Idea Sandbox: The First Sifting

Thank you for your comments regarding my new business, the Idea Sandbox... and my plan to open source the building and launch of this concept.

Here’s the reaction to the idea thus far...

RAVES
Initial reaction and feedback from the folks below was positive excitement. You can read all of the comments made on Brand Autopsy here... Below are links to posts on other folk's sites...

"Sounds pretty fun to me. I think an inspiring environment can really help folks do the thinking thing... I'm not sure about that word ideation, I think most folks would settle for having ideas. Setting that niggle to one side, I wish Paul lots of good fortune with this, it sounds like a bold effort to make a dream come true." - Johnnie Moore

"OK meeting planners, this is your chance to help see the space you've always wanted actually come to life. Go on over and tell him what you think." - Sue Pelletier

RUMINATIONS
These folks posed great questions, both challenging the concept AND stretching the concept. I'll be addressing these comments in future posts. Thank you for your comments...

"I'm not sure about that word ideation, I think most folks would settle for having ideas..." - Johnnie Moore

During the boom we had one of these facilities in my old neighborhood in Palo Alto, called KnowWhere ...As powerful as the idea was, this particular venture failed. Do you have any insight as to the causes of that or similar businesses failing? - Steve Portigal

How is your service going to attract businesses other than giving them space? Are you going to have experienced professionals come in to work with the groups that sign up or are you going to have a set staff of "ideators"? If you bring in gurus, do companies have to pre-plan so that you can bring in who they want, or do you pre-book the gurus and then sign up companies to pay for their stay with your company - Walker Hamilton

Congrats on striking it out on your own! Hairy, scary, but never boring. You should research Catalyst Ranch and the owner, Eva. She is very open and has learned a ton about how to manage and promote such a space. We at Alphachimp Studio Inc. have launched a sister-site to yours focused on the use of visual learning to solve real world problems: www.graphicfacilitation.com. I hope that this could become a way for creative practitioners as yourself to hook up with graphic facilitators and useful tools. - Peter Durand

Here are a couple ideas that "plus" the concept to something even bigger and better...

"Why don't you have a second offering where people can use your blog to ideate - without having to go in and do a session. All virtual, based off of your blog. - Tom of Tom's Blog

Andy Havens took some time to add these great thoughts and more...

"I will suggest both caution and mad amounts of creativity. Caution, because you will be competing in a category that is already hotly contested by traditional space-rental businesses like hotels, conference centers, restaurants and convention halls. Mad creativity, because if you don't exhibit insane levels of the juice you're hoping to imbue in your clientele, you'll be less likely to attract them..."

Additionally he adds...

"...get in touch with people and groups that do training events and see how you can combine what they do."

"...figure out a way to make your Idea Sandbox a welcome place for groups who are, as yet, un-tethered in the real world... where we can get back together and be... connected in person again."

"...I'm with Andy to see if there is a way for us that have the e-relationships and meet and discuss in person" - Adam

Finally a comment that wasn't posted on the Brand Autopsy site, but that caught my attention was posted by Kevin Briody on his seattleduck blog. He comments...

"Ideation, Ideators...is this 1996 again? Where's the talking sock puppet? - I hate to admit this, but I’m not sure if the guys at Brand Autopsy are using sarcasm and having a wry laugh...or are proposing a serious business...They toss around buzzwords like “ideators”, “ideation” and “BrainTrust” (note the creative use of caps), and brag about all the cool LCD’s and Play-Doh they’ll have to provide “visual, aural, tactile, and mental stimulation” for all your brainstorming and idea creation needs. Maybe I’m being too harsh, but I just got a serious flashback to the Valley circa 1996."

Do other folks think this idea is hokey? If so, let me know... and please let me know why you feel that way!

IDEA SANDBOX: STATUS
To keep you informed of the process, I’ll bullet out my key activities and updates.

Location

Fri. Mar. 11 - Toured Seattle with Rebecca of Flinn Ferguson Corporate Real Estate. This team contacted me proactively when they saw my name out there looking for space. They presented me with a catalog of twelve locations in Seattle, and we visited six of them on Mar. 11th. They all were great spots. It’s great to have an agent that’s on your side and understands your needs. I’ll keep you posted as the sites are narrowed down.

Business Plan

I’ve used Guy's "The Art of the Start" book as a guide to building my business plan. I’m in the middle of putting my binder of notes together... from target market... to price list... to marketing tactics... in a form to share with prospective landlords.

Finance

While I have a chunk of cash to cover build-out and start-up costs, a landlord wants the security of knowing that you can afford your lease payments. I’ll be securing a small business loan to serve as a cushion. (I’ll share that adventure as I progress)

Creative | Marketing Tools

Logo - I have a bunch of sketches, but need to refine it to a final version. (I’ll post my sketches when I have a few minutes)

Website - I’ve got a skeleton site built... But it isn’t ready for public viewing...

Blog Site - Blog it and they will come... The blogsite will be coming soon... it may replace these comments on Brand Autopsy if I take up too much examining table space.

Pre-Sales - Once I’ve secured a location, I plan to create an artist’s rendering of the space for use in pre-sale materials. While I’m planning to open in August ’05, I plan to start pre-selling the space beginning in April. Akin to a condo or hotel, (or other rental situation), I hope to have a number of reservations in the books prior to officially opening.

Misc.

Jackie Huba is in town to give a presentation at the local American Marketing Association annual conference. She hosted a marketing dinner tonight in Seattle attended by Pete Winemiller of the Seattle Super Sonics, Chris Pirillo and Robert Scoble. I don't mention this to name drop... I mention it because there was a lot of discussion about RSS feeds and ways to consolidate content. One of the missions of Idea Sandbox is to gather and deliver meaningful creative tools and resources. I can see a link to the 'virtual' meetings above as well as using RSS to share creative resources... we shall see.

Thank you for your time, energy, enthusiasm and comments... Keep 'em coming!

Comments

[Basil Valentine]

I think there is a growing fatigue with made-up words which in the end describe existing processes. Too often, fancy names have been hung on tired ideas. I can rename my broken-down old stag "Smarty Jones," but it doesn't mean he is going to win the Derby.

That reminds me, however, that I want to drop a note to Sallie Mae. The brand name is a little too Beverly Hillbillies. It doesn’t inspire college-educated people to pay back their debts. I want to suggest something with a little more sex appeal. My informal research among a sample of male lawyers and IT professionals found that two of the most popular new names are "Gabrielle" and "Babette." Sexy, a little exotic, and probably good-in-the-sack. This will be a new brand guys will desperately want to write checks to.

But I digress...

The question is, have you developed something truly unique that deserves a name to match? Which suggests the process should be entirely hammered out first, then the name be decided upon at the end.

[Tom]

Good luck Paul. And when you get up and running let me know. I'll send you free copies of my books - Sandbox Wisdom - for the sandbox library.

[Brand Examiner Paul]

Tom - How 'bout you offering (either personally or via a lesson plan) a Sandbox Wisdom course?

[Tom]

Sure. Let me know how you imagine it and we'll make something happen.

[Andy Havens]

So I'm sitting in the mall a couple days ago, watching my 5-year-old play on the fun stuff they put in mall play areas for 5-year-olds to play on. It used to be giant food (which was charming), and now is planets and a space shuttle, which is appealing, but less charming. Kids whooping it up, ramming into each other, jumping from planet to planet... all is right as I wait for my wife and some friends to get done shopping so we can gather together and eat food-court food.

So I'm thinking to myself, "It's a shame that this cool, play-on-it stuff has to be in such a mundane place as the mall." Malls are OK. But, as in my poetic life, they've stood as a metaphor (for me) for much that is beige and generic about our current American mode. "I'd like to move this fun, colorful, plastic stuff to the narthex of my church," I'm thinking. "Or to the lobby of a movie theatre. Or a bookstore. Somewhere where there's more imagination to be had than the corner of Sunglass Hut and the Verizon Kiosk. Wouldn't it be great if you could put it all on a truck and move it around once and awhile and..."

And then, for no reason other than the Nine Princes of Serendipity, I thought of your Idea Sandbox.

Why does it have to be in a set place?

The couple "creative thinking places" I've heard of (and for sure one of the the ones here in Columbus that crapped out) had problems with big mortgages or rent bills. Plus utilities. Plus parking. Plus getting people to come to the building. Plus neighbors that were idiots.

Why not bring the Idea Sandbox to the people? Most companies have meeting spaces. What they lack are the creative tools, leaders and activities. They lack the Idea Sand, not the Box. You'd end up not competing with the hotels, convention centers, etc., but working with them (and, if you play it right, getting a cut).

These are the days of virtuality. Of content that is not anchored to a particular space. If your Idea Sandbox isn't fixed to a meatworld address, you can not only take it around Seattle... but way, way farther afield. And if it is portable, it is also much easier to franchise. Can you say "Idea Sandbox in a Box?"

The space where great ideas are created rarely has anything to do with a place on a map; it's a place that is created between one person's mouth and another one's ears. Or in the midst of a group of fertile brains. It happens on subway cars and on road trips. It happens in coffee houses. If your Idea Sandbox can take advantage of that -- the fluid, volatile nature of creativity -- and bring it to where the people need the Sand... maybe that's more powerful than a set piece of real estate that is the Box.

Or, perhaps, I was just really wanting to see a giant, plastic space shuttle in my church's narthex.

[Michael Chaffin]

Paul,

From a hotelier's perspective, I think it's a great idea.

In fact, you might even consider collaborating with some of the hotels nearby (especially those with no meeting space) for overflow, or when the group's want more than the standard sterile meeting room. In fact, from your description of the "experience", it's quite plausible you could actually generate roomnights for the hotels (I'm sure you've thought of that already).

I've opened numerous hotels and repositioned a few more. Let me know if you need some help in that area. I'm all for sharing ideas...

Good Luck, I'll follow along with great interest.

[Jyh Yeong]

Here are just some points that you might want to think about:

Can someone think creatively just because they are in place that 'promotes' creative thinking? Sure, I guess it helps to a certain extent. But I feel that creative thinking is a mindset and not something that can be achieved just because you're doing your thinking in some place else.

IF a person is being 'trained' to think systematically, logically.. and non-radically.. will changing a place help? It's like throwing a man into an ocean and asking him to swim, when he is used to his swimming pool. He'll just be doing some things, just in a different place.

On this note, I think a boot-camp of sorts would probably fare better. Maybe a 3 day boot-camp.. heck, 7 days, one month! Whatever the time frame needed to 're-train' people to think creatively.

Convince the managers to accept radical ideas and change. Most of the time, radical ideas require change. Change people's mindset. Teach them not to clip the wings of a bird even before it has learn to fly. There's no point of thinking creatively and coming up with excellent ideas.. if the person on top says no. It's about re-education, and everyone has got to go to class.

[Brand Examiner Paul]

Jyh,

I agree with you that 'just because' you're in a different environment doesn't automatically mean you can 'think different.'

That's why I want to combine the space, with the tools and the people resources.

I love your thought of Better Idea Bootcamp!

That's for sure something that I should offer.

[Jyh Yeong]

Hi Paul,

I'm glad you found my rambling useful. =)

The space and the tools you have.. how about people resources? Are you gonna let whoever is renting your space manage themselves? or is there gonna be a facilitator of sorts to help things move along?

I hope you iron out the crease. Can't wait to see this project go live! =)

[Brand Examiner Paul]

My preference is to either facilitate or "influence the facilitation" of the creative meetings...

My goal is for people to leave with the best ideas possible... I will feel I'm doing a disservice to Guests if they struggle in the process or can't be as productive as possible.

My goal is to pre-qualify Guests to ensure they have the rigth skills and tools.

[Jyh Yeong]

Hi Paul,

hm... pre-qualifying guests.. it would be interesting to know what kind of critieria you're setting.. what are the 'must-haves'.. what constitutes the 'right' skills and tools? and what's going to happen if they do not qualify..

In my humble opinion, i think that to facilitate or to 'influence the facilitation' is definitely the step in the right direction. However, one question comes to mind. Who is going to be the facilitator?

Assuming guests from all over with different expertise and professions (car makers, watch makers, advertisers, writers, etc.) visit the Idea Sandbox.. now.. Is he (the facilitator) going to be someone who has been trained in multi-disciplines? or are you going to have a team of facilitors that's going to be around to help?

The other thing of couse would be the building of that trust so as to get that momentum going between a facilitator (I'm pretty much assuming there is going to be one)and your guests. Say.. for example: I'm a car-maker, and I want to do something different.. no one has done before, that's why I'm at Idea Sandbox. Now, I have been doing this for the past 20 years.. what makes you think I'm going to listen to your facilitator? How is he even qualified in the first place?

I guess I'm just playing the devil's advocate here.. trying to help you foresee some problems.. Hope I'm of help!

Best Regards! =)

[JasonKerr]

A cool page to visit as you consider location:
Neuroesthetics Institute <--Lots of sand in there. I especially like the papers,etc re: architectural esthetics and the brain.

Also, you talk about raising the level of service. I am curious about your plans for the auxillary services connected with your operation. What kind of personnel volume are you looking at? Have you brainstormed any cool hiring ideas:

• Circus people (all jokes aside)?
• Cherry-picking Disney?
• Librarians? -- some real research-genius to be found.
• Improv troupes?
• Kindergarten teachers?
• Would-be-consultant/facilitators-in-training? Possibly to branch to other regions?

Also, dig this blog: Meetings Industry Soapbox <--meeting planner rants and raves twice daily; should probably be in your 'gator indefinitely.

Also, a tech idea: an idea-chartering document a la html/google-ish setup with its own built-in cookie bots that constantly cookie the document and constantly autosearch and auto-display relevance-ranked links to everything:

• the meeting group's sent and received emails


• other group's (?)emails
• the web
• blogs
• RSS feeds
• electronic research indexes

Also, you might drop me an email asking how interested I am.

[Brand Examiner Paul]

Jason,

Thanks for your thoughts and contribution! Nice work.

We're thinking alike on the technology side... How can I become and/or build "Google Creative?" Like Google Images - for people, places and things creative.

[Andreas Markessinis]

Cool site, have a look at mine if you have time or get borerd of surfing

[Jason Kerr]

Paul,

The pieces of the puzzle are mostly already out there. It'd just be a matter of putting it together (sometimes easy/sometimes easier said).

What we're talking about here is a software agent.

In reality, the simplest skeleton of what I was talking about wouldn't be that much different from the basic cookies and other spyware out there--except that it's focused inward and it returns files rather than ads.

Now what you're talking about with images--well I've actually read about a project in progress. Here’s the Flash demo.

Most significant issue to me is the format/functionality.
I'm seeing something:

• with a user-adaptable display
  
• user-adaptable controls
  
• references multiple information sources
  
• regional onscreen displays for each searchbot
  
• display constantly changes as you input
  
  • almost like scenery changing as you drive
  • requires behavior adapt from user
  • similar to visual scanning while driving a car

Possible similarities to other technologies:

• Meta-search like dogpile but with a metabrowser --
• Open-source adaptability like Mozilla Firefox,
• Regional display rather than(or at least in addition to) tabbed browsing
• WYSIWYG document creation area--front and center
• And later on... a smart semantics version that makes the searches more intelligent
  • Basic declarative statements might trigger a standard google-type search
  • Factual-based questions would search more like Brainboost.com
  • Proper names might trigger something else, etc.

Essentially, the search looks where you're going and follows you. Done right, should feel like the information is seeking you out.

Think of this idea production application like flying a plane (or a spacecraft if you prefer). The regional periphery displays give the peripheral information that helps you navigate, but you're still focusing on driving, on producing the ideas, documents, and the overall what not that will become your final product.

Imagine you never had to jump between your browser and word processor. Instead your browser fits like a glove around a document editor/web tool. Not only that, you don't have to drive the browser. It drives itself as you create. It's like a Segway for your brain, just lean and go.

So what do have to do? Some R&D, some on-site testing spins to some cool PR.

...hmm I really dig this Sandbox thing. I wanna play.