John Winsor

The Power of Visualization

Apple can visualize downloads of apps across the globe creating a new level of transparency. What internal but interesting information can you make more transparent to your customers?

Disintermediation Brought to You by Lance

lance and levi final thoughts from the Giro -- powered by http://www.livestrong.com

Have you noticed how celebrities have adopted Twitter as an anti-paparazzi tool? Lance Armstrong has taken the power of social media to a new level by refusing to talk directly to the media half way through the Giro d'Italia. Instead, he used social media, including Twitter and his "Back of the Bus" videos to create his own media.

When news makers can cut out the middleman and talk directly to the public the whole media industry is threatened with disintermediation. Sure, there's still a role for social editing and interpretation but that now has to happen in real time as traditional editors get their news at the same time as the public.

It's a brave new world.

An Update on Flipped

A few weeks ago I started a wiki to allow people to participate in the editing of my book, Flipped. Here's my original post with all of the details. Thanks to everyone who signed up to help. Over 120 people are helping out. The editing and comments have been really great.

Since I launched the project, I thought I'd let everyone participate and give their input. At the end of next week I'm going to dig in and edit all of the comments and input. Then, I'll headline each chapter with what I think needs to be done, from edits to examples. (Thanks to Chris Yeh from pbworks for this great idea)

If you still want to participate here are the instructions: 1. go to the wiki: here and insert you're email. I'll get a notice and then approve you as a writer. 2. Then you can start having fun. Add comments, examples and what ever else you think will make Flipped a better book.

Math That Makes Sense

More math here.

Via BBH Labs.

Dangerous Play

Gever Tulley's talk on 5 dangerous things for kids is one of my favorites from TED. So much of our world has been sanatized for kids. There's been so much focus on safety that kids are rarely allowed to be kids anymore. As a father of two 7 year old boys, I am constantly trying to allow the them to explore their world within boundaries. Among other things, they've learned how to rock climb and surf. These sports have taught them so much, from overcoming fear to understanding safe limits and making good judgments. Now, I just wish Gever's Tinkering School was closer to Boulder. I'd enroll them.

Really?

This has been floating around for a while but I just saw it. If this wasn't so funny it would be sad. Sometimes, spending too much time internally focused makes you loose perspective.

Howie's Hand-Me-Downs

I just saw this cool line of products from Howie's. The Hand Me Down line is guaranteed for 10 years and is made to be handed down to the next generation. Here's what Howie's co-founder, David Hieatt says:

We live in times of limited resources but unlimited desire to consume them. The answer though is real simple: to consume less as a consumer; to make a better designed product as a manufacturer.

Going forward we will have to take more responsibility for our consumption. The manufacturer and the consumer will both have to share that responsibility.

We live in interesting times.

From where we stand as a manufacturer, a product that keeps working for longer uses less-resources in the end. The key ingredients to this are quality and good design.

To make something well, you know, the best you can do, means going that extra mile. Every stitch, every zip, every little feature considered. The weakest points made strong. Then, and only then, can we say that we have fully understood the responsibility of making something.

This product is guaranteed for a minimum of 10 years from the date of original purchase. The chances are it will last a good deal longer than that. So now you have to decide whom you’d like to hand this product down to? Err??

The Power of Giving

Tom's Shoes has been an inspiration with the goal of giving away a pair of shoes to someone that needs them for every pair of shoes the company sells. How are you giving back?

The CP+B Intern Auction

We're auctioning our summer interns to the highest bidder on eBay. If you'd like to have our brilliant interns work on your advertising, join the bidding. Here's the description from eBay:

In the past, our interns have created work for companies like Burger King, Volkswagen, Guitar Hero and Microsoft. And now they can do the same for you. Bidding starts at $1 for three months of service with all proceeds going to the hardest working people we know - the CP+B interns themselves. So bid early and often, and world-class advertising can be yours for a fraction of the going rate. Send questions/comments to internauction@cpbgroup.com.

How to Create a Tribe

Here is Seth's inspiring talk from this year's TED. How will you create a movement?