Smart mechanics

Nowadays the Word ''Smart'', regarding products, is associated to devices enhanced by electronics in sensitive and responsive ways. It refers to the technology that drive inanimate objects into a more sentient stage of their development. But electronics is not the only way to reach that goal. Through the intelligent use of mechanics it can also be achieve the point on which inanimated objects would recognize key features of their users, helping them with this to perform better whatever task these objects are meant to do.

This is the case of the Cannondale concept bike developed by Priority Design. The C.E.R.V (continuosly ergonomic race Vehicle) adapt its handle bar position to match the most efficient posture for different kind of terrain. Without a doubt a great example of meaningful collaboration between design and engineering.

 

Find more about the CERV bike here

keeping a diary makes you creative

In this talk Teresa Amabile, author of the excellent book: Creativity in context, present her studies on how keeping a diary help to improve your inner work life. What she actually says -and I guess she also writes in her last book: The progress principle- is that giving your self 15 minutes a day to write about the emotions and motivations that you experience during the day (which is the meaning of inner working life) can help you to improve your creative performance, that is, having ideas that work.

The benefits of keeping a work diary would be first of all, celebrate small wins, which is actually the cornerstone of what she named ''the progress principle''. State and recognize small wins will keep your motivation up, your emotions on the bright side and your perspective focus on the relevant aspects of the work that you are doing. The second benefit will be that, based on that small wins, you will be able to plan the next steps in order to keep that small wins coming and building up a better and more fulfilling way to the completion of the project you're working on. The third benefit will be within the personal area; keeping a diary will help you to visualize and nurture your personal growth. You will be able to see in clearer way for example how you behave with you team mates and colleagues, what makes the teams interact in more efficient and creative ways or what are the consequences of your decision process. The last benefit that Amabile states may sound kind of irrelevant but anyone who has worked in a long term project will recognize the importance of it: cultivate patience. One of the most definitive factors in the success of every project  is the emotional attitude to it. If is negative the project will suffer enormously of disdain and lack of interest and if it is positive usually the anticipation and the anxiety of make the whole thing work will play against the decision making process pushing forwards steps that are not yet mature enough to lead way to the next ones.

Amabile is surely one of the most relevant figures in the study of creativity. Her systematic psychological studies on how creativity affects the life of individuals and organizations is widely recognize as huge source of insights in the understanding, improvement and management of creativity processes.

Teresa Amabile is the Edsel Bryant Ford Professor of Business Administration and a Director of Research at Harvard Business School and lately the ranked number 18 on the Thinkers 50, the definitive listing of the world's top 50 business thinkers.

source: 99U.com