Managing Expectations: Who Likes Waiting?

Recently spotted at Ikea:


The most unpleasant thing about waiting in a retail checkout line is not knowing how long it may take.

Kudos to Ikea for managing that expectation:
- Anything before it: "I'm getting close!"
- Anything after it: "It's less than five minutes now!"

I'd like to see the Transportation Security Administration manage airport security lines in a similar way.

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A Simple Employee Engagement Test

Recently finished reading Dan Pink's outstanding book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. (Amazon link; in-depth review to follow soon.)

The book explores many important concepts, strongly rooted in research. But one that really stood out and left me thinking for several days is what Pink refers to as "Reich's Pronoun Test":

"Former U.S. labor secretary Robert B. Reich has devised a smart, simple, (and free) diagnostic tool for measuring the health of an organization. When he talks to employees, he listens carefully for the pronouns they use. Do employees refer to their company as 'they' or as 'we'?"

That's it. Beautiful.

Think about this. What does this simple choice of words say about an employee's level of engagement, loyalty, or advocacy?

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Dust Hampers the Decision

First, let me state this: I really like Target. Beyond the fact they are Minnesota-based, Target consistently provides a clean, pleasant shopping experience not found in its competitors. As a bonus, there's always a bit of style thrown in.

But, as with any good relationship, they do have a few flaws. (I've written about them here and here.) While these don't fully jeopardize our bond, each of these experiences slowly chips away at my heretofore unwavering enthusiasm for the Target brand. (Don't even get me started on their new "Up & Up" house brand launched last fall…)


My latest encounter with discomfort and disappointment with Target was earlier this month. I was shopping for a water purifier/dispenser; an existing one no longer worked well in a new refrigerator. Off to Target I went.

Arriving in the aisle with water purifiers, I was astounded to see this:


Nearly the full collection of water purifiers -- pitchers, dispensers, etc. halfway down the aisle -- were covered in dust. We're not talking about wee flecks here. The boxes and display samples had a serious layer of dust. This photo truly does not do it justice, but you get the idea.

This is someone might expect to see in the old hardware store around the corner. But a major retailer?! Target?!!

To make matters worse, these were water purifiers. Dust, grime, finger prints -- not things one wants to associate with pure, fresh drinking water.

In disbelieve, I wandered off to browse across the store in Electronics. Imagine my surprise to see another set of dusty product boxes:



With the number of employees roaming a Target store morning, noon, and night, I cannot believe these messes would go unnoticed. Target, without a doubt, has high standards. Perhaps, however, their employees aren't universally attuned to notice these details.

In the end, sure, I bought the water dispenser from Target. But I've also told several people about the experience and now share it publicly with a larger audience.

These details matter.


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Slate Series on Signage

In early March, Slate ran an outstanding five-part series by deputy editor, Julia Turner.

Not a lot to say here -- you really have to check it out for yourself. But let this quotation from the first in the series set the scene about the importance of signage on human behavior and emotion:

"Signage—the kind we see on city streets, in airports, on highways, in hospital corridors—is the most useful thing we pay no attention to. When it works well, it tells us where we are... and it helps us to get where we want to go (as when an airport banner directs us to our gate). When it fails, we miss trains, we're late to appointments, we spend hours pacing the indistinguishable floors of underground parking garages, muttering to ourselves in mounting frustration and fury."

SIGNS: HOW THEY TELL US WHERE TO GO

Slate series by Julia Turner, March 2010

Part I. The Secret Language of Signs

They're the most useful thing you pay no attention to. Start paying attention.

http://www.slate.com/id/2245644/

Part II. Lost in Penn Station

Why are the signs at the nation's busiest train hub so confusing?

http://www.slate.com/id/2246104

Part III. Legible London

Can better signs help people understand an extremely disorienting city?

http://www.slate.com/id/2246105

Part IV. Do You Draw Good Maps?

A professor has been examining hand-drawn maps for three decades. Send him yours.

http://www.slate.com/id/2246106

Part V. The Big Red Word vs. the Little Green Man

The international war over exit signs.

http://www.slate.com/id/2246107

Part VI. A World Without Signs

Does the advent of GPS mean we'll no longer need them?

http://www.slate.com/id/2246108

We're Back!

After taking a few months off to devote to several major academic projects, the Experience Think Tank blog is resuming.

Since its launch in May 2009, it has been heartening to share this with colleagues, clients, and friends.

Glad to be back!

Kindle for iPhone (+ rejoice re: pricing)

Relating to my last post about Christopher McDougall's outstanding book, Born to Run, just wanted to put in a good word for the method I used to read it.

I actually began the book the good ol' fashioned way -- reading a library copy. Unfortunately, as is often the case, my reading pace didn't match the three-week checkout limit or the waiting list of other eager readers; renewal was not an option.

When it had to go back to the library, I was only about one-third of the way through -- deep enough to be really engaged. My options were weighed:

A. Go to a bookstore and pay full retail price

B. Try my favorite bookstore, Half Price Books, if they had it

C. Explore yet other options

It was late at night, stores were closed, and I needed it NOW. So more immediate choices were considered: via Apple's iTunes Store [iTunes link], an audio version could be had for $23.95. The thought of wading through a long audio version to find my spot, reference in the future, or cuddle up with, didn't address my urgent need.

Just then, another option came to mind: the Amazon Kindle.

No, I don't own one. The $259 price tag is still a little steep for my taste.

A surprisingly pleasant read using the Kindle for iPhone app

A few months ago, I had gotten the free Kindle for iPhone application [review via CNET]. This ended up being an extremely satisfying way of reading: it is always with me, I can make annotations and highlights as I go, and it is surprisingly pleasant to read.

But the best part was the price: just $9.99. That compares with a $25 cover price or $14.50 for the book via Amazon. And it arrived instantly -- I was delighted!

If you have an iPhone -- or deep pockets for the Kindle itself -- this method is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Check out the Kindle Store, including their selection of free books.

This is the way book (and music and video) pricing should work. A digital version of a work requires none of the physical materials or production costs of a traditional book, CD, or DVD. [Sure, I understand that there is production involved; but come on -- it doesn't compare to the overhead of CD cases, printing presses, paper, etc.]

Thank you, Amazon, for recognizing this and building a great infrastructure for the next generation of reading.

Nature: the Ultimate Designer

Just finished reading a fantastic book, Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Ever Seen By Christopher McDougall. Google Books

Born to Run is an extraordinary read at many levels -- part science, part masterful storytelling, part history, part business, and more. Topics covered include:

• An in-depth -- and entertaining -- history of running from prehistoric persistence hunting to today's road racing
• The tension between the love and natural ability of running and the almighty dollar ("Goddess of Wisdom" versus the "Goddess of Wealth")
• A plethora of intriguing characters along the way: from the intentionally isolated Tarahumara (or Rarámuri) of Mexico to pioneers of ultra-marathoning and cutting-edge science

These topics and many more are wrapped in extremely engaging narratives -- to use the tired phrase -- that are hard to put down. McDougall is a truly captivating storyteller.

From a design perspective, and what I found most fascinating, is the natural engineering of the human foot and how we are, quite literally, "born to run".

The remarkable design of the human foot distributes the impact of each step. "Barefoot running", or as the Rarámuri practice it with thin sandals, leads to a quick step with shorter stride -- the way people have run for millennia.

However, related to the monetary tension mentioned above, as running became a popular leisure pursuit, the way we ran changed drastically. The "modern" (1970s+) running shoe design altered our natural stride and technique. Its raised heel was intended to give us a sort of "head start" by leaning us slightly forward. They also come with all sorts of shock absorption features that one might think would reduce injury and soften the impact of each step. McDougall provides convincing data that instead of preventing injury, this forced design has actually greatly increased running afflictions.

It has really been until just recently that designers have taken this problem into account. Besides simply pure barefoot running, here are two interesting designs that accept and compliment the design of the human foot:

Five Fingers by Vibram | Link

Extremely innovative, yet simple in design, these shoes go on like gloves. There's a place for each toe and the sole compliments, rather than alters, the human foot.

Nike Free by Nike | Link [curses to Nike for a cumbersome Web site]

From the originator of the modern age of running shoes, comes this incremental line of footwear. With models ranging from the 3.0 (sort of barefoot) to the 7.0 (almost complete traditional shoe). Reparations perhaps?

Both represent an interesting approach to design and a more careful understanding of true human factors.

Jon Stewart interviews Christopher McDougall on The Daily Show, August 19, 2009:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Christopher McDougall
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

Customer Service -- Illusion or Reality?

In his most recent column, Los Angeles Times columnist David Lazarus nails the current state of "customer service" in the big box retail world...

The Sad Illusion of Happy Customers

Los Angeles Times, Nov. 11, 2009

Retailers say they want shoppers to be satisfied, but few have the resources to deliver the goods.

A sampling:

"'Happy customers is a long-term strategy for us,' Best Buy's chief marketing officer, Barry Judge, told me. 'If they're happy, they'll want to buy more.'

That's the idea anyway. But after visiting a couple of Best Buy stores and chatting with customers, I'd say the company still has some work to do on the happiness front."

He continues by citing multiple examples -- his own and those of customers.

There's a good chance you can add to the list too.

Personally, I recently went into a Best Buy browsing for cell phones and wanting to learn about family plan options. Even though two employees were sitting nearby, no one approached me during the five minutes I was looking around. A minute later, I was gone and will probably never step into that particular store again.

Lazarus is also featured on American Public Media's program, Marketplace, today:

Where's the Focus on Customer Service?

L.A. Times columnist David Lazarus talks with Bill Radke about why more businesses aren't focusing on customer service with so many consumers reluctant to spend. | Link

I especially like how Lazarus calls out Trader Joe's as an example of the way customer service should be.

Just yesterday, shopping in a crowded and busy TJ's, employees were everywhere. Even as they restock shelves, they are always on the look out for customers in need. They are always (ALWAYS) happy, knowledgeable, and most important, genuine.

To Best Buy CMO Barry Judge's point, my experience at Trader Joe's almost always leaves me feeling great. That's something that Best Buy -- or for that matter, the big grocery stores that compete with TJ's -- have never been able to replicate.

Read or listen to the Marketplace piece here:

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/11/11/am-lazarus-q/

Video Series on Behavioral Economics

Check it out if you have a chance...

American Public Media's outstanding radio program, Marketplace, has posted a video series on behavioral economics. They pull together an impressive collection of behavioral economics experts with concepts presented in a straightforward, entertaining way.

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/features/behavior/

Videos in the series:

Bribing vs. Signalling w/ "Undercover Economist" Tim Harford

The Gift Economy w/ Dan Ariely of “Predictably Irrational”

Free Music w/ consumer psychologist, Kit Yarrow

While obviously low budget productions, the videos do a good job of addressing key concepts in a simple, true-to-life way.

Comparative Peek into the Employee Experience

Another hat tip to Mark Hurst of Good Experience for this link. [If you don't subscribe to his excellent Good Experience email newsletter, you really should. They are simple, relevant, and always insightful. Sign up here.]

Working for Happiness

GREATER GOOD MAGAZINE

Some workplaces are happier than others. Journalist Alex Frankel tried to discover why. Link

"In what became a two-year adventure through the world of commerce, I served as a driver's assistant at UPS, poured coffee at a busy Starbucks cafe, folded garments at Gap, rented cars for Enterprise, and sold iPods at an Apple Store.

Though my mission was primarily to study modern workplace cultures—reporting that turned into my 2007 book, Punching In—I came away with an appreciation for the roots and benefits of on-the-job happiness."

Especially interesting is the comparison Frankel makes between the focus of employees of the Apple Store and Gap:

"At Gap...my chief duty was to fold clothing that had been unfolded by customers, a Sisyphean task. Sisyphus, you might recall, was condemned by the gods to keep rolling a boulder up a hill for eternity. And that's just what working at Gap felt like: an eternity.

In contrast, work at the Apple Store was set up so you were focused on accomplishing goals, not filling up time. At Apple, most product layout was left to one 'visual merchandiser' who was passionate about keeping the store neat, leaving others like me to interact with customers, share information, and be ourselves instead of following a script."

Even in this short vignette, one gets a good understanding of the impact the Employee Experience has on the Customer Experience.

Who would you rather be helped by: an employee trapped in the drudgery of their work, or one free to improvise and focus on YOU, the customer?

Alex Frankel is author of Punching In: One Man's Undercover Adventures on the Front Lines of America's Best-Known Companies.

Here's a video teaser:

Alex Frankel's Web site: http://www.alexfrankel.com

Book links: Amazon | Google Books (w/ "Find in a library")

+ Read Ch 1 at Frankel's site

Customer Point of View #2

So-Called Customer Loyalty

After a fairly long (both literally and figuratively) post on sales receipts, here's a much shorter rant...

As you checkout at nearly every retail store these days, one is asked, "Are you a ____ [insert 'loyalty program' name] member?"

Careful -- it's a trap.

If you say, "No", they'll start pouring on the sales job; sometimes it even has a credit card offer involved.

If you say, "Yes, but I don't have my card with me", they'll ask for your phone number, name, or other personal info. Who wants to go there?!

My recommendation: just say something like, "No, I'm not interested."

I don't know about you, but this always creates a moment of stress, tension -- even resentment. I JUST WANT TO PAY YOU FOR WHAT I BOUGHT; otherwise, leave me alone!!!

Do businesses REALLY think these "rewards" or "loyalty" programs -- carrying their card around or risk being accosted at checkout -- equals true engagement or loyalty?!

Instead, I'd love to see these businesses, rather than demanding my "loyalty", show their commitment to me; several examples include:

1. Get me engaged, rather than causing me discomfort
2. Remember my name/face/shopping habits
3. Recommend products and services that meet my needs, not those they're trying to push

Or, as suggested in my previous post, just say, "Thank you", make me feel valued and important -- and mean it.

That would make me want to come back. And maybe even tell others.

One of my favorite retailers, Trader Joe's, does these things authentically and effectively. The "biggies" such as my local Target or Cub (our local big grocery chain), do not.

Guess where I go most often and spend more of my food dollars?

Customer Point of View, #1

What's With Those #%$&@ Receipts?!

There's a trend you may have noticed over the past couple years when ending a retail shopping experience: mile-long sales receipts.

I think it first started with the automatically-generated coupons at grocery stores. Now this, I can somewhat understand and support. The coupons created by this system relate, at least remotely, to my purchases: if I bought a large container of vanilla yogurt, I might receive $1 off my next purchase of a different brand of yogurt, etc.

What does get my goat [is that phrase used anymore?], however, is a foot-long receipt with all kinds of useless, store-centered junk on it. This descriptor -- "foot long" -- is no exaggeration for a receipt I recently received at Staples:

A quick inventory of the information provided in this marathon receipt:

- Store name/logo

- Tag line

- Address/phone

- Date/time

- Customer satisfaction survey solicitation

- Product purchase info

+ Another 2.6 inches of plugs, promos, and bar code

Here's another example, this time from Borders.

[A BRIEF ASIDE: I know, I know. An earlier blog post -- specifically about an extremely disappointing experience at a local Borders -- stated that I would not go back. Ever. I've held true to this vow, having not returned to that specific store. In fact, this pile-o-receipts comes from another Borders; and the shopping was on behalf of my daughter. I still avoid Borders when possible. This next example supports that feeling.]

Borders bookstore, rather than presenting lengthy receipts, prefers a small pile of receipt paper:

Here, the breakdown is a little more clear:

- One receipt slip for, well, the receipt

- Another for their version of the customer sat. survey

- And a third devoted to a product and in-store promo

I see what the retailers are trying to do with these. Receipt paper is cheap, and each inch provides a fresh surface for a marketing message.

But have they ever considered how it feels to a customer?

1. They're Tedious

These receipts, once folded, become an annoying pile of paper, stretching a wallet to its limits. Also think about this point in the transaction: we're putting away our wallet, credit or debit card, checkbook, whatever. We're also thinking about the logistics ahead -- grabbing our bags/cart, finding the car keys, etc., and they hand over this long paper banner that requires folding, tucking away, stuffing into a bag or wallet. AND you want me to complete an online survey?!! Feels like a hassle to me.

2. They're Wasteful

In an era when we are becoming "green" conscious, giving a foot-long receipt -- when a 4-inch one will do -- is excessive. Whenever possible, I give any unnecessary pieces or portions back to the cashier. Whether they listen or not, consider this my tiny protest.

3. They're Self-Centered

Nearly always, the messaging crammed into these narrow lengths of thermal paper is all about the store/brand and has nothing -- absolutely nothing -- to do with the customer.

4. They're Remembered

Handing a receipt to a customer is typically the last human act that happens to us before leaving the store. Is that hassle outlined above how the store/brand wants to be remembered?

Solution?

Buried in the ginormous Staples receipt was this simple message, written in the shouting language of ALL CAPS:

THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AT STAPLES !

That, alone, would have been nice.

For more insight on this phenomenon, check out these resources:

Tale of the Tape: Retailers Take Receipts to Great Lengths

Wall Street Journal

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125175363135673825.html

Toothpaste Purchase Results In 3-foot Long Receipt

The Consumerist

http://consumerist.com/5301230/toothpaste-purchase-results-in-3+foot-long-receipt

[Gotta love their doggy measurement standard...]

Daily Infographic Fix

If you visit just one clever, humorous, observational infographic blog each day, make it this one:

Indexed

http://www.thisisindexed.com

Each weekday, visual communication genius Jessica Hagy publishes one index card with a witty, often insightful, infographic. Beyond its sheer entertainment value, Hagy's images inspire those of us interested in simple, yet effective, ways of conveying complex ideas.

Bookmark her site or subscribe to her RSS feed. You'll be feeding your mind and spirit.

Also check out Jessica Hagy's collection of these brilliant cards in her books, Indexed and Indexed Reporter Notebook.

[NOTE: For an overload of great information architecture/presentation ideas, check out our earlier post, 37 Data-ish Blogs You Should Know About.]

Netflix, I Really Like You, but...

Dear Netflix,

We've been together now for nearly two years.

Sure, we've had our moments... Remember your outage back in May? I was trying to watch you online and you weren't available.

Hey, I realize these things happen. Then the next day, you wrote to say you were sorry:

"We are sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused. If you were unable to watch a movie or TV show last night due to the technical issues on the website, please click the link below, and we will apply a 2% credit to your next billing statement."

Still not sure how I felt about that. At the time, I was on the 2 DVDs out at-a-time plan for $13.99. 2% comes out to 28 cents. 28 CENTS? That's it?! That's what our relationship is worth to you?

Okay, okay, I'm still a bit sore. But I digress...

Admittedly, we've had a lot of great times. Without you, I would have never known about MI-5 ("Spooks" in the UK) or seen Arrested Development. You've found me some really great obscure films; and given me the chance to revisit some of my all-time favorites.

You're great. Really. I really, really like you.

But then, you keep doing this:

POP-UNDER ads? What are you thinking?!

First -- don't know if you realize this -- I AM ALREADY A CUSTOMER!!!!!!!

Second -- about the mailers you keep sending -- I AM ALREADY A CUSTOMER!!!!!!!

But pop-under ads?! Really???? That's so 1999.

Why??! And you know I have the "Block Pop-Up Windows" option checked in my Web browser. Each time that happens, ever so slowly, it chips away at the relationship we built.

And I even use this computer to play your "Watch Instantly" movies. Don't your cookies catch this? It's beginning to made me think you really don't care.

Maybe it's best that we don't see each other for a while.

Podcasts, Part 2: Experiential Podcast Round-Up

In my previous post, I waxed on-and-on about the therapeutic/inspirational benefits of podcasts.

This time, let me justify this enthusiasm with a collection of my favorite Experience Management and Design-related podcasts:

BusinessWeek: Customer Service Champs

Web | iTunes

A very interesting series of interviews with a number of leading practitioners.

Customer Management IQ - IQPC

Web | iTunes

Though this focused primarily on contact center practices, this also features insightful interviews & speakers. (Be sure to check out the July 2009 talk with Colin Shaw.)

Dwell Videos

Web | iTunes

Ranging from one to seven minutes in length, these are beautifully produced glimpses about home design.

Design Observer

Two categories here -- the current run and past archives of interviews/discussions with a broad range of designers leading designers.

> Design Matters with Debbie Millman: (Current: 2009-10)

Web | iTunes

> Design Matters with Debbie Millman (Archive: 2005-09)

Web | iTunes

Free: The Future of a Radical Price Podcast

Web | iTunes

Free audio book version of Chris Anderson's (Wired magazine and The Long Tail fame) newest book. In this gratis offering, he puts his money where his month is.

Motley Fool Conversations

Web | iTunes

A quality series of discussions with interesting people. (Check out the Sept. 23rd episode with Costco co-founder Jim Sinegal.)

Predictably Irrational - Video Podcast

Web | iTunes

A simple but effective series on behavioral economics.

Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen

Web | iTunes

A brilliant weekly radio program from WNYC and PRI covering the arts, culture, and the world of design. There's always something insightful to be discovered by listening.

Target Women

Web | iTunes

Sarah Haskins of Current TV does an absolutely smash-up job of skewering advertising/marketing trends.

CONCEPTS: The Daily Motor

Web | iTunes

While I'm not a huge motorhead, I love seeing new auto designs and innovations.

Do You Have Recommendations?

Share them in the Comments area below.

Podcasts, Part 1: A Confession (Join Me!)

Okay, I'll confess... I am addicted.

I love podcasts. I mean really, really love 'em.

They are a big part of my daily info-hunger habit: on my morning walk/run, as I shower-N-shave, while mowing the lawn or doing other housework; they sometimes even help lull me to sleep at night.

Sure, I love nothing more than poring through traditional printed newspapers or magazines. But who's got the time?! Even scanning online articles requires focused effort.

Benefits of Podcasts

Podcasts are different. They are highly portable (via an iPod, iPhone, or other MP3 player) and can be consumed while doing other things: a perfect 21st century medium. I even listen to them on my computer as I work.

What I love most about podcasts is that they put me in control. Take National Public Radio, for example. If time were not a factor, I'd listen to NPR all day.

Podcasts to the rescue... Now, I can subscribe to a few of the NPR programs I most enjoy, pick-N-choose episodes I really want to hear, and decide -- on my terms -- when/where I want to hear them. All for free! (Though I am a regular contributor to my local station, tote bag/coffee mug and all.)

It has both revolutionized radio (an early 20th century innovation, making it again relevant) and my life.

Another motivation? For months now, I have been trying to convince a colleague (you know who you are) of the merits of podcasts -- but to no avail.

So now I'm going public.

Getting Started

Intrigued, but don't know where to start? It's actually quite simple.

Start by downloading the very latest version of Apple's iTunes software [FREE!], for Windows or Mac here: http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/ [Note: You DO NOT need to provide your email; but those "New Music Tuesday" alerts can be interesting.]

Once you've downloaded iTunes, you're ready to roll. The great thing is that is continues to be free. You do not even need an iTunes Store account to enjoy podcasts.

Just launch iTunes, click on the iTunes Store icon (left column), and start browsing the Podcast section. I could go on-and-on with further instructions, but, like other Apple innovations, you'll find it all to be fairly intuitive.

One final note of guidance: when you find a podcast of interest, simply click the "Subscribe" button. You'll be asked to confirm and you're good-to-go -- visit the "Podcasts" icon (under your LIBRARY, also in found in the left column) and see the fruits of your labor.

See this tutorial for more details:

Tips for Podcast Fans

http://www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts/

To be continued...

NEXT UP: Several recommendations of Experience-Related podcasts.

Designing for Women: Femme Den

The focus of this month's issue of Fast Company is "Masters of Design" (MD). If, perchance, you have not picked it up/read it, please do.

Among the featured people/groups in the MD feature is Femme Den, "an internal think tank at Smart Design... helping companies tap the $2 trillion female market."

This issue contains a number of articles/call outs about Femme Den and their work and influence. But to cut-to-the-chase, the key take-away is here:

Femme Den's Five Tenets of Designing for Women | Link

1. Emphasize benefits over features

2. Learn her body

3. Craft a cohesive story

4. Identify a spot on the spectrum

5. Remember her life stages

Further details here.

One might challenge the notion that good design can/should be gender-specific. And like many things, there is still a lot of catching up to do from the old school world of male-centered design.

But much like our earlier post discussing adaptive design, everyone can benefit. Here is a take from Femme Den member, Yvonne Lin:

Designing for Gender, When One Or Both Parties Reap the Rewards

The most successful products are designed for one sex but embraced by both. Link

[And I adamantly deny the point made about the Dyson vacuum...]

The Fast Company bits-N-pieces on Femme Den are extremely insightful. See the full collection here:

http://www.fastcompany.com/tag/femme-den

The Human Side of Healthcare

Thank you to Mark Hurst of Good Experience for this alert. [If you don't subscribe to his excellent Good Experience email newsletter, you really should. They are simple, relevant, and always insightful. Sign up here.]

Mayo Clinic photo

Minnesota's own Garrison Keillor, author, poet, and host of radio's A Prairie Home Companion, recently suffered a minor stoke. In his regular Salon.com column, Keillor shares the medical -- and human experience -- he had at the Mayo Clinic.

Nice 67 Y.O. Male has Brush with Mortality

Sept. 16, 2009 | Salon.com

"Nurses are smart and brisk and utterly capable. They bring some humor to the situation. ('Care for some jewelry?' she says as she puts the wristband on me.) And women have the caring gene that most men don't. Men push you down the hall in a gurney as if you're a cadaver, but whenever I was in contact with a woman, I felt that she knew me as a brother. The women who draw blood samples at Mayo do it gently with a whole litany of small talk to ease the little blip of puncture, and 'here it comes' and the needle goes in, and 'Sorry about that,' and I feel some human tenderness there, as if she thought, 'I could be the last woman to hold that dude's hand.' A brief sweet moment of common humanity."

With a vigorous debate underway on healthcare and all its complexities, Keillor beautifully cuts to the chase on what really matters most.

[SIDE NOTE: To learn more about the Mayo Clinic and its renown brand of care, I highly recommend the recent book by Len Berry and Kent Seltman, Management Lessons from the Mayo Clinic: Inside One of the World's Most Admired Service Organizations. Links: Amazon.com or Google Books (including links to your local library)]

Speaking of Community Design...

Closely related to my last post on Queens, New York's Forest Hills Garden...

David Byrne's Perfect City

A Talking Head Dreams of a Perfect City

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574403293064136098.html

The Sept. 11, 2009 Wall Street Journal had a very good Life & Style article by David Byrne. In it, Byrne sets out to define what, he feels, makes a city livable. He lays out these 10 elements:

- Size

- Density

- Sensibility and attitude

- Security

- Chaos and danger

- Human scale

- Parking

- Boulevards

- Mixed use

- Public spaces

From a human factors perspective, I find his "Scale" category most interesting:

"Scale is important. In London people hang out in Soho, Covent Garden, Mayfair and other areas of mostly low buildings packed closely together. The City (their financial district), like the downtown in many American cities, is full of tall offices and it empties out at night. It isn't that bustling in the daytime either. Some sort of compromise might be more ideal—the tall towers mixed in with the modest-sized shops and restaurants."

But one also has to love the idea of "Chaos and Danger". As Byrne puts it, "A little touch of chaos and danger makes a city sexy."

For Minnesotans, there's even an insightful comment about Minneapolis missed by many lake or sea-side communities. Check it out.

[SIDE NOTE: Since being the front man for the Talking Heads, Byrne has explored a number of fascinating topics including design. Though dated, his 2003 article for Wired magazine, Learning to Love PowerPoint, is a thought-provoking read. Find this viewpoint balanced with Edward Tufte's PowerPoint is Evil. Who doesn't love a spirited debate?]

Engaging Suburban Design

Photo by Witold Rybczynski for Slate

Sifting through the small backlog of potential post topics from this past summer, I revisited this wonderful feature in Slate by architect, writer, and educator, Witold Rybczynski:

Forest Hills Gardens

A walkable, transit-oriented, architecturally rich planned community, built 100 years ago.

http://www.slate.com/id/2225748/

"The planned community of 142 acres, which introduced the British Garden City movement to the United States, was intended to demonstrate the latest ideas in town planning, housing, open space, and building construction. It's pretty obvious that in the intervening years, Levittown, N.Y.—not Forest Hills—became the prototype for American planned communities... One of the strengths of the Garden City movement was that it dealt with town planning in a comprehensive way, and this 100-year-old piece of New York City remains a model for how the attractions of town and suburbs can be combined."

See the online slideshow and narrative here

This planned community in Queens, New York, was started in 1909 and featured many sought-after innovations today: mixed retail and housing, proximity to major transportation (Forest Hills has its own station, just a 20-minute train ride into Manhattan), individually styled home designs, plenty of trees, pocket parks, and very good walkability.

See more background and related links via Wikipedia.

I agree with Rybczynski about the shame of most suburban design going the way of Levittown, NY (and later, Levittown, PA), recognized as the first of many bland, often sidewalk-less, every-house-looks-the-same subdivisions.

Levittown layout from the air

Now, 100 years later, a new revolution is underway to design more human- (rather than auto) centered communities. Here are a few examples:

> Top Ten Cottage Communities (2007)

> Green Communities, Part 1: New Urbanism

> Green Communities, Part 2: Cottage Communities

When you think of it, neighborhoods and communities are among the designs that most impact our daily lives. Here's to a more enlightened approach.

[Side note: If you're not familiar with him, check out the books of Witold Rybczynski. A few of my favorites include: City Life, One Good Turn: A Natural History of the Screwdriver and the Screw‎, and Home: A Short History of an Idea. All are insightful, well-written, and engaging.‎

Also, see the entire collection of pieces he has done as Slate's architecture critic here.]