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Pairing Helps

post from Managing Product Development on 09 February 2010 06:34:38 PM. © Managing Product Development

I’ve been working with Gil Broza on our teleclass series, Prevent Your Agile Titanic, both on marketing it and on its content. And it never fails, we have questions for each other almost every day. Sometimes I’m developing something and it looks “funny.” So I ask for review. Sometimes, as with the content, we discuss [...]

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The Future of Electric Cars, Summed Up in 10
Minutes

post from Fast Company on 09 February 2010 06:05:17 PM. © Fast Company

Electric Cars

Treehugger points us to this fantastic video from Peter Sinclair that explains the history, challenges, and potential future of plug-in electric cars--all in 10 minutes. If you're a renewable energy or EV buff, the video won't tell you anything new, but it's a great intro to show anyone who wants to know how EVs and smart grids can successfully work in tandem. Sinclair has an optimistic take on our potential future, explaining at the end of the video that "if we make the right decisions, we could be on the verge of the most prosperous period in human history". Check out the video below.

[Via Treehugger]

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Back to the Future: The Interaction10 Conference
Goes Old-School

post from Fast Company on 09 February 2010 05:26:12 PM. © Fast Company

Matt Cottam's "Heirloom Electronics"

This past weekend's sold-out Interaction10 conference was attended by an international community of experts in web, software, mobile device and service design. But rather than an emphasis on technology and interface design techniques, the zeitgeist was decidedly low-tech, with diverse speakers discussing topics including storytelling, drawing by hand and meaning in the context of design.

For a conference (thankfully) without a specified theme, there was an emergent thread of looking ahead by looking backwards. In the case of materials, Matt Cottam of Tellart presented his exploratory designs in "heirloom electronics"?handcrafting devices out of wood, which, unlike our mass produced plastic boxes, gracefully wear and change through their long-term use, gaining keepsake qualities.

A new-old way to engage with our digital photos?

In a similar vein, Richard Banks of Microsoft Research discussed the "future of looking back"?how we might store, organize and retrieve the vast number of digital photos we capture and place online. Conceptual solutions included a nostalgic viewfinder and set of slides that could be boxed on a shelf and viewed offline.

At the greatest extreme, Bell Fullerton of IDEO examined the possibilities of designs that purposefully inhibit interaction between people as an alternative to the information overload of emails, messages and tweets. His comparison of solitude in historical and current contexts recalls a time when one could more pragmatically get away from it all.

The concurrence of these ideas among leading designers might suggest a backlash against the ever-growing technical complexity and scale. But it is also driven by a fundamental human need to be in touch with natural materials and to enjoy time for contemplation and a little peace and quiet.

Downtown Savannah, old-fashioned meeting place for new-fashioned design ideas.

Perhaps, this yearning for the past was reinforced by the Interaction10 conference locations?a group of walkable venues in the heart of Savannah, Georgia, including a restored pharmacy, blacksmith shop and theatre that served as a hub for the event.

Whether this retrospection endures, remains to be seen. Ironically, its success will depend on the thoughtful design and development of technology, so that we can naturally interact with our devices, rather than hide from them.

Rob Tannen's Designing for Humans blogBrowse blogs by more Expert Designers

Rob Tannen is an expert in designingproducts, interfaces and systems that accommodate the complexities ofhuman behavior and capabilities. He has researched cockpit interfacesfor U.S. Air Force, designed trading floor order systems for the NewYork Stock Exchange, and created touch screen applications for consumerappliances. Rob is Director of User Research and Interaction Design atthe product development firm Bresslergroup. He also has a PhD in humanfactors and is a Certified Professional Ergonomist.

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Lara Lee: What's more important defining your
mission or getting others on board

post from Fast Company on 09 February 2010 05:24:19 PM. © Fast Company

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Higher markets on speculation Greece will receive
a bailout

post from VerySmartInvesting on 09 February 2010 04:36:13 PM. © VerySmartInvesting

Dow started strong & remained near 10,100 for the rest of the day. Dow closed up 150 (there was a little profit taking in the last hour) to 10,058, advancers ahead of decliners 3-1 & NAZ advanced 24. Banks had a good but not spectacular day as the Financial Index continues close to its 6 month low.

S&P 500 FINANCIALS INDEX

Value
185.62Change
2.02 % Change
1.1%

The Alerian MLP Index shot up to 280 on the opening & remained there to close up 2½. The REIT index was down pennies, limping along at its low levels. Higher stock prices helped boost junk bond prices. The yield on the 10-year Tresury bond rose 4 basis points to 3.63%. The Treasury auctioned off a record tying $40B in 3 year notes which went fairly well. Indirect bidders, including foreign central banks, bought 51% of the issue, a little under the levels at recent auctions. Last year they accounted for 60+% many times. Tomorrow there will be another auction, this one for $25B in new 10 year bonds.

Alerian MLP Index --- 3 months

Dow Jones REIT Index --- 3 months

Nothing like cold weather & lots of snow to bring out oil buyers. Of course, higher stock markets are always a plus. Gold also had a good day

CLH10.NYM..Crude Oil Mar 10..73.81 .. 1.92
......(2.7%)
GCG10.CMX..Gold Feb 10..1,079.70 .. 14.00
......(1.3%)
Gold Super Cycle Click Here

Hopes for Germany to provide aid to Greece encouraged stock buyers. With all the major European countries in the Euro Zone, each one has an interest in helping the next one. But this remains a financial crisis which will need a lot of cooperation to be resolved. Germany wants fiscal reforms before helping, it's not a done deal yet. In addition, other countries with similar financial problems, such as Portugal & Spain, are watching closely.

?Greek Aid Package Considered by EU as Deficit Threatens Confidence in Euro

Find out what's inside Trend TV Click Here

This relief rally made the bulls feel better, but fundamental conditions have not changed appreciably. The Euro Zone has countries with significant financial problems & they are not organized to help each other on a cooperative basis. So they will have to muddle thru each financial mess. At Toyota, things go from to to worse & then even uglier. They are dealing with this multi $B crisis as best as could be hoped for, but it's shaking the company to the core. However, the stock found buyers today rising 1.75. While Coca Cola (KO) & McDonald's (MCD) had good reports bringing higher stock prices, they were a reminder that US sales for these basic products are sluggish. That's not supposed to happen when a recovery is going well. Dow is drifting at 4 month lows.

Dow Jones Industrials --- 3 months

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Skyonic Wants to Turn Factory Spew Into Baking
Soda

post from Fast Company on 09 February 2010 03:15:01 PM. © Fast Company

Baking Soda

Once carbon dioxide emissions are removed from power and industrial plants, where should they go? Some people think they should be stuffed underground, others think they can turn them into plastic, and now a startup called Skyonic wants to turn the greenhouse gases into baking soda. CO2-based deodorant, here we come.

Skyonic recently received a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for its SkyMine process, which removes SOX, NO2, mercury, and other heavy metals from industrial plant exhaust streams and converts the remaining CO2 into baking soda. According to the company, using solid storage for CO2 means that all the concerns about carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology-- pipeline transport, injection, CO2re-release into the atmosphere--disappear.

If Skyonic's SkyMine technology proves feasible for large scale applications, the company hopes to get another grant from the DOE to build a test facility at Capitol Aggregates, a cement plant in San Antonio, Texas. Even then, Skyonic will face competition from CO2-to-solids startups including Novomer, Calera, and Carbon Sciences. If CCS doesn't pan out, we'll need all the help we can get from these companies.

[Via Greentech Media]

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The Ford Transit Connect: NYC Taxi Cab of the
Future

post from Fast Company on 09 February 2010 02:52:53 PM. © Fast Company

Ford Transit Connect

The auto industry is fixated on Toyota's recall woes, but Ford snuck in this week with some interesting news of its own: the release of the compressed natural gas-powered Transit Connect. It might just be the NYC taxi cab of the future.

Ford Transit Connect

The vehicle, released this week along with an all-electric version of the car, looks like a standard Transit Connect--except with three more inches of leg room, an information and entertainment system in the back for passengers, and a fare-tracking system. Citygoers will also notice the fuel tank behind the passenger seat for either CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) or propane--that is, if NYC decides to go the CNG route at all. The Transit Connect will also be available with a standard gas-powered engine that Ford claims is 30% more fuel-efficient than current taxis on the road.

The Transit Connect hasn't yet secured a place as part of NYC's taxi fleet. But New York's Taxi and Limousine Commission recently put out a call for a next-generation cab to replace the Crown Victoria, and it's likely that this will be Ford's choice. If electric vehicle technology takes off, maybe the car company will even consider adding its all-electric Transit Connect to the fleet somewhere down the line.

[Via Jalopnik]

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IDEA 2010: Women Rule

An unusually diverse group of men and women will judge this year's IDEA Awards, as the organization seeks to retool its mission. Not too late to enter: Deadline has been extended to Feb. 15.

2010 IDEA Awards

A panel of 10 men and eight women has been chosen as the jury for the 2010 IDEA Awards, says John Barratt, president and CEO of Teague, and IDSA 2010 Jury Chair. Drawing from 38 countries, the IDEA (International Design Excellence Awards) program, sponsored by the Industrial Designers Society of America, is a top international competition honoring design excellence in products, ecodesign, interaction design, packaging, strategy, research, and concepts.

The diverse group reflects the organization's commitment to fielding a globally-sourced jury. "The competition is open to international entries, so we made sure to have jurors from the U.K., France, Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands, and others who have had global work experience," Barratt said.

The jury also includes student representation, given the competition's large number of student submissions.

Barratt conceded that he had made a point of recruiting women from an industry often noted for its shortage of female representation. "When I participated in the jury last year," he says, "I noticed that oftentimes the women were more engaged, and many had very succinct points of view. More importantly, being on the jury is a substantial commitment, so I wanted people who had similar values and work ethic--and a sense of humor."

The deadline for the competition has been extended to February 15, says Barratt, to encourage entries. Judging will take place in April, with winners announced in the July/August issue of Fast Company, IDSA's Media Partner.

"The judging is pretty intense," says Barratt. "It takes place over three 10 to 12-hour days. Earlier rounds are vetted by pairs of judges online and in conference calls, a process that can consume 30 to 40 hours of work."

IEDA awarts Winners will be honored at this year's IDSA international conference, to be held from August 5 to 7 in Portland, Oregon.

Eric Anderson, IDSA President, says the site of the conference will make for a particularly lively meeting, and a perfect pairing with the event's theme, "Do It Yourself" Design.

"The design culture in Portland makes it the perfect place to explore the DIY idea," he says. "Is it opportunity or threat? That kind of activity is natural there, and we'll get outside the hotel and have break-out sessions that will leverage the city."

IDSA's leadership team has spent a significant amount of time this year discussing how to broaden the organization's reach and appeal to a younger audience, and to designers working in small and medium-sized firms. Anderson says the upcoming regional conferences will help communicate the organization's strategic plan.

"We've celebrated too narrow a slice of design," he says. Going forward, IDSA will take a look at design across the board, exploring not just product design, but experience design, interactive design and design thinking.

Teaming with Fast Company is part of that expanded vision, he says. "We're extremely excited about the new partnership. A lot of our members are deeply connected with Fast Company, and we're aligned with the spirit and directional thinking of Fast Company's reporting."