Let pedestrians define the walkways
2009-11-23
A new green college campus was built, but one thing was still debated:
Where in the grass should we put the paved walkways?
Some felt the walkways should be around the edges, to leave the center green and untouched.
Some felt the walkways should cut diagonal, connecting all buildings to all buildings.
One professor had the winning idea: Don't make any walkways this year. At the end of the year, look at where the grass is worn away, showing us where the students are walking. Then just pave those paths.
Of course I think about this with business plans.
As time goes on, we get smarter. We learn more about our customers and what they really want. Therefore, we're at our dumbest at the beginning, and at our smartest at the end.
So when should you make business decisions? When you have the most information, when you're at your smartest: as late as possible.
Like the college campus, you can do without walkways for a year.
Resist the urge to figure it all out in advance. Realize this is when you know the least.
When people expect you to make these decisions in advance, get used to saying, “We don't know yet,” then tell this simple story about walkways, to show them how wise you are.
Beautiful analogy & brilliant idea! I'm such a big planner, I need to try to break my mold.
Raises an interesting question for artists, though. Do you follow the currents of what people are responding to, or do you follow some inner compass? Some of the best work is done when people follow inner instincts for an extended period even when it's not popular or when people are not responding to it...
Derek, thanks for sharing. I am now doing the plan for my business after registering it and working it for just over a year. Good to know that there is a method to what would be considered "madness".
Outstanding. So using this. Thank you.
There ya go... or don't go. Depending on the decision deadline
Well timed post for me.
Absolutely. There is this obsession in business for deep strategic business plans before we even launch the business. Projections of how many customers we’ll have by Year 2, what new products we’ll release. Who knows? With such dramatic market – and technological – change how can we know what’s gonna happen in 2 years?( I only know the next 2 months let alone the next 2 years.) Much better to launch a business, prototype it, test it, tweak, reinvent and create your plan as you go… once you’ve gained all that experience by actually *doing* it not thinking about doing it
Yay! This is exactly what we have been doing with our baby non-profit Colorado Artist Network. Just made another decision along these lines for it yesterday, in fact. Glad to see I'm not crazy for thinking this way – or, if I am, glad to be in good company. ;-)
When it comes to music the fans will decide how you prosper....." if you haven't won it in the streets you haven't won it. Julian
It is a good point: we don't know yet. And to resist making decisions too early in the process. Love it when you reveal something I haven't yet thought about that can help me refine my own processes. It inspires less self flogging for not knowing it all. ;)
Nice analogy, very sage advice. One need only look at the disparate uses of Twitter - which was basically left open for the end-users to define - to see how quickly an "unplanned" business can grow. It's obviously an extreme case, but a worthy one nonetheless.
I like. Decisions are creatures of change, so accepting in the beginning that any plans you make need to be moss-like, ready to spring up on whatever grows in the interim, just helps you look for those new developments. It's not like you can "decide" what other people are going to do anyway. Giving someone a rule or only one way to do what they want will just inspire them to look for another way to do it. The record industry already tried that (and for some reason, keeps trying to reinforce it). ;)
Thanks for this post... As usual, you are very inspiring Derek.
Peace
Always walk the opposite direction to the crowd.
Danny / Kenneth. Love to You And All.
Love it!
I agree with Ian Henderson's comment with respect to applying this to art; however, with regard to business, it would seem a wise choice to see what's working and custom fit that to match your business needs for your art. Too many failed promotional attempts have led me to sit back and watch -- that is where it all comes back.
Hey Mr. Sivers,when are you writing your own book, or do you have one out already in the works?
Confucious might have to take a back seat!
Cheers.
TIF
Derek, I've never heard that point articulated so well. Many of us are uncomfortable with uncertainty of any kind and often make irrational decisions rather than make no decision at all. Sometimes it's better to keep moving forward by observation. Thanks.
I am a last minute, random, wait till the last minute on decisions person. This story helps me see why. Sometimes there's no choice you have to decide ahead. Like I make calendars and I have to be ahead a year. Other times last minute is perfect hindsight.
I love you Derek! Just what I needed to read this morning
Nice.
My University repeatedly failed on this...
They'd build a new quad or do a make-over, and put walkways that looked real pretty from an aerial view or whatever, but "you can't get there from here", and the students would cut across the grass, wearing it down to mud.
You'd think they'd have learned after doing it wrong for a century or so, but no such luck.
Gotta wonder, eh?
PS What college actually did this?
What a beautifully simple, elegant and powerful concept.
Thank you!
at least they left the green grass. In this world usually we eliminate the green space and replace it with concrete. I think we need to keep all the grass and walk on it with our bare feet. The hell with paved paths..keep the grass. It is our natural earth. Just let it be, but of course you might have to mow the lawn from time to time. peace Derek, and thank you
love love love it!
"How Buildings Learn: What Happens after They're Built" by Stewart Brand is a fascinating book because it talks about how the buildings that are best able to evolve (change their uses over time) - are those that were designed well with a basic architecture to begin with.
I couldn't tell if this book was your source for this essay. If you have not already read this book, I highly recommend it.
YES! I love that book! It wasn't the source of this, but highly recommended to anyone. Thanks for the reminder. -- Derek
I love that philosophy. Coincidently, my wife and I have this discussion every time we go to a new construction such as a shopping center, school or college, were there are designated walkways designed for aesthetic purposes but not functional purposes and there are always pedestrian dirt walkways generally cutting straight through the grassy areas. My wife, who is much smarter than I am, always asks the same question the professor in your example asks, “Why don’t they wait a year or so and see where the people want to walk, then build the walkways.”
There is a natural flow to virtually everything in the universe, which we seem to gravitate to without anyone telling us where to go. In fact, when outside influences try to force us to travel down an unnatural path we protest without even thinking about it and let nature tell us where to go. It is good to plan and it is good to strategize. But too much planning and too much detail can backfire. You need to allow nature to do its thing.
I will set my goals. I will follow thru with them without hesitation. I will then sit back to see what results were made and where adjustments should be made, then I will set more goals and execute them and then decide what mistakes were made and decide what adjustments need to be made. I will follow this cycle until I succeed in my endeavors and all of my mistakes are corrected.I have a feeling that is going to take the rest of my existence.
"waiting on love, waiting on You"
Ms. Dimples
plan a budget by first tracking what is done with an advance so as to take into account inevitable tendancies
Traffic happens! (or it doesn't happen)Any planner should see how people come and go. they Will Do what they're gonna do. then all the fine engineers and planners can
try to accomodate the traffic and the demand. the U.S. government almost NEVER does this. I liked what the winning professor had to say. he showed that he had common sense when it comes to people.
Ah, but even campuses change. And if you add one new building, or even change the use of an existing building, the student paths change. I know. I have spent 37 tears on one. So maybe one should make plans, but be flexible. The problem isn't the paths, or the buildings, or the students. It's the "rigid" concrete.
Brilliant! The old "Ready, Fire, Aim" approach. Multiple course corrections over time to steadily home in on a target will win everytime over trying to plot the exact course right at the start with little tolerance for change.
Love this story. I am in the middle of a project with so many unknowns this sort of describes it.
Thanx again
There is not a black and white definitive answer.....
sometimes ... no choice.... YA gotta do what ya gotta do... So better store up that knowledge base... learn to apply....
Moving quickly is sometimes essential.... and this does not mean "Knee jerk"...
~rhonda
Good, Derek, until it rains and the ground is muddy. Then, those pedestrians who have choice want you to pave a solution and get angry when your foresight didn't already include it.
This is where I think a business plan works in the early stage by giving at least an "end in mind", even if it's just to move people from one point of the campus to another without getting their feet wet. You can always make adjacent sidewalks, or business plans adjustments, later.
that's how i do it.
i do the maze from end to beginning.
I already won..I just have to slip down to being rich and famous...
Well, I guess the Government is smarter than us.They make Laws the cuve the behaviour of people.So they observe the people and then make the Laws.
If only our government leaders would understand the same. I wish everyone would really think about this story before all of our freedoms vanish from this land as we rush to pass legislation that is never read or understood in its entirety.
"When people expect you to make these decisions in advance, get used to saying, “We don't know yet.”
Think about it, folks.
Thanks Derek! Seems like it should be so obvious, yet it's not. I have spent all these years trying to figure out where to go next, what is the right "path" (in terms of touring, writing, recording, marketing, etc.), and, at the end of the day, it is all just guess-work. More than ten years after I started, I have a clearer understanding of those things that I tried to predict for so long. Moral: Don't be so anxious, act now, but take stock later, so that your next actions can be measured and fruitful.
Very Zen-like!
have a groovy day!
peace & blessings
dreadlock dave
Just pave the whole yard. The little losers will just hang out on the grass picking guitars and throwing frisbees when they should be in class!
I like this analogy a lot, but there is sometimes a benefit to just applying a good thought process and then tweaking it later as needed. Not always though.
interesting thing to think about.
you have a good knack for looking at seemingly insignificant details of one thing, then layering it over business/ music-related situations to make a point. i feel like it's a way of thinking that can be applied to business, spirituality, life in general... anything! constantly changing your views is healthy, and leads to lots of bright ideas
i.e.....
...do some test marketing first before launching full out!
I was planning to respond, but I got sidetracked....
Yes, it is a good story. Sometimes, the obvious path is not the road taken and following a business plan like it is made of concrete will lead to failure. So, having a business outline or skeleton seems to be the best way to start like with a new song having the chords and a melody but still allowing flexibility from other ideas on harmonies, counterpoint, and arrangements can make the end recording of the song a much richer sound and more pleasing product.
In Dutch (use google webstranslator,to translate)
23 November 2009
Soms ligt succes in juist dingen die simpel zijn (een idee of plan).Echter het is niet alleen dat, er zijn immers omstandigheden die ervoor zorgen dat je het pad van de weg naar zakelijk succes anders moet bewandelen.Er kunnen zich obstakels bevinden.Echter ik adviseer altijd (wat je ook doet),om gebruik te maken van een eenvoudig strategisch plan.Dergelijk plan is te lezen op de onderstaande link:
http://mensenrechten.page.tl
Het geluk komt niet vanzelf naar je toe.Je moet zelf positief denken.Je moet negatieve gedachten ombuigen naar meer positieve.Je moet zelf de weg naar geluk willen maken.Tegenslagen moet je echter op de koop toe willen nemen,echter door te trainen en je karakter te harden,zul je tegenslagen beter kunnen beheren.
strategische planning zal iedereen helpen om alles in het leven beter te overzien.(het pad van het leven,en het succes in zaken)
AUDIO-RARITIES
IFUD of Human Rights
J.P. van den Wittenboer
This is one reason a city like Atlanta seems so "unplanned" to those accustomed to a formal "grid"--older roads and streets follow what were existing footpaths and cowpaths.
So, Gary (Post #30) Why not use pavers? Then one can reposition the walkway at a whim as walking patterns change.
Worthy to consider, and a great idea with sidewalks, but trickier with business. To choose any action, priorities must be defined, then at least some action taken. Don't wait too long, for "as late as possible" may be too late.
I haven't read the comments all the way through yet...I was just stricken by how much like Ohio state these pedestrian paths look...takes me back. .
Thanks Derek,
You give inspiration and it is appreciated as I ready an independent release. I'm gonna do my own thing! Please keep sharing ...
Dawn
Funny, I took the "road less traveled" and created an instrument my music and art required. Concerned onlookers criticized my "narrow off main road focus". I had a MP3.com (MySpace of the day) site and someone wanted my instrument; commissioned me to build it. (wait a minute, I was creating this for my music!) So, I took the order and, my instrument, not my music, took off! Turns out I had a hidden market in film composers. So,then I was getting requests for certain features (wait a minute, this was designed for me....never mind). 8 years later, I responded with a new version after many "walking on my grass". (Guess I forgot to put up a fence)LOL. Very blessed to have this problem. Funny the twists like throws at you. Yes, I live what I do and am happy doing it! Thanks for your inspiring writings Derek!
Great post. A perspective that is helpful to me.
Absolutely right!
George Dimitri Sawa
Thanks for another great post. This is something that my partner and I constantly stress to each other when building our projects. Keeping in mind "we just don't know yet" will help you keep lean and mean until you figure it out.
This is such a funny discussion because when I went to universities
about a half a century ago that's how they did their paths. Also the sages said those same things thousands of years ago. It's funny because it seems like we have to learn things all over again each generation. The only things that seem to change is the sophistication of our tools over the millions of years of evolution.
Just so you know, those pedestrian paths have a name - a great name.
They're called LINES OF DESIRE.
Wikipedia has an entry on the phenomenon under "Desire Paths," but that seems slightly less poetic to me. Only by a bit, though.
Hey, Who put all this damn cement in the middle of this great FRISBEE FIELD?
I stopped making snap decisions long ago. It's always better to wait and investigate. I know.
Sometimes you can't wait. . . Then
you do what you have to do and pray
you made the right decision.
swimming downstream with the current is easier than swimming upstream!
Great article. Sort of like potholes, you'll know what features or functionality need to be added or removed because you're users will keep hitting them.
Genius idea.
this approach just drives folx around me nuts... to rush 2 a decision only to have it evolve to fit the future... things change and we adapt in simple planning...
now visualizing and letting it unfold drives control freaks nuts...
once again the double edge sword.... to have to know and its the unpredictable future...
when i build i like to watch it unfold... guess i am no arhitect... but the gov't needs the damn plans or it mite not be to code... to afford flexibility or not? a budget question...
Another brilliant post...of course. Do you ever tire of it Derek?
Spectacular thought about letting the pedestrians create the walkways because in truth it's the best credibility creator you could ask for.
Just this morning I posted the words, "If you align yourself with humility you will find honor."
You don't know what will help others until you ask them. See where the grass is worn down, then build the sidewalk...That's Truth and I love it!
Thanks Again Derek!
Kellie Frazier
dot com
Ready, Fire, Aim.
A great approach, unless you're my surgeon...
Derek, check out my nephew's company, Stamen. I think you would be interested.
http://stamen.com
Through mapping and data visualization they track the flow of people, products, and data for very large corps/customers. Fascinating.
Best,
Patti
people who are lost or in deep thought, often travel in circles,
Interesting from the point of view of trying to provide what's expected to a comsumer base.
I don't think applies to true innovation, though. In true innovation, the public often doesn't realize they want or need something until it is presented to them.
I tell my coaching clients to stop worrying so much about how they'll get from here to there; the answers will come when they start moving! I wrote more about it here: http://chiefvirtualofficer.com/blog/2009/07/21/direction-needs-motion/)
Good One .... Everyone says it has to be designed perfectly however yes time does tellif it was. Most things can always be improved after use.. Like where to put light switches in a house.
Thanks, that is just what I needed to hear today
Beautifully said Derek, no step is a wasted step. The result of a step taken toward an undefined destination defines the destination of the subsequent step. Thanks a lot
awesome awesome awesome!
Hm... ok. Though I should point out Boston's streets were paved based on the random cow paths that lined the countryside... whereas Toronto was planned from the ground up, on a grid system.
I agree you should make -some- business decisions once you've got enough to make them on, but some decisions, can't wait or you'll end up with this:
http://comps.fotosearch.com/comp/IDX/IDX065/traffic-west-broadway_~404984.jpg
Picture looks like Oregon State University. I had a handful of classes in the building at the top of the picture when I attended there.
Makes a lot of sense. Thx Derek
Thanks again Derek for another great bit of advice. So many times we try to figure it all out before setting out on a simple path...
the result is being overwhelmed and standing still, or trying to be everywhere at once and accomplishing nothing tangible. Very inspiring...
music being derek
it's easy to put sidewalks where they do the job, any good planner should be able to put them where they work the best.
if you see the cost of replanting grass i would think that you would see the stupity of a herd of students walking any which way to "establish a pathway". i live on the mountain and when it rains i get mucho mud and it is a mess
with my 3 dogs.
i went to kutztown state u and the sidewalks were effective and not planned by a herd.
just my 4 cents worth
bright musical ways
ian the being
always seeing what there is & isn't
So many times, out of a feeling of
obligation, I have taken the concrete path to a destination, when I longed for the short cut across the grass. Walking on concrete farther than you have to
is hard on your feet, and spine. So
kudos to the college professor, whatever his home campus be. And please, keep the compus as green as possible. And put more thought into final decisions.
The relevance of your articles never ceases to amaze me, Derek.
I'm an independent artist who's now made two CDs. The first one is a (djembe) drum lesson on disc, and the second is instrumental world percussion music.
All things considered, I presumed f-a-r more people might enjoy the musical CD than the instructional one. My thinking was, "How many people in the people in the world are really interested in playing djembe, vesus how many people enjoy listening to world music..?" Assuming there are far more listeners than learners, I have been promoting with this in mind...
However, after six months of analysis, the instructional continues to outsell the musical CD, TWENTY TO ONE.
I have been stubbornly trying to keep going with my self-imposed goals... until now. Time to follow the Lines of Desire, rather than personal presumptions.
THANK YOU.
~ C
I FEEL YOU ON THAT POST,I AM 15 YEARS OLD AND NEED SOME TIME TO MAKE SOME PATHS.PEACE
Osiyo Oginali,
Thanks for this post... As usual, you are very inspiring Derek.
This country and this world needs to change to this way of thinking and the energy and nature flow of LIfe would work so much better for us all. I have never understood why the European/American minds way is to work mostly against what is natural. As I do not understand why the American Indian flute right now is taking a back seat unless there is multiple other instruments and has to be jumping and jiving to be able to get a gig anywhere. THat is not what the American Indian Flute music is all about. There are still a lot of people who want the music which can take them on a jurney and fill some peace in this fast moving world. So as the people desiding where the walkways are to be why can't there be letting the people deside what they want to pay money to listen to at a gig? I guess I wait for it to come around again as everything does!
Blessings always and wishing you enough. OstA Nuwati and Wa-do'
TerryLee
They did that in Boston when deciding where to pave the roads by following the "natural" cow paths and horse & buggy trails. Ended up being the most costly urban planning project on earth known as "the dig"...
Another great article and piece of advice. Thanks!
Love it! Thanks for the inspiration. In this business it seems nothing ever goes as planned and that slight uncertainty is exciting. Things seem to unfold along the way and with an open mind; miracles and magic happens. ;)
What about when it rains and the paths get muddy and mucked up?
What an incredible story ! For years I have been trying to listen to the customers/fans and wanting to be one step ahead. Now I believe it's time to let the customers/fans show me through their actions of the past what it is they would like to see in the future
At least this is what I got out of this story...thanks Derek
Derek
Really wonderful, a history of genius!
Thank Much
While touring an incredible garden of a musician friend I asked him how he decided where to put the walkways. He said they were all paths worn by his dog.
If we only knew which collection of songs would be best recieved, before going through the time and expense of putting an album together.
This "walkway" point you make, is good food for thought, Derek.
I've always wondered why every college campus doesn't do this.
It's a bit harder in business. You can't start without making any decisions about what you want to do. The key, I think is flexibility, and trying different things. All the things you try come from some decision you made. The audience determines which ones you should go with in the future.
Interesting story. Letting function define the form is an intelligent approach to most of the projects we will take on or the challenges we will face.
The factor of the unknown and how it plays upon our psyche is a fascinating topic. Any good reading material to suggest on the subject?
Keep sending out that food for thought,
KG
brilliant!
Dahhhhhh,
Makes Sense 2 ME !!!
I heard this story happened in Russia many years ago in one of the universities. Sorry, don't recall professors name.
Nice analogy, Derek! I am trying to translate your idea to music promotion. What I believed when I started to promote my music, was that because many listeners expressed that they enjoyed listening to my music, they would purchase my CD's too. What I know now, is that even if someone takes time to give feedback and express what they like, it doesn't mean that this person is planning to purchase the music. I also know now that promotion is more about numbers: the more listeners I can reach, the more people will buy my music. For an independent artist, the important thing is to use all available tools and methods - even if it means giving the music away for free and losing (potential) buying customers - to reach as many listeners as possible. One of my favorite artists who is promoting his own music in a brilliant way, is Josh Woodward. He is giving every song his records away for free, and at the same time, he is giving his listeners the opportunity to purchase the music (downloads and CD's) as well. Take a look at his ilike artist page: http://www.ilike.com/artist/Josh+Woodward
My son's college has a similar layout of buildings except the walkway is surrounding the perimeter of the grassy center. The school is Environmental Science and Forestry. These eco-nuts set upon anyone who attempts to traverse the central green on their way to another place. Frisbee, lounging, picnic-ing are all allowed. There's something to be said for having a green open field. Of course, this gos along with what you're saying. The students at ESF just decided not to have any walkway.
At first I wondered, why they couldn't just have non-paved paths, but then I remember mud and wheelchairs.
That first year must have sucked for wheelchair people.
Jack -- it's about where the paths are to be set and paved; so, they get muddy. It seems that making pathways and roads involves getting some dirt on you.
Derek -- as you might remember, I have been working on a pretty deep and dense project for several years. The temptation has been to roll something -- anything -- out. This would give us metrics and we could use it as a base of development. Okay, good enough, if you are wanting to see how likely they are to take your defined path. This seems to be the mode that investors force us, as entrepreneurs, into. What follows isn't good. In this "do as I, the money guy, suggest and we'll see how wrong you are" environment, the conventional path toward revenue generation is overemphasized, while the value of the relationships that lead to revenue are ignored. Widgets have value; knowledge and experience do not. If you want to know where the traffic is going to go, just ask the people that are going to do the walking. If all you accomplish is setting the forms, at least you (and your investors) will know where you will be pouring the concrete.
excellent advice. very counter-intuitive. Many times, plans can go wrong
Great advice and I am at a point in my life when it will help. Thank you!
I was in S.F. to visit the Virgin Music Mega Store (3 Stories high), and when I arrived........It was an Empty Building! All Virgin Stores Closed it's doors indefinitely, as well as Warehouse Stores, and Tower Records also closed it's doors in the past years.
Why? I asked.
Since We are in a hurting economy where Thousands are losing their Jobs, Homes, and Financial Future. What can We do to save Our Customers Money, bring them back , and still allow them to hear their Favorite Music?
Before pouring the Concrete, You should find Out how the Customer is obtaining their Music, find Out what they want, let them set the Price that is affordable to their Budget, and give them an Open door to Return for future Purchases.
We can't think about what We want, We have to think about the next Generation of listeners! We are approaching 2010, and technology is changing how Music is being heard!
Obviously this is true. That's why there's so few really good teachers, because they can't come down to your level. Certainly good advice, Derek. It almost seems like kindergarden logic, but some folks expect you to know it all, and then some. Great points. Now how can apply that to making money in the music industry. Obviously learn as much as I can, and with a hefty dose of luck maybe I can make some real money in music. But realistically I have just as much chance of hitting the lottery as making big bucks in music. There's no pie in the sky in my view, but I won't give up. 3 cheers ahead! Clay Wilson
Deep ..
Hmm Made me think.....Thanks Derek
But then you have the guy who trips on a gopher hole, & sues the campus for not paving a walkway. Then someone kills the gopher, & gets busted by SPCA & smeared by PETA. Then an environmental impact survey is done & it's determined that it's not feasible to pave it because of the possibility too many students would damage their iphones & laptops dropping them on concrete. And the other groups begin whining about discrimination because they need the grass to feed their pet goats. And grass-allergy group is offended the grass exists in the first place. More lawsuits occur. Nobody can afford to deal with anything so everything shuts down. Soon the entire world shuts down & we're all playing music in blissful polyrhythmic grooves, living primal lives.
Oops.
Sorry.
I just had a chat with Mo...
I've made this observation numerous times. At work, there is a big patch of dirt where there used to be grass, all because it was the more convenient route from the train station to the building entrance. Likewise in many corner greens on a block. I think simple things like these can be thought out in advance, since we've seen these patterns over and over.
And if we do make a mistake in judgement, best to admit the fault and make it better.
So I say, design to the best knowledge practical, prototype when possible and readily change when the need arises.
Thank you once again for your wisdom. You're a wealth Derek!
WISDOM, FORESIGHT, KNOWLEDGE, COMMON SENSE, "LUCK" sure does help.....thanks Derek.
But the longer you do it, the more burned out you become.
Wow, seems so simple afterwards...
Many main roads in our city are built on what were once horse trails, worn out by early settlers.
Those horse trails followed tracks blazed by earlier pioneers.
And those tracks followed the pathways of the original indigenous inhabitants.
The sad thing is that only rarely do you ever get a glimpse of how it was, and what caused it all. The rest is covered by bitumen.
So, to follow your analogy Derek, let the pedestrians define the walkways by all means; but don't lose sight of why they went that way in the first place
Think I will apply this to music.
No one buys CDS anymore so stop recording. You sold cdbaby just in time Derek. Either sales are that abysmal or the douchebags you sold it to totally blow. My gut tells me a combunation of both and a tad more of the latter.
Wow great perspective...I'll have to remember that, perhaps it'll add up to more success one way or another...
Best Regards,
George
I have been applying principles from The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey. I thought he made some good points.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind:
So...
How does one "begin with the end" in mind while armed with the knowledge of the paths in the grass?
How do you really know when you are at the end?
And then, when should I begin?
I'm of the opinion that if you work hard on the here and now, the future will take care of itself.
Looks a lot like Chico State, but there’s not enough people wearing shorts and I didn’t notice any bicycles (J/K). In any case decisions appear to be more easy for some than others it often seems. They’ve never been easy for me personally.
That photo brings me back to the time I was in college and I was trying to make dating decisions. What a nightmare that was. I remember, in between classes, sitting on those cement-type benches, deciding which girl to ask out. I wanted to pick someone just ‘attractive’ because the ‘gorgeous’ girl would probably turn me down or so I felt. Finally I’d decide to ask out a plain looking girl to increase my chances. Then of course, her boyfriend (who probably chose to originally ask her out for the same reason I did) would inevitably show up or she really loved Jehovah and I’d find that ‘one’ college girl who was married. Then I’d feel like a complete ass and turn my head, then walk back to where I had been previously sitting. I’d always make it worse than it was, internally indulging in self ridicule, jokingly imagining various ways of hanging myself. By that point the gorgeous girl I ‘first’ noticed (who was probably not dating anyone, or not committed) had already gotten up and left with her friend the ‘just attractive’ girl I didn’t ask out either.
Ultimately I’d decide to give the whole thing up entirely and just go back to the naughty videos. Decisions, decisions… LOL
Brain Rules - John Medina
Good idea for walkways and business models - not so good for producing theater or recording large ensembles, where it REALLY helps to have worked out the logistics, staging and music prep ahead of time! There's a limit to how much we can wait until the last minute to make decisions!
Have you ever noticed how old roads often point directly towards a large landmark on the horizon? The landmark is usually a mountain peak or large hill.
People used landmarks to navigate and stay on course before any roads existed. Later the paths became paved roads when cars became more common.
I have seen this demonstrated many times while traveling through the country.
What can be learned from this behavior?
Brilliant! Simple but Brilliant!!
Thank you Derek....
YOur line."So when should you make business decisions? When you have the most information;when you're at your smartest."..
has really resonated with me. I have spent the last 5 years building up my knowledge of the music business, and now I feel I can make certain business decisions...and not feel that I am too late!
My first thought reading this blog was is this a potential computer program or futuristic operating system idea?
This all points me in the direction I most resist to go, toward my most feared but deeply desired goals. I don't like this part but it probably does involve me moving back to base myself back in the states. Or I could change my goals/explore alternate pathways.
I think it is a good time make some preliminary decisions at least, somewhere in the middle, of our lives, after we have some experience but not so much that we have too many answers. The discovery and design process is where it's at for me. One of my hobbies is fashion design but I really only love the design process. Once something's made I usually have zero attachment to it anymore. Music is also kind of like that to me too. Something changed for me recently so maybe I am more mixed up than usual, but it's all good.
Thanks Derek,
Sometimes we just need to make our own paths (mistakes) so that we can find the path to our own success.
Robert Van Horne
thousand good ideas have a name.........derek sivers
still searching and trying.
Lenin said "power is in the hands of the people, in the streets, waiting for someone to reach in and grab it"
we've just released a cd MIND THE GAP (between poverty and wealth) to be a cd for the times. part of the movement in ending acute poverty, we VORTEX made this cd for the people
Years ago when they were remodeling the Chicago Museum of Science, they wanted to know which exhibits were the most popular and which they could get rid of or move to back rooms. Someone came up with brilliant solution. They looked at the wear on the floor tiles in front of each exhibit. The most popular exhibits were the ones with the most tile wear.
Again, the people voted with their feet.
Follow the walkway...the one with the sign that will say; "Your Golden Stage Right This Way"!
- Baran
My husband works in agile software development, where the idea of "making a decision at the last responsible moment" is central, and we've integrated this into our lives. I like the addition of the word "responsible" because some people make the decision late just because they're scared to make a decision and are hoping it'll just be made for them. Also, sometimes you can leave it too late and you get past the point of return, so it's important to find that right balance, where you're making the decision at the last responsible moment.
Cath
Derek,
I love that story, and have been hearing it for years. Do you know the origins of it?
This concept holds very true for software development - create something simple and flexible and let your users define it (like Twitter).
Thanks,
Robert
Sorry - I don't. But people in comments (here and Facebook) have been pointing out it's been told for at least 30 years. Maybe it's just made up. Still makes a vivid point. -- Derek
I learned, what so many grassroots performing musicians learn, that the audience really only wants to hear the songs that they've already memorized from last year's CD and then, they want it performed EXACTLY like it was on their stereo so that they can sing along like automatons and correct you if you're wrong! I think that, perhaps, I should do kareoke
for them! I think that, then my audience would be satisfied with my performance! I began to wonder how much my shows should be about MY SATISFACTION or THEIRS?? Anyway, I keep writing songs but illness and cost of travel increase
has made it damned near impossible to continue being a live show all over the nation! I hope that I get
real famous after I'm dead and that my music will sell like hotcakes then and supporters can continue singing along on their car stereos until cars, themselves, are forced into absolute obsolesence and pedestrians will rule the world! Amen.
That was a great idea about which walkway to pave. When I think of the errors I've made I just say, "I've learned a lot from many people the next cd is going to be better." I am still learning and reading.
Briliant
The walkways of life, a keen sense of self,
The best trial to date, the measure
of choosing well.
The first place I ran across the walkway idea was in Christopher Alexander's excellent book, _A Pattern Language_.
Well now I know the answer is okay to say "I don't know yet".....and I usually don't, but thought it wasn't okay to say,,,,,,,,thanks!
I agree with the story .Is well better to wait incorrect.
This reminds me of Presidents Obama so called dithering on making a decision on sending more troops to war waiting to the last minute to define his goals because lives are at stake. Haste decisions in business without all the facts can lead to bad decisions. Test marketing to find out if people will respond to your message and revamping it is always best. You may have a good song, or CD, but how to market and use catch phrases that people will respond to may take time figure out, so take your time pitch your idea until you find what works for you then you can spend the extra money to get it the market!
Love the picture! That's the college library in my home town
Great logic and of course, it works.
Most of us are too busy chasing our own tails!
Dennis Derby
Derek,
Nobody can take the people/fan/audience/spectators for a ride. if they are not getting what they want they abandon you in a blink of an eye.
Not all about what one thinks is right, but what the masses accept. Great wisdom. Thanks this Dee.
Such a gentle way to look at life's decisions. I appreciate your positive thinking.
So we have established that students are lazy and always take the shortest route from A-B...brilliant.
Sometimes (as the designers of great cities and open spaces have demonstrated since classical times) you should create a space which allows people...no, encourages people to think, and therefore develop.
They should have made a note of the tracks in the grass, and then taken the made path the longest way round from each end of them.
Heh, that campus looks just like OSU
My college did this too, years ago - the problem was when they finally built the sidewalks the students would stop using that path and make entirely new ones.
I like the analogy made here, but it's important to note that the original professor you are (likely) referencing (Helbing, Molnar, Keltsch-'97) found that the more worn a trail becomes, the more visible and tempting it is to subsequent walkers. If the attraction is small then direct tails persist, but if the attraction to pre-defined trails is sufficiently large then inefficient curved trails evolve.
Take from this what you will, but I'd suggest that having focus/paved foot-way developed through pre-planning is the better approach. You're suggesting going for a walk without knowing your destination.
Critical Mass - How one thing leads to another by Philip Ball (ISBN 0434011355, 9780434011353) covers some fascinating insights into traffic flows, swarms, market trading, economics, psychology and other subjects and in particular the above mentioned 'trail' experiment.
Interesting! Thanks for the insight, Carl. -- Derek
Very inspiring Derek a good word
Reff:
http://bible.cc/proverbs/3-6.htm
they did that at our JC in 1964.
Of course my dad did it to his house in '54
very zen, derek. thank you as always~
I agree with this for business plans. It's like getting a mortgage.You need to have the paperwork "right" to get approved.
To succeed, I believe it is a delicate balance of recognizing the exisiting path patterns and combining that with your "inner compass". If it was easy everyone would do it, right?
I think they've done that at all college campuses!
When I was deciding to leave my 20 year career in programming to pursue "the road less traveled", friends and associates asked "what will you do about this", "how will you handle that"... Not only could I not answer those questions then, I wouldn't have been able to do so today. And I would still be waiting to start what really mattered to me.
My 'guru' says believe in the result you want to see and the rest will work itself out. Thanks for the inspiration!
Some times y9ou dont know where you're going until you get there.nothing ive planned for worked EVERYTHING thats happened good in my life has been a urprise, a mistake or an accident. the best thing to do is KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND YOUR EYES OPEN AND DONT SET YOUR STANDARDS OF WON'T DO'S TOO HIGH..because 10 years ago the last thing i thought id be doing was selling cds.. and making more.. or writing parking tickets at PCC which has led to the nice job i have there now.(hint** being outside all year amongst the trees at sylvania was where i came up with most of my great ideas....teh fresh aier the long 12 mile a day walking not to mention teh peopel skills you develop when handing them bad news...my girlfriend was right it WAS the perfect job for me..after a few years of being an on call stagehand i was economically ready to do anything.
which also gave me a newfound respect for money since i didnt make much more than minimum wage so..i invested in myself in short run cd duplicsation of titles that were out of print that we released in the 80's...tehre is siomething magic about rain that i now love but before i was actually out in it didnt like very much.
Finally, a proper use of the word "green" -- the campus has a grass lawn.
Good idea. Probably couple of hundreds (or thousands) of years old. But still good idea.
Left to their own devices, people will, over time, find the way that is most satisfying for them and usually more efficient than the pre-planned model. That's freedom. Masses of people maximizing their well being. And yet, the people in charge feel compelled to plan everything and not only build walkways but demand that you use them. Not only does it limit freedom, it's usually not particularly efficient or effective. That's government in action. We seek the balance between chaotic freedom and the soft tyranny of a government that knows they know what's best for us.
They can't stand it that we might not want to go where they want us to walk. And most thinking people resent and resist being told not only where to walk but that we're anti-social for not liking it. I guess I'm an anti-social free walker.
#131 & #136: I too remember reading this idea in Christopher Alexander's book _A Pattern Language_ (1977)...though I can't find the section in Google Books at the moment.
This is apparently how many of the walkways on the quad of the University of Illinois were designed: by replacing dead lines in the grass with new concrete sidewalks.
Very cool. To me, this say's let your friends/fans tell you what they most want from you. Don't stop coming up with promotional ideas on your own, but ask the people your trying to reach what they want too. "Give the people what they want." Simple & effective.
A Purdue person will tell you that the college president described in the story is Fred Hovde. He presided during the explosive growth in the university after World War II.
It's sort of a nice idea, but there is still value in trying to see a bigger picture than is seen by an individual pedestrian. For example, it might be possible to see where one path in the middle can serve two types of users at lower cost than trying to serve both individually.
The trick is not to be paralyzed by you inability to foresee every possible contingency. Get started, have an overall idea in mind, adjust as needed to meet the changed circumstances.
I see over-planning all the time in my business, which is aerospace. Someone in an office who has never picked up a screwdriver thinks they can plan the next seven years of a very complex development in advance, put it all in a schedule in 40 hour blocks, then assign someone to execute the plan. Success is presumed to be achieved simply by giving absolute hell to the person charged with executing the plan whenever he deviates from it by the slightest iota.
This is pretty much guaranteed disaster because the people who should be focusing on the objective end up worrying about the plan, trying to make it look like they're following the plan, giving hell to others who try to accomplish anything except following the plan ...
The paths that are organically created by people walking on them are called "desire paths".
Wikipedia says: "A desire path (also known as a desire line or social trail) is a path developed by erosion caused by animal or human footfall"
There's a whole Flickr group for it, pretty cool actually.
The idea of not immediately putting in walkways is not a new one. I heard about a college doing that back in the 1970s.
Si, probablemente lo sea
I work at a college in southern california which is undergoing major construction. I would like to find out which college did this to present this idea to our facility planners and architects.
Can you help me?
Thank you.
Sorry - I'm not sure. My dad said he heard it when he was at college in the 60s, so the story has been around a long time. -- Derek
that is brilliant! might as well, since people will go where they want when they want how they want regardless... well... not everybody... but definitely everyone worth knowing.