unknown unknowns

The imaginable v. the feasible

The bike project has been a revealing window on the realities of the product development process. The last few month's prototyping has been a constant push and pull between the imagineable and the feasible: what we want to do isn't always physically possible. Or, more accurately, it's either not economically viable or there are no suppliers willing or capable of delivering it.

So even when planning we're constantly thinking about how things will physically be fabricated. Inevitably, and quite rightly, executional considerations inform the planning process.

To force a parallel with the world of communication, this may be an argument for allowing greater creative involvement in strategy development, or greater planning involvement in the creative process. Or even that these silos are increasingly irrelevant.

But really it's just a good excuse to share this great little video from Parker Steel. It shows their computer-controlled laser cutting machine making lace of a couple bits of steel tubing. Call me a geek, but a part of me could watch this all day.

(Please forgive my gonzo coding. Parkers didn't stick the video on YouTube/Vimeo so I've had to cut and paste as best I could. As you can see, I don't really know what I'm doing. But right-clicking will give you some control over the video.)

Nike/Livestrong Chalkbot

I'm conflicted.

Deeplocal and Standard Robot have made this chalk writing robot (see what they did there?) to promote Nike and Lance Armstrong's Livestrong during this year's Tour de France. It will spray inspirational messages texted in by supporters onto the roads along the Tour route.

The cyclist in me thinks, Whoa, the corporate marketing mercenaries have just defiled a close friend. Fans have been writing celebratory (and derogatory) messages to riders on the route of the Tour for decades. It's part of the rich tradition of the race and to ride over the same messages - however slowly and independent of the race - allows slouches like me to feel part of that tradition.

Of course, the practice has always been hijacked, often by special interest groups or unions such as the CGT or nutters with a grudge against their neighbours. It's inevitable that brands do the same. But when the hijacker is Nike, which ought to understand and be sensitive to the history, it's unforgiveable. Worse still, that it's done to publicise the Livestrong cancer charity, means Armstrong - a rider in the race - is a co-hijacker. It won't do his reputation in France any good. But I'm sure that's the last of his worries.

So why am I conflicted? Because the corporate marketing mercenary in me loves the chalkbot.

Microsoft Excel v. Mario Paint Composer

As I mentioned a week or so back, in between bike stuff and other stuff I've been working on an animation using Excel. Here's the finished article, complete with a soundtrack I knocked up with the amazing Mario Paint Composer (hat tip to Bud Caddell for this. I - somehow - had never encountered it until he linked to another MPC video on YT).

Despite the mind-numbing effects of creating 707 Excel spreadsheets, photographing them and then wrestling with iMovie to make them sync with the soundtrack, I quite enjoyed the perversity of it. I might even do another one.

Fork test #3

Thanks, Ben.

Misusing products

I love the idea of misusing things. Or rather, using products for a purpose other than the one for which they were invented. I like the DIYness, the contrariness and, in some cases, the utter pointlessness of making something do the illogical.

Which is why I've been working on making a stopframe animation using Excel. It is just so pointless and nonsensical an idea that I couldn't resist it. My intention is to colour the cells to make various shapes and then make the shapes move. Simple. Here's a test I prepared earlier.

Of course, I want the finished article to be somewhat more whizzy than this which means it's getting a little labour intensive. Which takes time. And to complicate matters, I'm very good at procrastinating.

And then in the middle of all my spreadsheet sweating - and procrastinating - Ben went and posted this. Which isn't an animation and mostly uses type rather than shapes. But it could have easily used both. 

And the moral of the story is that when you have an idea, do something about it. Quickly. Because you never know who else might be thinking of exactly the same thing.

Bauhaus by bike

I want a bau-bike.

Interactive storytelling

I'm intrigued by the way that new media may - or may not - influence the way we tell stories in the future.

So I'm more than somewhat gutted that I can't make it to The Sandpit Interactive Storytelling workshop organised by Hide and Seek at the Soho Theatre tomorrow. 

It looks like a hands-on, get-stuck-in kinda thing and the fruits of the day's hands-on-ness will inform the evening's activities.

Should be stimulating.

Danny MacAskill's 10,000 hours

Read Gladwell's Outliers? Like the previous two books, it's full of great observations that ought to make useful presentation fodder. But because everyone's read the books his examples are useless because we're all aware of them. Which is why someone like Danny MacAskill comes in handy.

Even if you don't recognise his name, you've probably seen him in action. MacAskill is a young Scot who can ride a bike up, down and across just about anything you could mention and a video of him doing just that blew up a month or so back (in fact, as of writing, it's still going strong).

Danny MacAskill April 2009 from Gaëtan Godard on Vimeo.

Based on the speed and extent of the popularity of his video, TV channel STV interviewed MacAskill and quizzed him on the secret of his impressive bikehandling. Apparently, the 23 year old MacAskill started riding at the age of 11. Which, give or take a couple of years for him to get serious about cycling, is pretty close to the 10 years that Gladwell believes we need to clock up the 10,000 hours necessary to excel at anything.

If you must get an electric bike...

I've always been a bit snooty about electric bikes. They seem like a conceptual oxymoron. If you want to pedal, get a bike; if not, get a moped. Commit! Sheesh.

But even the curmudgeon in me has to admit that the Gocycle is a fine looking ride: 

 

I'm converted. Nearly.

Fork test