Good Idea Friday - One real world idea whose time I think has come

Today: May 5th, 2013.

Idea: Instead of providing insurance rebate, provide auto credit for good driving.

Most insurance companies have deep tie-ins with automotive companies. They are integrated into the sales cycle, and provide no-cash facility for service. In the event that you make no claim for a year, they are willing to renew your insurance for a discount. All is good.

However, why not turn this around with a bit of ingenuity? Instead of providing a discount on my insurance payment, offer a slightly larger credit with the automotive dealership. This credit should be applicable to spares, service charges, and even labor costs. It wouldn't be too difficult to bring this in within the existing system and I think it will influence a couple of things:

1. The insurance discount is often viewed as savings, and not a reward - people don't necessarily work for it. With this system, I think people will work to earn that reward at the end of the year - hopefully, creating safer drivers.  
2. With a credit available with the auto companies, their revenues will go up. The delta increase in the reward should easily be covered by the raise in the revenue.
3. Now that the drivers have credit, they will be free to spend that on the upkeep of the car - maybe pay for a service, or upgrade their audio system, or a touch up job to get rid of all those scratches, or a broken taillight. The driver feels more 'rewarded'; happier now that their automobile is 'fixed' or 'upgraded'
4. Some of that money will go into getting a service for the car - maybe... just maybe creating a safer car on the road?

Here is how I envision it to work:

• Level 1: You start with X credits at the beginning of an insurance period. Every accident, traffic violation, and 'irresponsible insurance behavior' gets points out of that X credits. At the end of the insurance period, you get credit at the dealership of your choice.
• Level 2: As you stay with the insurance company for long, you will also be eligible for additional points - so loyalty with the insurance company is built over time.
• Level 3: If you manage to empty the points over an insurance period, you are moved into a higher-risk category. This means additional premium. 
• Level 4: Since there are multiple service centers with whom you can choose to have credit, they can extend discounts (and additional credit) to build loyalty with customer. Also, since the customer might get most of their service 'free' they might be able to sell more of the 'premium service' options (engine flush, interior cleaning services etc.)

So... This is my idea for this Friday - what do you think? :)

Let me know.

Designing Organic Learning

I have always had a problem with the 'learning system'. This stems from one main source - our learning theories always address the learning need at an individual level, how 'a' person learns. However, our learning solutions try to address learning groups - we simply apply the precepts (from the learning theory) of one individual to the whole group. 

This, I feel, is wrong at so many levels - the (learning) dynamics of the group will usually not apply (usually) to an individual. On the other hand, taking a generic 'group' dynamics approach (which we usually do) - we reduce the overall efficacy of learning.

This stuff has been discussed/debated/rued at length by many an ID – and so let us not go there for now.

In essence when we sell eLearning solutions as ‘custom learning solutions’ – we deduce a commonality for the group/organization, take a favored ID theory/methodology/model and customize it for the group. This is believe, causes a very weak, rigid and unusable learning system. I have yet to see/hear of a learning system that really works as it is meant to do. The ‘losses in transmission’ have become too much of a dead weight – and I think we need to look at other means of creating a learning system.

A Learning System

Before I go ahead – let me put in my definition of a learning system. A learning system is a manifestation of a learning solution and will include infrastructure, courseware, curriculum, architecture and a delivery (of learning) mechanism.

To put in ‘English’ – this is where one would ‘go’ to fulfill a learning need.

Customization of Learning

We have been selling the concept of customization of learning (especially in eLearning) for quite some time now. However, what we are offering is only the customization of the delivery mechanism – or at the very best, customization in the interactivity levels of a course. I firmly believe that this is not true customization. As ‘Learning Designers’ we need to think of the learner – how do we customize a learning experience? How to we allow for choice in choosing how one wants to learn.

To put this in more layman terms – what we are doing right now is akin to a fashion designer offering a dress in five different sizes. I am suggesting that we think of the learner and offer the learner 5 different dresses! Now – would that not be more useful?

The field of learning design (and development) essentially borrowed a LOT from the field of software design (and development) – we see a whole lot of similar terms which have been tweaked to suit our specific requirements; ADDIE, FRC, Waterfall Development, Alpha–Beta–Gold et al. This was fantastic even ten years ago. However, the field of software development itself has left much of these methodologies behind – and has adopted newer techniques. I think we need to take a look at how we offer learning solutions. It is not a matter of playing ‘keep up’ with the erstwhile field – but to finally come into our own as an industry.

Innovation in Learning

 One of the things that I have noticed is that somehow, we tend to be very innovative in adopting a technology – we adopted mobiles, second life, virtual/augmented reality, apple devices, et al. We have a need to be the ‘cutting edge’ in learning design. However, my point is that these are delivery mechanisms – yes, they do influence the users experience, but they do not particularly influence the learning itself. We are still using learning methodologies framed from a different era.

Studies have shown that in the digital age, we have evolved the way we process and store information (and hence learn) – technically, this means that most of our learning theories by themselves don’t hold much water now. However, they are based on common sense – and hence still continue to work.

In recent times, we have heard of ‘Connectivism’ – but even that has not yet become main stream. I am not sure how many professionals have heard of it, are planning to implement it – or even have an idea of how to take it from a theory and evolve it into a methodology and then into a model.

I think it is time to accelerate our paradigms of learning systems... We need to go beyond what we have... We need to go beyond offering customizable delivery options... and verily offer custom learning options.

I believe it is now the time to think about organic learning systems... Allow me to explain...

The Organic Learning System 

I define an Organic Learning System as a system which should be able to tune a unique learning experience for the learner – allowing them to choose their pace, learning style and delivery preference. It should allow a list of configurable items that will help the learner learn - not just in terms of content... but in terms of learning experiences.

So what does this mean?

Multiple Modes of Delivery

The system should allow for multiple modes of delivery. This is the first level of customization - web, mobile, touch-based, system independent learning. Identify multiple means of delivery; the learner should be able to access content truly on demand: from within an ERP system at work, at home just before bed, or while travelling to work.

Delivery of ‘Parts’ of Courses

They should be able choose to learn one part of the course online, learn about the nuances of  the system as a podcast, and have small stick-it notes on their desk that give them critical tips and tricks. They should be able to take a print out of a part of the course – and keep another part in their mails (for access on the move: one source of content that modulates to ‘output’ (in real time) to multiple delivery mechanisms.

Customizable Curriculum

The learner should be able to choose content based on requirement. Place content into discrete chunks - allocate what is ‘critical’ to be learnt by the learner. However, But allow them to grow beyond 'allocation'. Allow them to decide how and when they want to learn. This means that we would need to define the objectives at the entrance of the learning system, allocate a ‘bare minimum’ learning requirement, and let the learner into the system. Testing will be done at the exit of the curriculum – or better still, at the entrance into a performance system and not at the end of a courseware. Enforce a curriculum not by means of testing, but by creating a pull towards curriculum completion.

Organic Curriculum

The curriculum (and the learning system) should evolve regularly. It should not be a ‘go-live’ system, but one that grows with the requirements of the learner base. Do not 'freeze' the curriculum (or the design) – instead develop a phase-wise implementation to start with. Develop a good chunk of content up front, but be prepared to grow the curriculum. As an experience, the learner should see the 'newness' of the learning space – much like new movies releasing every Friday.

Feedback in to the System

One of the things, I believe, makes for good learning is when the learner feels a sense of ownership and oneness with the learning system. To this end, the learner should be able to feedback into the system; this means they should be able to generate new content, discuss older content with other learners (and course owners, make notes, ask questions, extract bits of content, manipulate it to suit their requirements and more.

Non-centralized Content Development

Though I am a strong advocate of there being a centralized source of content development ‘official content’, I also believe that there should be alternative content that is developed from the fringes of the learning network. In this day and age, the people ‘at the ground’ have a better handle of tacit knowledge of the performance system – they should be allowed to push this into the learning system. The learning system on the other hand should welcome such content – and incentivize such content development. Imagine if you will; the kind of information that an upstream system administrator in the O&G domain will have to share with the learning network.

Respect for the Learner

This is the most important aspect of any learning design – respect the learners, their requirements, their abilities and more. They are intelligent adults, who should be given choices – and the freedom to learn. The learning system should respect this freedom and should be designed to allow the learner to exercise their freedom at any cost. Technology should be an enabler and not a hindrance to such systems.

This is definitely not an exhaustive list – this is the result of a frenetic session in a very boring flight. Please do let me know your thoughts, and also, if this should/can be taken to the next level. I am always game for something interesting!

Love,

-A 

Posted via email from Learning Design

Designing Organic Learning

I have always had a problem with the 'learning system'. This stems from one main source - our learning theories always address the learning need at an individual level, how 'a' person learns. However, our learning solutions try to address learning groups - we simply apply the precepts (from the learning theory) of one individual to the whole group. 

This, I feel, is wrong at so many levels - the (learning) dynamics of the group will usually not apply (usually) to an individual. On the other hand, taking a generic 'group' dynamics approach (which we usually do) - we reduce the overall efficacy of learning.

This stuff has been discussed/debated/rued at length by many an ID – and so let us not go there for now.

In essence when we sell eLearning solutions as ‘custom learning solutions’ – we deduce a commonality for the group/organization, take a favored ID theory/methodology/model and customize it for the group. This is believe, causes a very weak, rigid and unusable learning system. I have yet to see/hear of a learning system that really works as it is meant to do. The ‘losses in transmission’ have become too much of a dead weight – and I think we need to look at other means of creating a learning system.

A Learning System

Before I go ahead – let me put in my definition of a learning system. A learning system is a manifestation of a learning solution and will include infrastructure, courseware, curriculum, architecture and a delivery (of learning) mechanism.

To put in ‘English’ – this is where one would ‘go’ to fulfill a learning need.

Customization of Learning

We have been selling the concept of customization of learning (especially in eLearning) for quite some time now. However, what we are offering is only the customization of the delivery mechanism – or at the very best, customization in the interactivity levels of a course. I firmly believe that this is not true customization. As ‘Learning Designers’ we need to think of the learner – how do we customize a learning experience? How to we allow for choice in choosing how one wants to learn.

To put this in more layman terms – what we are doing right now is akin to a fashion designer offering a dress in five different sizes. I am suggesting that we think of the learner and offer the learner 5 different dresses! Now – would that not be more useful?

The field of learning design (and development) essentially borrowed a LOT from the field of software design (and development) – we see a whole lot of similar terms which have been tweaked to suit our specific requirements; ADDIE, FRC, Waterfall Development, Alpha–Beta–Gold et al. This was fantastic even ten years ago. However, the field of software development itself has left much of these methodologies behind – and has adopted newer techniques. I think we need to take a look at how we offer learning solutions. It is not a matter of playing ‘keep up’ with the erstwhile field – but to finally come into our own as an industry.

Innovation in Learning

 One of the things that I have noticed is that somehow, we tend to be very innovative in adopting a technology – we adopted mobiles, second life, virtual/augmented reality, apple devices, et al. We have a need to be the ‘cutting edge’ in learning design. However, my point is that these are delivery mechanisms – yes, they do influence the users experience, but they do not particularly influence the learning itself. We are still using learning methodologies framed from a different era.

Studies have shown that in the digital age, we have evolved the way we process and store information (and hence learn) – technically, this means that most of our learning theories by themselves don’t hold much water now. However, they are based on common sense – and hence still continue to work.

In recent times, we have heard of ‘Connectivism’ – but even that has not yet become main stream. I am not sure how many professionals have heard of it, are planning to implement it – or even have an idea of how to take it from a theory and evolve it into a methodology and then into a model.

I think it is time to accelerate our paradigms of learning systems... We need to go beyond what we have... We need to go beyond offering customizable delivery options... and verily offer custom learning options.

I believe it is now the time to think about organic learning systems... Allow me to explain...

The Organic Learning System 

I define an Organic Learning System as a system which should be able to tune a unique learning experience for the learner – allowing them to choose their pace, learning style and delivery preference. It should allow a list of configurable items that will help the learner learn - not just in terms of content... but in terms of learning experiences.

So what does this mean?

Multiple Modes of Delivery

The system should allow for multiple modes of delivery. This is the first level of customization - web, mobile, touch-based, system independent learning. Identify multiple means of delivery; the learner should be able to access content truly on demand: from within an ERP system at work, at home just before bed, or while travelling to work.

Delivery of ‘Parts’ of Courses

They should be able choose to learn one part of the course online, learn about the nuances of  the system as a podcast, and have small stick-it notes on their desk that give them critical tips and tricks. They should be able to take a print out of a part of the course – and keep another part in their mails (for access on the move: one source of content that modulates to ‘output’ (in real time) to multiple delivery mechanisms.

Customizable Curriculum

The learner should be able to choose content based on requirement. Place content into discrete chunks - allocate what is ‘critical’ to be learnt by the learner. However, But allow them to grow beyond 'allocation'. Allow them to decide how and when they want to learn. This means that we would need to define the objectives at the entrance of the learning system, allocate a ‘bare minimum’ learning requirement, and let the learner into the system. Testing will be done at the exit of the curriculum – or better still, at the entrance into a performance system and not at the end of a courseware. Enforce a curriculum not by means of testing, but by creating a pull towards curriculum completion.

Organic Curriculum

The curriculum (and the learning system) should evolve regularly. It should not be a ‘go-live’ system, but one that grows with the requirements of the learner base. Do not 'freeze' the curriculum (or the design) – instead develop a phase-wise implementation to start with. Develop a good chunk of content up front, but be prepared to grow the curriculum. As an experience, the learner should see the 'newness' of the learning space – much like new mo

vies releasing every Friday.

Feedback in to the System

One of the things, I believe, makes for good learning is when the learner feels a sense of ownership and oneness with the learning system. To this end, the learner should be able to feedback into the system; this means they should be able to generate new content, discuss older content with other learners (and course owners, make notes, ask questions, extract bits of content, manipulate it to suit their requirements and more.

Non-centralized Content Development

Though I am a strong advocate of there being a centralized source of content development ‘official content’, I also believe that there should be alternative content that is developed from the fringes of the learning network. In this day and age, the people ‘at the ground’ have a better handle of tacit knowledge of the performance system – they should be allowed to push this into the learning system. The learning system on the other hand should welcome such content – and incentivize such content development. Imagine if you will; the kind of information that an upstream system administrator in the O&G domain will have to share with the learning network.

Respect for the Learner

This is the most important aspect of any learning design – respect the learners, their requirements, their abilities and more. They are intelligent adults, who should be given choices – and the freedom to learn. The learning system should respect this freedom and should be designed to allow the learner to exercise their freedom at any cost. Technology should be an enabler and not a hindrance to such systems.

This is definitely not an exhaustive list – this is the result of a frenetic session in a very boring flight. Please do let me know your thoughts, and also, if this should/can be taken to the next level. I am always game for something interesting!

Love,

-A 

Posted via email from Learning Design

Designing Organic Learning

I have always had a problem with the 'learning system'. Our learning theories talk about an individual learning style, while our learning solutions try to address learning groups - we simply apply the precepts of one to the whole. In essence when we sell eLearning solutions as custom learning solutions - we are merely customizing it for the group, and not for the system. I have a problem with that now.
Why are we not building (or even designing) learning experiences for the individual? We seem perfectly capable of doing it in other fields... Dining or fashion for example...
I think it is time to accelerate our paradigms of learning systems... We need to go beyond what we have... We even need to go beyond offering customizable options...
I believe it is now the time to think about organic learning systems.. Allow me to explain...

The Organic Learning System
An organic learning system should be able to tune a learning experience for the learner allowing to learn at their pace, style and liking. It should allow a list of configurable items that will help the learner learn - not just in terms of content... But learning experiences.
So what does this mean?
• The system should allow for multiple modes of delivery. This is the first level of customization - web, mobile, touch-based, system independent learning. Identify multiple means of delivery, the learner should be able to access content truly on demand... From within an ERP system at work... At home just before bed... Traveling to work as a Podcast talking about the nuances... Via Audio, video or text...
• The learner should be able to choose content based on requirement. Place content into discrete chunks - allocate what is required to a learner... But allow them to grow beyond 'allocation'. Allow them to decide how and when they want to learn... Enforce a curriculum not by means of testing, but by creating a pull towards curriculum completion.
• Dont 'freeze' the curriculum (or the design). Develop a phase wise implementation - develop a good chunk of content up beginning but be prepared to grow the curriculum. The learner should see the 'newness' of the learning space - much like new movies every Friday.
• The learner should be able to feedback into the system, generate new content, discuss older content, make notes, place bookmarks, extract bits of content, manipulate it... Interact with the learning system.
• Though there should be a centralized source of content, develop avenues of alternate content coming into place.
• Test not at the end of courses but at the exit of the learning system or the entrance of the performance system. This ensures that irrespective of the learning method, everyone has a benchmark of assessment/ performance... These assessments should be based on objectives stated at the entrance to the learning system (not the course). This places the onus on the learner to learn... Not the course...
•
I have always had a problem with the 'learning system'. Our learning theories talk about an individual learning style, while our learning solutions try to address learning groups - we simply apply the precepts of one to the whole. In essence when we sell eLearning solutions as custom learning solutions - we are merely customizing it for the group, and not for the system. I have a problem with that now.
Why are we not building (or even designing) learning experiences for the individual? We seem perfectly capable of doing it in other fields... Dining or fashion for example...

I believe it is now the time to think about organic learning systems.. Allow me to explain...

The Organic Learning System
An organic learning system should be able to tune a learning experience for the learner allowing to learn at their pace, style and liking. It should allow a list of configurable items that will help the learner learn.
So what does this mean?
• The system should allow for multiple modes of delivery. This is the first level of customization - web, mobile, touch-based, system independent learning. Identify multiple means of delivery, the learner should be able to access content truly on demand... From within an ERP system at work... At home just before bed... Traveling to work as a Podcast talking about the nuances... Via Audio, video or text...
• The learner should be able to choose content based on requirement. Place content into discrete chunks - allocate what is required to a learner... But allow them to grow beyond 'allocation'. Allow them to decide how and when they want to learn... Enforce a curriculum not by means of testing, but by creating a pull towards curriculum completion.
• Dont 'freeze' the curriculum (or the design). Develop a phase wise implementation - we've borrowed a lot from the software development process
I have always had a problem with the 'learning system'. Our learning theories talk about an individual learning style, while our learning solutions try to address learning groups - we simply apply the precepts of one to the whole. In essence when we sell eLearning solutions as custom learning solutions - we are merely customizing it for the group, and not for the system. I have a problem with that now.
Why are we not building (or even designing) learning experiences for the individual? We seem perfectly capable of doing it in other fields... Dining or fashion for example...

I believe it is now the time to think about organic learning systems.. Allow me to explain...

The Organic Learning System
An organic learning system should be able to tune a learning experience for the learner allowing to learn at their pace, style and liking. It should allow a list of configurable items that will help the learner learn.
So what does this mean?
• The system should allow for multiple modes of delivery. This is the first level of customization - web, mobile, touch-based, system independent learning. Identify multiple means of delivery, the learner should be able to access content truly on demand... From within an ERP system at work... At home just before bed... Traveling to work as a Podcast talking about the nuances... Via Audio, video or text...
• The learner should be able to choose content based on requirement. Place content into discrete chunks - allocate what is required to a learner... But allow them to grow beyond 'allocation'. Allow them to decide how and when they want to learn... Enforce a curriculum not by means of testing, but by creating a pull towards curriculum completion.
• Dont 'freeze' the curriculum (or the design). Develop a phase wise implementation - we've borrowed a lot from the software development process

Posted via email from Learning Design

IF...

Ohh My GOD...!

I remember reading this poem a loong loong time ago... around the time i discovered 'The Jungle Book' and its creator Rudyard Kilping... I remeber being wowed by it...

I stumbled uopn this poem years later... and now... I am absolutely floored by it... I even gor a video naration of the poem (Only wish he had done the ending a little differnet though)

The poem then...

IF

By Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

The Video Here

Mumbai... The place to be...!

Technorati Tags: Mumbai,city,bangalore,hyderabad,life,living

An old line from a Javed Jaffery song... Mum-bhai!

Mumbai has long since been the city of dreams in India... a city that has been the epicenter of all 'happening'... A city which has been described with such passion that few other cities have managed to gather... a city - where the denizens are passionate in their cry of 'Amchi Mumbai'...

Friends from Mumbai are passionate about their city... this seems to be a common thread amongst all of them... I always wondered what it was that the city had that set it off from other cities... what was the sprit of Mumbai...?

I have lived in Hyderabad and Bangalore and consider myself to be part Bangalorean and part Hyderabadi... these cities are close to my heart... but a few days ago - when I set foot in Mumbai, I think I realized what it was that made Mumbai...

Mumbai is organic... it is a mixture of extremes... everything in Mumbai is '0' or '1'... there is no in-between... it is the mixture of these 0s and 1s that gives the illusion of flavors...

Let me explain...

The extremes... people are caring... people don't give a Damn... There is a slum right next to a set of 5 star hotels... people in Audis try to squeeze past the auto rickshaws... regardless of your CTC - the trains are a good way to travel... It is Hot... it is Cold... It is crowded... it has open spaces... It is cunning... it is innocent... It is gross... it is beautiful... it is busy... it is relaxed... it has finance... it has dreams...

In Mumbai you have to micro-belong... you HAVE to have an affiliation... you have to belong either to the audi club or the rickshaw club.. you have to belong to the vada-pau club or the Hyaat club... but you have to belong to these clubs... it is the permutations and combinations that provides the flavor...

It is these permutations and combinations that makes each Mumbai-ite unique yet similar in spirit to each other... each of them is a different set of characteristics... but because of the complexities.. they are bound together in the complexities... Bound together by the sprit of being Mumbai-ites...

Life is living in Mumbai...

Mumbai is organic... You cannot afford to ignore Mumbai while in Mumbai... You are 'wakif' with the city as long as you are there... It demands that of you...

In Bangalore... you can live in Jayanagar and work at ITPL travel 30-40 Kms on a daily basis and never be affected by what happens in... say, R.T Nagar... Hell you might never even know where the hell R.T Nagar is...!

In Hyderabad... well it is a little more complex there... you are familiar with areas there... the area where you grew up... the area where you went to college... the area where you haunt the food joints... you know the pulse of these areas... the rest of it disappears off the map... they don't much exist for you... and sometimes when you visit a new area - it is a very foreign experience.

Mumbai I felt the urge to belong... and yet to stand aloof...

Baz Luhrmann in his 'Sunscreen' urges "... Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft..."

Mumbai is both... live in Mumbai... but keep a watch out for your soul... if it flies free in the diversity of its experiences... stay... else you will never leave...

Love

-A

The Sound of Thunder

I travel a long distance to work... I am thinking a LOT of random thoughts on the way... 

Scene... Bangalore in the morning... riding my gorgeous bike to work... traffic lights... Bangalore has a pretty long wait time at some signals... 2-3 minutes... and since there is pretty much nothing to do at that time... the devil comes out to play...

I ride a 500cc Enfield Machismo to work.. and though this machine is muted compared to other (earlier) bikes from the same stable... it is pretty loud compared to a lot of the plastic stuff out there... Advantage One...

Standing in a traffic light... eveyone has their vehicles on idiling... and are driving/riding to work almost on auto-pilot... I doscovered one thing... the collective energy levels of the crowd at the signal is a function of the noise levels... the more the noise... the more the activity (energy)..

so... I tried a small activity... everyone is on Idle... and suddenly... out of nowhere... I raise my machine and let her roar a litte... almost immediately... bikes and cars rush into action... bikes budge forward to fill up spaces... cars inch ahead trying to get ahead... I just stand there watching... then they realise it was a false alarm and get back to they sedentary poses.... 

I tried this at various junctions and at all times of the day/night... it works EVERYTIME... Without fail...

What could this mean? why this collective behaviour? Why does this happen?

I have a few thoughts...

One... people dont really want to drive (or drive in bangalore) and are looking to disengage at every chance they can get... traffic signals create that oppurtunity... what does this mean? people are not alert at signals... and immeditely when they start off from signals... they are liable to not be completly aware...

Two... as a UX (User Experience)... traffic signals are tedious... they dont meet unsaid needs of the users... they are bad design... Traffic Signals were originally meant to be short stop solutions to clearing traffic... they were never intended to be an experince like this... We should look at redesigning the traffic signal experience... and immediately...

Three...vehicles were initially designed to move... they were designed to be be means of transport... they were designed to be in motion... then somewhere down the line.. they were also designed to look good standing...  but look at it this way... who designed them to be at traffic lights? NO ONE!... they are just NOT designed to be running (engine) and standing at a signal with riders/drivers on/in them...! I think automotive designers need to rethink this as a paradim in automotive design... any takers?

Lastly... entertainment systems need to be deigned to fill this gap... I think design has become feature oriented and not purpose oriented... rethink this peoples!!! design should ALWAYS be purpose oriented...

Cheers!!!

-A

WE ARE FRIENDS... WITHOUT FACES

I received this as a forward from a  (without face) friend and thought it was so true..

So to all ye reading my blog... this one is for you.

 
We sit and we type, and we stare at our screens,
We all have to wonder, what this possibly means.
 
With our mouse we roam, through the rooms in a maze,
Looking for something or someone, as we sit in a daze.
 
We chat with each other, we type all our woes,
Small groups we do form, and gang up on our foes.
 
We wait for somebody, to type out our name,
We want recognition, but it is always the same.
 
We give kisses and hugs, and sometimes flirt,
In IMs we chat deeply, and reveal why we hurt.
 
We do form friendships - but - why we don't know,
But some of these friendships, will flourish and grow.
 
Why is it on screen, we can be so bold,
Telling our secrets, that have never been told.
 
Why is it we share, the thoughts in our mind,
With those we can't see, as though we were blind.
 
The answer is simple, it is as clear as a bell.
We all have our problems, and need someone to tell.
 
We can't tell "real" people, but tell someone we must,
So we turn to the 'puter, and to those we can trust.
 
Even though it is crazy, the truth still remains,
They are Friends Without Faces, and odd little names

Update - Apparently this is a poem by Thomas Teague -thanks @punkpolkadots

Happy New Year...!!!

And so... we have begun a new year... wow... another one!? really!? :O

2008 was a weird year to say the least... one of the most 'happening' years so to speak... in retrospect of course...

While it was still on... it seemed to be particularly boring... but somehow... somewhere things were continiously happening... and in hindsight... I seem to have had a pretty interesting year...

Do you feel that too?

What does this tell us? many things... but one thing that screems itself loud and clear is to never underestimate Gaea... she has something or the other up hew sleev... and without your expecting... without your knowing... Boom! it is already done... :)

So... 2009... here you are you beautiful babe... come with me dhalin... we have loads to do...!!!

Happy new year folks... keep well... GodSpeed :)

WooHoo!! Here is the new-look ME!!

Well Junta... here it is... the new look me...!

Well atleast with a new - shorter hair cut :)

Why I did it...? I have no answer... I just got up one fine morning and said... what the hell! lets get it cut...

The entire thing took less than 15 minutes...

Seven years of long hair... and 15 minutes was all it took to become but just memories...

But... Am Happy... :)

Love

-Abhi

The deed is done!

I did it... finally!

Sometime late 2001 I started experimenting with my hair styles... and end
2002 decided to grow it long...

While in engineering I was always - The big fat guy with the long hair, who
rides a Yezdi...

The Yezdi is lying in my garage, unused... I am still big/fat and had long
hair...

Yeap... you got it right... HAD! :)

It is all gone!... all of it... back to a short hair cut now....

The moment of truth... (yea... I really had shoulder length hair)

Stay tuned for the updated pictures...!!

26 and Life is A-changing

I turned 26 recently... I am officially on the longer side of the 20s and for the first time in my career... I am not the kid in the team... :)
Yaaayy!!

But is there any difference? I am not too sure...

But life is going to change for sure... I have recently bought a new place that I am very exited about moving into... it is a decent sized 2BHK in Padbhanabhanagar, Bangalore.

Presently with the woodwork and the painting in progress - Hopefully I should be in the new place..

Her name is VYNA (why-na) and it is a Kannada/Marathi root word which means 'mesmerizing', 'beautiful' or just 'nice' (depending on usage)...

I am spooked about this place... I mean I need to choose colors and all... and that is definitely not my forte...
What I see in my imagination somehow never translates into real life colors... but what the hell... I am going to go ahead and live the vida-loca... :)

More ahead... await the finished pics :)

Making a difference

Mumbai... 3 days of utter chaos and confusion - 3 days of making Indians all over sit up; shocked, frustrated and perhaps fuming a little. In the days that followed; people suddenly woke up and wanted to know what happened? How can something like this happen!? How did the government let something like this happen!? we really cant trust the government! let us do SOMETHING and make a difference.
Suggestions on what needs to be done have been floating around since... make Mumbai (and other cities) state-cities, increase spending on internal defense, buy more posh weapons... what not...!!!
The problem with all these approaches is that it does not solve any problem... you are only looking at different ways to fight... but not solve... the problem does not go away or anything.
People also have this sudden desire to 'do something' 'make a difference' 'create a tidal wave of change' and whatnot!?! but because everyone wants to something drastic (which we cannot do) we eventually go back to our grumbling selves complainig about the 'pathetic state of affairs' and 'the horrible government procedures'...
True... each time disaster strikes it brings with it a batch of converts who are actually doing stuff; but to a large majority of us - it makes us little more than arm chair activists.

So... the question now is... what will make a difference? How do we actually create a change?

One thing that crossed my mind when all this was happening was - the nature of coverage. That same weekend, a former prime minster died, a cyclone wrecked havoc on Chennai and parts of South India; but somehow escaped the gaze of national media? why? what made this event so 'special' (need a better word here) that all other news was JUST NOT covered?

Bombs went off in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmadabad and where not... sure they were all covered... but never to this degree... people were taken hostage earlier but that too did not bring in the same interest in coverage... What changed this time?

I believe that there were a couple of factors here... firstly (and most importantly) Mumbai is the information/news capital of India... forget anything else... this is Mumbai's single most important product.
When terror struck; it was automatically put into limelight and brought before the world... news channels managed to stay on topic for 60 hours straight... a record in these days... nothing else seemed to matter...except that mumbai was under attack... Frankly... more than the terrorists themselves... i think the media succeeded in spreading terror... when a terror attack happens - the act perse is often not half as horrible as its ability to linger and play on the minds of people who did not experience it...

This is what the media has done... spread it... and along with 'reporting' they also managed to shout and screem at the cameras and spread emotions, fan it worldwide...

What happened in Mumbai was a heinous act by a bunch of crazed psyched guys... and should never have happened... I do not for a moment say otherwise... but there is a difference between reporting and fanatic sensationalizing an event... a news channel has to stick to reporting else they are liable to create more damage than the terrorists themselves....

I believe in the strength of the free estate... freedom of the presses... we need to know what is happening around the world... news and views and everything... but there is a thin line between 'reporting and fanatic sensationalizing'... and I think what creates a crossover is.... MONEY

People made money from this terror... like it or not... and this money was made by the 'good' guys... The baddies were in it for ideologies and a false sense of righteousness or whatever... the good guys made the money... the innocents were victims... as always...

Now... this kind of gives me an idea what if we remove the excessive cash flow from these media channels? keep the revenue from advertising and stuff... but remove the fatty revenue... Stop the revenue from SMSes...

SMSes.. I believe has provided the system with more money than it knows how to handle - 3-6Rs from each and every person who has an opinion and a mobile... a country of over a billion and the revenues from the bottom of the pyramid are HUGE... TV shows (reality shows)... News channels... Radios and more are able to make revenues that makes the quality of the programming almost redundant... all these media seem to be gravitating towards making more money... not better programming... When Money speaks it has the loudest voice... and it seems to be making mincemeat of every other value system there is...

What I would suggest is... If a media wants my opinion.. I should not have to pay for it... Ideally the 'asker' should be paying for it... or at the very least... It should be free... What organistion will pay the client to take its opinion... esp when the organization has nothing to gain from it?

Think about it... With the flush money gone... news channels will have to go back to making sound programming to sustain itself... true... some might resort to more sensationalism initially... but it will not sustain... never had... never will... SOme major players might close down... but the ones that sustain will not ever be a carrier of distrust... the equations will have to change...

Ever notice... whenever we speak of the negatives of an Indian evert (or even its positives) we seem to use the same cliched phrases? we are getting this from the media...

PLease people... let us not be lead blindly by them... think for yourself... ask questions around... learn to make your own opinions...

ALL Pakistanis are NOT bad... even if the terrorists were indeed pakis (which no1 has proof for) then they were 10 pakistanis... not a nation of pakistan... we cannot choose to hate an entire nation (or religion) based on 10 representatives...  I am sure we will find the same proportion of fundamentalists amoungst ourselves also... Be not a pawn but be the path... be yourself... and be aware...

What can I do about the SMS Idea..? at the end of the day... perhaps nothing... but I WILL NOT hate... I will not carry with me the negative emotions... I will choose to be happy... I will choose to spread the happy energy :)

keep well mates... Life is good... Gaea is there :)

love
Abhi

What Now Brown Cow?

Hey blog...
I have been busy...
busy thinking... pretending to think...
busy working... pretending to work...
busy living... pretending to live...
Been busy... pretending to be busy...

Actually I have been thinking...about a lot of things...
About the kind of image I portray to the world around me... about the kind of person I come across to all those non-existent people who are figments of my imagination... (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams)...
I have been thinking about communication... and effective communication...
I have been thinking about Relationships... and Stereotypes in relationships...
I have been thinking about Mumbai... and the cycle of Karma...
I have been thinking about finding the question to 'life, the universe and everything' (the answer should be 42 remember?).. and thus ending existence as we know it...
I have even been thinking about thinking itself... and how it often limits us in our actions...

I have been thinking... I need some new energy... Maybe I ought to write.... write a book perhaps... not with the intent to publish... but with the intent to get some clarity in thought...

I am trying out the new scribefire extension to firefox... bloggin from within the browser...
What now... brown cow..?

Equality and Feminism

I am a feminist - and thats the truth.

Feminism is that percept that says women are equal to men. I happen to concur; how can this statement possibly be wrong.
I have been trying to understand the underlying problem with people accepting equality as a percept -and I think the problem lies in the fact that as humans we necessarily tend to gravitate towards a status quo. We do that in two distinct styles... We want to form groups and we need to 'feel' superior...
Think about it... We have never been too goo with the concept of Authority; we have accepted it as something we had no choice about... and the first opportunity, we took pleasure in breaking the shackles of authority. Teachers, Parents, elder siblings every/any relationship that started with the concept of authority was just begging to be broken. As humans we cannot stand that we are not supreme.
I think this might have something to do with the notion of the alpha male - so this problem might be more prominent in the male species; but i have also noticed a similar thread in females... so I generalize.
The other thing we do is to form herds or groups of (who we think to be) like-minded people. we somehow seek to know we are not the ONLY people with our kinds of thoughts/behaviors or whatever... while earlier generations found little realization to this angst; with Web 2.0 Communication and  social networking, we are now finding soul-mates across geographies.
So... with these two things... Now.. let us get back to the original question.... why do people find it difficult to accept the concept of feminism... because it goes against these two needs... one.. because feminism asks a man to think outside the concept of the traditional roles of man/woman (where the man is by default the superior of the relationship) to actually taking each relationship at face value and fighting for the superiority (by individual profile) in each and every relationship he has... (the need to be superior does not go away... it just has to be taken on a case by case basis... I do not believe that any relationship can be perfectly equal)
Two... feminism asks that the man associate with a group (feminists) who are by sheer numbers a smaller (and weaker) group.. this is akin to the cliche' of a Hollywood portrayal of US high school popular jock being asked to associate with a group of nerds or geeks (Ooohh! the horror) it is not that the 'hero' is against the particular principle of the theory but is against openly associating with it and being considered part of a weaker group (and hence loosing the 'manliness' factor)
If we are to see acceptance of feminism; we ought to think of how we tackle these two issues...

any ideas?

Where am i?

I haven't blogged in a while... why? I love writing inane stuff... i make a living writing... so writing itself cannot be too much of a task... why then haven't i blogged?
I forgot myself... i forgot the inaneness that blogging allows... flow of words... thoughts... emotions... I was being too serious... i forgot myself...
Damn! not hapening...! let me find myself... let me find a new me...
the now me... i am not me... I AM ME...
and so shall begin the re-discovery... the re-definition... the re-genesis of the persona that i am...

Big words... all crap... but i need me...

Peg After Peg

Found this poem after a long time. This is absolutely hilarious... take a read.

Peg After Peg

I never take risk while drinking

When I come from office in the evening, wife is
cooking
I can hear the noise of utensils in the kitchen
I stealthily enter the house
Take out the bottle from my black cupboard
Shivaji Maharaj is looking at me from the photo frame

But still no one is aware of it
Becoz I never take a risk

I take out the glass from the rack above the old sink

Quickly enjoy one peg
Wash the glass and again keep it on the rack
Of course I also keep the bottle inside my cupboard
Shivaji Maharaj is giving a smile

I peep into the kitchen
Wife is cutting potatoes
No one is aware of what I did
Becoz I never take a risk

I: Any news on chopra's daughter's marriage
Wife: Nope, she doesn't seem to be that lucky. Still
they are looking
out for her

I again come out; there is a small noise of the black
cupboard
But I don't make any sound while taking out the
bottle
I take out the glass from the old rack above sink
Quickly enjoy one peg

Wash the bottle and keep it in the sink
Also keep the Black Glass in the cupboard
But still no one is aware of what I did
Becoz I never take a risk

I: But still I think chopra's daughter's age is not
that much
Wife: What are you saying? She is 28 yrs old... like
an aged horse
I: (I forgot her age is 28) Oh Oh...

I again take out potatoes out from my black cupboard
But the cupboard's place has automatically changed
I take out the bottle from the rack and quickly enjoy
one peg in the sink

Shivaji Maharaj laughs loudly
I keep the rack in the potatoes & wash Shivaji
Maharaj's photo & keep
it in the black cupboard

Wife is keeping the sink on the stove
But still no one is aware of what I did
Becoz I never take a risk

I: (getting angry) you call Mr. chopra a horse? If
you say that again, I
will cut your tongue...!
Wife: Don't just blabber something, go out and sit
quietly...

I take out the bottle from the potatoes
Go in the black cupboard and enjoy a peg
Wash the sink and keep it over the rack
Wife is giving a smile

Shivaji Maharaj is still cooking
But still no one is aware of what I did
Becoz I never take a risk

I: (laughing) So chopra is marrying a horse!!
Wife: Hey go and sprinkle some water on your face...

I again go to the kitchen, and quietly sit on the rack

Stove is also on the rack
There is a small noise of bottles from the room
outside

I peep and see that wife is enjoying a peg in the sink

But none of the horses are aware of what I did
Becoz Shivaji Maharaj never takes a risk

chopra is still cooking
And I am looking at my wife from the photo and
laughing
Becoz I never take what???

A czech beauty

These are pictures of my Bike...
An 83 Yezdi Classic... at max she is a few months younger than me.
I got her about 5 years ago and then spent some time modifying her.
She has a custom tank, fly handle bars, stepped seats and parts from most makes of Yezdis through the years.
A CL II headlamp unit, RK mudgaurds, tail lamps Et al.
The paint is called carbon black, and has a matt finish to it.

Pulp Fiction:: relationships

Then the first of an uncomfortable silence happens.



                                 MIA

                      Don't you hate that?



                                 VINCENT

                      What?



                                 MIA

                      Uncomfortable silences.  Why do we

                      feel it's necessary to yak about

                      bullshit in order to be

                      comfortable?



                                 VINCENT

                      I don't know.



                                 MIA

                      That's when you know you found

                      somebody special.  When you can

                      just shit the fuck up for a minute,

                      and comfortably share silence.



                                 VINCENT

                      I don't think we're there yet.  But

                      don't feel bad, we just met each

                      other.



                                 MIA

                      Well I'll tell you what, I'll go to

                      the bathroom and powder my nose,

                      while you sit here and think of

                      something to say.



                                 VINCENT

                      I'll do that.

Realizing reality – Part II

(You will need to read the first part to follow the chain of thought)

The danger in all this of course is the way we react to such situations. We are trust into action… to “perform” to “achieve” to “do”… and we don’t know What needs to be done? Why it needs to be done? Or anything.

We stumble along, seeking “solutions”, grab the first thing that we come across and “implement” it.

We start to imitate rather than create, we seek to push down rather than surge ahead, we seek to be secure rather than going into the unknown.

Worst… We resort to believing numbers.

Numbers which we called on to support and justify our decisions now become the decision makers. The reason of reasoning so to speak... not a good idea methinks... to trust statistics with thought and reason.

Deadlines become walls which cage our very beings Performance parameters; hours put in, marketing targets, bank balances, documents written, lines of code coded become boundaries which suffocate our thoughts, our dreams.

Everything in life becomes measured; ambiguous measurements that no one really knows what to do with. People, feelings, emotions, relationships all become measured. Everything adding up to our “success”.

Floydishly, the walls that we built are those that are crushing us now…

Is this the new reality…? Is this what is in store for us?

Or is this distorted sense of reality going to clear up as we go along?

The room still remains silent.