How Reframing a Problem Unlocks Innovation

I came across this great article recently that got me
thinking about how many of us respond when problems arise. We often immediately
jump to how this problem can be solved, but forget to really take a look at what
the problem actually is. The simple
process of asking why may help us analyze the problem from a variety of angles
and potentially develop a better solution. Do you have any success stories of getting to
the root of a problem? What was the
outcome? Your success story may help a colleague get to the root of their
problem.

Bring out your latent artistic skills at the Forum Conference

I've been a terrible artist my entire life. I cannot render the most basic images. Put a pencil in my hand and watch catastrophe unfold.

So I am especially excited that we are bringing Debra Frasier to the conference. You probably know Debra's book On the Day You Were Born, which has been a mainstay of baby gifts for more than 20 years.


Debra will be joining us for two sessions where she'll be teaching us the art of paper cutting--and how anyone, even me, can express themselves artistically with paper, scissors and glue. I might not ever make a beautiful papercut for my day job, but the creativity it unleashes will definitely influence all the other things I do at work.

Here are a couple other paper cut images from On the Day You Were Born:

"Welcome to the spinning world," the people sang, as they washed your new, tiny hands. "Welcome to the green Earth,"....

These are from A Birthday Cake is No Ordinary Cake:




And Debra's new book, Spike: Ugliest Dog in the Universe, was illustrated with cut up old jeans. It comes out in fall 2013.

Now, REGISTER for the conference, today.

Year of the Communicator Conference | The Benefits

You already know the
advantages of attending the Year of the Communicator conference on June 25,
2013, but you may need some help convincing your supervisor.

Here are some tangible benefits of
attending this year's UMCF conference:

1. It is affordable!

With airfare consistently on the rise, attending the conference means you won't
only save on airfare, but hotel and food costs as well. Plus if you
register before May 30, you receive the early bird discount.

2. Expand your professional network.

Because the conference is for communicators at the University, you expand your
professional network across campuses. We rarely get a break to talk with our
fellow colleagues and this is an excellent opportunity.

3. Keep up with the trends in the communications field and be
inspired by inspiring people.
This year's conference has two
keynote speakers that are industry leaders. Krista Neher is an expert on social
media and will be addressing how higher education institutions can make social
media work for us. Debra Frasier, author and illustrator, will help guide you
on your path of creativity, something every communicator needs.

4. Attend together as a teambuilding activity.

Attending the conference as a team means you can talk about which sessions will
provide you with the most skills and choose your tracks together. Creating a report for your supervisor about
the sessions you attend also helps outline what you learned. Then you can discuss your day at the reception, surrounded by inspiring art at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery.

5. Gain topic-specific experience.

The strategies, tools, and skills that you learn can be taken back to your
department and applied immediately. The conference offers you two keynote
speakers and three breakout sessions geared to give you the tools that you
need to be the best at what you do.

Don't delay and register today!

Simply Beautiful Design

Do you feel overwhelmed with the complexity and daily noise of life? Why not relax and look at some simply beautiful design at Geometry Daily!

http://geometrydaily.tumblr.com/

Thanks Google

Say that everyone has been talking about that television show. Your friends. Your coworkers. That friendly neighbor lady. You want to know more about it. Correction: You need to know more. So, you go to your desktop computer. You go to your laptop. You go to your iPad. You go to your phone. Wherever you are you get to the Internet and get to that Google.

This looks interesting. Thanks Google.




Say the show looks interesting enough you want to watch it. I mean now. Maybe the whole series in fact.

Thanks Netflix Instant.

Say you're in the middle of episode 3 and a new character comes in. That guy looks really familiar. Really. What have I seen him in? I know I've seen him in something.

Thanks IMDB.

Say you are intrigued and want to know more about this actor. Why did he get started acting so young? And what went on in the 80s?

Thanks Wikipedia.

Say it's an hour later and you've stopped your show and are down the Wikipedia rabbit hole now listening to the radio. Say a song comes on that you are really liking, but who is that? What's it called?

Thanks MPR's The Current playlist.

And now you're realizing you need to be somewhere. Out in the world. What bus should you take from your house to that location?

Thanks MetroTransit Trip Planner.

And you're waiting for the bus. When is it coming?

Thanks MetroTransit NexTrip.

And you want to see what where you're going looks like for real. You want to see the cross street. You want to email your friend you're almost there. You want to search for the menu. You got there and ate and now you want to email yourself a picture of that tasty bruschetta. Thanks Google.

Say you want to share that bruschetta on your Pinterest. You do. People like it. They really like it.

Thanks the Internet.

Maybe things on the Internet help you. You can share them here. Thanks blog comments. Thanks social media 2.0. Thanks to the tubes and wires, the signals, calls, and marches. Thanks to everyone who puts these answers to my questions on the Internet and makes it work. It's good when it works.

Infographics

I have been sitting in on the conference committee this year, which has been great fun. We did a huge brain dump of all of our session and keynote presenter ideas, and one of the committee members turned me on to Kevin Quealy, a Minnesota native who does infographics for the NY Times. I'm obsessed with his work.

His animations and static graphics bring information to life. This graphic on Olympic long jumpers uses everyday comparisons that most of us can relate to, such as the length of the free-throw line on a basketball court.

At a glance, we can see how people spend their time--and click on 18 different variations of the data.

And this is cool: Who goes to State Dinners, from what industries, and how many times?

One thing you don't see here? Lengthy copy with various font sizes, masquerading as "infographic." (Google "view our infographic" for more like these.)

How do you share information without text?

Minimalist story telling

You may have heard of Blaise Pascal famously ending a correspondence to a friend with "I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had time to make it shorter." Many writers identify with this because they understand how much time and effort is needed to convey complex meaning in few words.

I'm no designer, but I'd imagine they face similar challenges when conveying meaning with minimal visual elements. At least that's what I thought of when I saw this series of minimalist posters for fairy tales. Scroll slowly and see if you can guess the tale with just he image.

Design thinking: A new egg carton?

Welcoming spring with this innovative egg box design by a University of West Hungary student.

The redesigned carton is made of cardboard and a rubber band. It's flexible and environmentally friendly.

Think it will make it to the supermarket?

Stay creative

Just a nice video to help you think of ways to stay creative...

29 WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE from TO-FU on Vimeo.

Motivation

I don't know about you, but the freezing temperatures have
given me a case of the winter blues, making me less motivated than I typically
would be on a sunny, warm day. How can we continue to be motivated and fight
those winter blues?

For me... the answer is TED talks. Dan Pink's TED Talk about motivation got me thinking, hence getting me motivated. What
keeps you motivated and how do you motivate your colleagues during these short
winter days?

New Year's Creativity Resolutions

Whether you're a firm believer in making New Year's resolutions or not, the start of a new year is always a good time to reflect, and think about the future. And hey, don't think New Year's resolutions are just for your personal life! Resolutions and goals can have a positive impact on your work environment, as well. My biggest job-related goal for 2013? Find time in my daily routine for creativity to seep in.

For me, this means spending 15-30 minutes a couple days a week to diverge from my daily grind and look for inspiration elsewhere. This could take the form of a walk outside on my lunch break to get the creative juices flowing, browsing blogs or publications that I find to be written well (I do a lot of writing and editing as part of my job), or even trolling Pinterest for some visual stimulation. Why? Because when your brain is focusing on something stimulating and not necessarily related to work, ideas can seep in that affect your work or process that you otherwise might not have stumbled upon. It's all about mixing up those brain pathways, folks.

This need to unplug from day-to-day tasks something I've been thinking about since I attended the panel "Real World Creativity" at the 2012 Communicators Forum Conference. The panelists (Beth Perro-Jarvis and Mary Van Note, two delightfully sassy women from Ginger Consulting) suggested (or rather, forcefully encouraged) we find a small window of time, whether it be daily or weekly, to get creative.

What are your work-related resolutions or goals for 2013? Do you find time in your work life to look elsewhere for inspiration?

Encouraging Workplace Innovation

It is easy to get caught up in the daily grind, which leaves little time to evaluate how
inefficient we have become. I think it is time we all take a step back
and think about how we can be more innovative in both our personal and
professional lives.



This article "Three ideas for encouraging workplace innovation" might help you kick-start innovations in your work. There is no better time than now, right?

http://www.arenasolutions.com/blog/post/workplace-innovation

StrengthsFinder: Helpful or not?

Earlier this week, a few fellow marketing department coworkers and I took the StrengthsFinder test and went to a Human Resources workshop designed to help us understand our results. I tend to reflect a lot about my relationships, whether it be with coworkers, superiors, community members, patrons, or my personal relationships. I found StrengthsFinder to be a good exercise in reflection. None of my top 5 themes surprised me, but I found some of the suggested action items on how to incorporate my strengths into the workplace helpful, although some of them felt a little too much like a zodiac for my comfort, such as "Find someone with strong Command or Activist strengths to pair with." However, what I found to be even more helpful was hearing my coworkers' results, and how they interpreted or explained them. This allowed me insight into our work relationships, and understanding why certain protocols, processes, or environment details are important to different people. 

Do you think personality tests such as this are useful in the work place? If you've taken StrengthsFinder specifically, what did you discover with your results? Have you shared them with your coworkers/superiors? If so, has that affected the way you work together?

UMCF Member of the Year Profile: Jen Peters

Editor's note: To start off a new academic year on the blog, we decided to profile the 2012 UMCF Member of the Year, Jen Peters. Take notes, folks.

UMCF: What is your job title and department here at the U? How long have you worked there?

Jen Peters: Graphic designer at the University Libraries since September 2008 (4 years, 1 month).

UMCF: What's an average workday like?

JP: The majority of my day is spent in my office designing. I generally have at least five projects going at once, and produce them from concept to completion. I often start a project with a few quick sketches and typeface explorations before moving into InDesign. I often sort through images from the Libraries' archives and special collections and collaborate with our exhibits designer, Darren Terpstra. I work closely with the Communications Director finalizing text edits and creating and sending HTML emails.
 
UMCF: Favorite part of your workday?

JP: I love starting a new project, particularly brainstorming visual concepts and searching for the perfect typeface! I am fortunate to work with so much incredible art here at the Libraries such as these lovely seed catalogs.

UMCF: How does what you do support the mission of the University?

JP: We work to promote our vast resources which ultimately help expand the reach of research: our expert librarians, the millions of volumes held in our collections, tools to enhance productivity, and programs and services.

UMCF: Why did you join the Forum? What role does the Forum plan in your everyday work life?

JP: It was a big transition coming from an agency setting into my current position, working with only two other people. I joined to network and gain a better understanding of the communications work happening at the University.

I have learned so much by volunteering on the conference committee. I have been asked to help plan events at the Libraries as a result. Plus, it gave me a good excuse to approach potential speakers - designers and artists I admire.
 
UMCF: Where do you find creative inspiration?

JP: Design and photography blogs, any type of magazine, Pinterest, plus the incredible local art and design culture here in the Twin Cities.

UMCF: What are your hobbies outside of work?

JP: Riding bike, gardening, photography, skiing - anything outdoors!

UMCF: Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

JP: We (my husband and I) have a 15 year old music loving cat. When my husband plays guitar, she demands to be in the same room, sitting by his feet.
 

Go for the Maroon and Gold: Training Tip

Ever been put on the spot to produce a great idea...? And, realized that your creative juices were not flowing? Drumming up creativity can be a tricky thing, especially if when you get stuck on these hang ups (http://www.copyblogger.com/mental-blocks-creative-thinking/).

That's why it's important to put aside some time during your week to exercise your creative muscles.... starting with this: 29 ways to stay creative (http://vimeo.com/24302498).

Also, don't forget the UMCF annual conference is coming up July 26!  And, we're pleased to announce that Beth Perro-Jarvis and Mary Van Note, Partners of Ginger Consulting, will be leading a session on creativity.

P.S. Check out this cool story about Ginger Consulting on Star Tribune (http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/148329235.html).

Link Roundup: Photography

Mastering photography is an elusive art. But, practice makes perfect and building photographic skills is an enjoyable hobby.

Here's an edition of link roundup on getting good at taking pictures.

-- 14 Ways to Improve Your Photography in a Few Days
-- 90+ Online Photography Tools and Resources
-- How to Stay Up Late and Make an HDR Image
-- How To: Master Smartphone Photography 
-- iPhone Photography + Social Networking = Instagram
-- The Washington Post Wants Your Instagram Photos to Illustrate Health of U.S. Economy

Communicators are Connectors and Crafting Leadership: Link Roundup

Communicators have an uncanny ability to get to know people across varied disciplines and familiarize themselves with many professional niches. At the U, for example, communicators are tucked away in their colleges becoming experts on vastly different topics--from veterinary medicine to cultural studies, or whatever discipline it may be.

Although spread far and wide, it's apparent there is a thread running through our group that knits us together. Communicators relish in swapping stories, sharing information, and making connections. And we do just that at the U--especially those who participate in the Communicators Forum.

It's easy to forget that this inherent attribute is a skill that many people do not possess. As connectors, we have access to people that others may not. Using that opportunity to relay important messages is an interesting concept--think of the impact that could be made by stepping outside our traditional roles.

To me, it makes sense that making a difference in my profession and making a difference in the lives of others requires both excellent communications skills and the ability to project my knowledge to others confidently. So, complimenting my people skills with leadership skills seems like a no-brainer.  

Here's an edition of link roundup on leadership, career success, verbal communication style, and more.

1. Steve Jobs and
   the Seven Rules of Success



2. The Hazards of Confidence



3. Optimism Scores the Extra Point


4. The Conversationalist: Talking Without Technology


5. Networking is a PR Mandate


6. 10 Must-Read Public Relations And Marketing Books

Community Fund Drive

Every year the UMTC Community Fund Drive rolls around I have to say I enjoy it. My office (University Relations) usually does a pretty good job of contributing, and the U on a whole raises more than $1 million each year for community charities. It's a testament to the true character and deep commitment of U faculty and staff, I think, to give so much of their time and money. But we're a little behind this year (participation is at about 13%). It's a tough economy, but during tough economic times,
donations go down and needs go up--and this fund drive fulfills a lot of
needs (the U is the biggest donor for most of the charities). As communicators, we can help spread the word. So let people know.

Online you can find a list of many of the charitable organizations.
If you can't find a charity you like, you can give to your favorite
charity, even if it's not on the list, as long as it is a 501c3.

I'd also like to give a shout out to the people who make this happen every year. All the volunteers--dozens of them--make this happen. UMCF member Lisa Bentzen, communications staff in OHR, deserves a shout out as the communications committee member. If I'm forgetting anyone, thank you, too.  

I sure could use some inspiration...

My creative brain is sleepy, and lately I just can't seem to wake it up. Can you help me out here? Where do you go for inspiration? Are there any sites or blogs out there that I should know about? My sleepy brain thanks you in advance!

How Faculty Handle Disruptive Colleagues--And How We Can Borrow the Lesson

I'm catching up on some of my Chronicle of Higher Ed reading today, and I came across a gem of a blog post that gives faculty advice about how to handle disruptive colleagues during meetings.

I was hoping that at the very least it would shed a bit of light on faculty culture, something I am always trying to wrap my brain around. And it didn't disappoint! More than that, though, it showed me that faculty meetings have the same set of challenges that any meeting might have:

+The know-it-all
+The bully
+The talker
+The we-already-tried-it-and-it-didn't-work person
+and many more

The post is an open-ended question, asking readers for feedback. My favorite comments come from reader bethelcollege, who suggests that the know-it-all be assigned the role of recorder, because, "the minutes will likely not only be adequate, but hilarious, as he or she expands on actions and debate."

Running and participating in meetings is fraught with politics and feelings and time-management issues. Our training services office offers a great class on effective meetings (and this online primer). But read this Chronicle blog for a great starter on ideas to improve your meetings culture.