I'm becoming increasingly convinced that planners need to get their heads around the skills/approach of experience and interaction design. If we don't I believe we're not going to have that much value fairly soon as I believe this approach to strategic thinking to solve client's business problems is where brands need to go - i.e.e it's not simply a 'digital' thing. So I've been doing lots of reading (I recommend Alan Cooper's About Face 3 and Thoughts on Interaction Design, edited by Jon Kolko) but this presentation by the always good David Armano is worth a watch. Really good thoughts about what experience design is, what it can be and the kind of approach it requires. (There's a bunch of other clips from Interaction 08 available here.)
(By the way the seeming demise of the Yahoo! Design Innovation Team is sad to see)
I completely agree with you. Experience planners are taking the consumer thinking mixing it with design and technology to make a brand experience.
This is supposedly what communication or connection planners are supposed to do. But I see them moving into our sphere more every day.
great post
Posted by: Mikej | February 14, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Totally agree Gareth, and something that I've been repeating over and over to anyone that will listen lately.
One of the big challenges I'm finding is figuring out a way to make that thinking work within "traditional" agencies. Writers and art directors have become too accustomed to figuring it all out on their own perhaps? An approach that clearly is no longer viable (in my opinion).
Posted by: Dino | February 14, 2008 at 11:37 AM
Good post Gareth. In the past year or so you (Gareth) Russell D, David A, John G and others have published and posted some really great stuff:
Russell - The TED triangle: Technology, Entertainment/engagement and Design. Bullets to Velcro. The problem,(random chaos),solution,why it will work chart.
David A - The Experience Design Ecosystem chart.
John G. New Brand Manifesto-Brand Molecules.
Your Seven Sins and Let's get Married presentations.
I should add Jim Carrol's New Rules of Engagement.
As you mentioned a few days ago, trying to put all that into practice in our day to day work with clients, creatives, designers and other specialists is quite a challenge. But thanks to you guys we are getting tons of good thinking and inspiration. All planners, regardless of label, should be getting into this stuff.
As you have mentioned, the hard part is unlearning the old stuff.
Posted by: Rodney | February 15, 2008 at 02:36 PM
rodney
thanks for your kind comments. you're right - the hard part is unlearning; the really hard part is putting it into practice.
do you have a link to jim's thing?
Posted by: gareth | February 15, 2008 at 08:57 PM
how very true, I think planners that have worked within a design or direct agency before making a move to a traditional ad agency may have a head start on this. combining their interaction / tactile skills with a strong understanding of how brands are built. also agree that one of the main barriers we will come up against will be getting the right creative teaming happening. but it's all bloody exciting.
Posted by: grahamfurlong | February 16, 2008 at 03:10 PM
I just think planners should have life experiences before they even attempt to work on any client stuff.
How can you know what is going on in society when all you've ever done is live in the advertising bubble?
Posted by: Rob @ Cynic | February 18, 2008 at 09:47 PM
Gareth.
JCs "10 principals for marketing in the age of engagement" came out in the Feb. 2005 Admap. It should be on WARC. If you can't get it give me your fax # and I'll send it over.
Posted by: Rodney | February 18, 2008 at 10:43 PM