[Ailist] Social architecture - small business

[Neil D. Samuels]

Hi Richard,
I just returned from the 3rd AI conference and am so excited I can barely
type straight. It was an incredible experience. One of the highlights was
the head of IDEO, the best design firm in the world (according to some)
talking about design of products and how it relates to design of
organizations. The session opened me up to some new ideas for the Design
phase of AI. The biggest take away for me was getting people into rapid
prototyping as soon as possible in the process. 

I see two ways to get there. The more traditional model is to introduce the
group to the 7-S (or whatever org. model you like) and ask them to choose
(vote) which S, if it were improved somehow) would have the greatest impact
on making the Dream real. Then people could self-select, do a short inquiry
in that area and write a mini-PP. Then they could brainstorm ALL the ideas
they have for making that mini-pp real, choose some and create a prototype
(a new org. structure for instance). Ideally, they physically build this or
role-play it or something more creative that a simple flip-chart. They could
then discuss what it would take to put that structure into place--what
actions would be required, what other systems might be affected, etc. 
If you are going to give them a model (7-S) I much prefer the one Mohr and
McLean showed at the 2nd conference in their piece on design (attached) It
is much more expansive and explicitly raises the conversational arena. 
The second approach, and one I have been using more lately is to not share
any model at all (at least at first). When people generate their own model,
they own it and are much more likely to have energy around it. If the group
seems to be missing large areas of org. life then I might share it with them
but not too soon.


So, how can you get people experimenting fast. Maybe you give groups only 1
hour and they have to prototype 3 or 4 ideas and share them with another
table for feedback.  Or maybe two groups share and one has to take the
first's idea and improve upon it somehow. (Just brainstorming here. Others
who heard the talk, please jump in.)
Happy to talk through this with you. It makes a lot more sense voice to
voice.
(Call or SKYPE me)

Neil



Neil D. Samuels
President
Profound Conversations, LLC
1003 Creekside Circle
Naperville, Il  60563
630-605-4610
neil at profoundconversations.com
Skype: neil.samuels

-----Original Message-----
From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu
[mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Richard
Sellwood
Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2007 3:15 AM
To: AI listserve
Subject: [Ailist] Social architecture - small business

Hi,
 
Firstly many thanks for all of the e-mails and help I have received for my
first summit design - I am truly grateful!
 
I am looking at the social architecture now in the design phase and
McKinseys 7-S model (and others). I was curious what activity is suggested
at this point. By now there will have been created a number of PP's around
the topics selected. Up to this point in the summit, I have detailed the
activity the participants are doing but at this point I am unclear how the
model is introduced and what exactly we ask the participants to do.
 
I am guessing that the chosen model is introduced and, looking at the model,
the PP's produced and probably the themes (?), participants are asked to
suggest the work that will need to be done in each area for the PP's to
really come to life??
 
Kind regards,
 
Richard
 
Richard Sellwood
07802 318803
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