERATED A QUARTER MORE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FROM FIRST TIME CLIENTS COMPARED TO ALL CLIENTS PREVIOUS TO THE CHANGE.

4.   IT’S WORTH NOTING THAT HOW CLOSE ONE SITS TO ANOTHER IN AT THE OFFICE WILL CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY TO AN INCREASE IN BELIEVEING EACH OTHER AND THE RECIPROCITY OF TOP AND NEW INFORMATION, WHEN ONE IS DEALING WITH COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE FIRM.

5.   IN ADDITION, DR LEE INDICATES THAT HIS RESEARCH DATA SHOULD IN NO WAY BE USED TO DESCRIBE ALL WORKPLACES BECAUSE IT WAS BASED ONLY ON A FEW WORKERS.

6.   PROFESSOR LEE BELIEVES THAT IF HE HAD GONE ON RESEARCHING THE EMPLOYEES AT THE SOUTH KOREAN FIRM, THE RESEARCH MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE PRODCUED DATA INDICATING A MATURATION EFFECT.

HOMEWORK FOR OCT. 24, 2018

1. Study the Harvard Business Review article "Why You should Rearrange Office Seating Assignments." There will be a vocabulary quiz on it.

2. Write an email to a colleague. Propose to rearrange your workspace into a more flexible one. Propose two ways in which this can happen and your opinion as to why it would be more beneficial.
Conclude your email by asking for feedback.  Send your email to me at teachrmarye@gmail.com

3. Be prepared to share your team's brainstorming/framestorming session ideas.