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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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
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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.]

An Engaging Book Experience

Though it's been out for a number of years now, I just recently stumbled upon this book from Nick Bantock: Urgent 2nd Class: Creating Curious Collage, Dubious Documents, and Other Art from Ephemera. Link

[You may know Bantock's Griffin & Sabine trilogy, a tremendous series of books about a romantic correspondence between two people across time and space. What sets these books apart is Bantock's extraordinary artwork and, like an engaging 3D book, letters and cards you actually open to read. (The sneaky aspect of peering through this handwritten exchange adds another level of curiosity and pleasure.)

My favorite of his books are Paris Out of Hand and The Forgetting Room. The latter is the story of a man uncovering the mystery of his grandfather's past about which Booklist calls, "...an elegant and dreamy illustrated novel about one man's spiritual and aesthetic awakening."]

So why write about Nick Bantock in a blog about Experience?

Quite simply, because his books provide a rich, multi-sensory experience -- he transforms the passive reader into an interactive participant in a visually pleasing, tactile world of the story.

But back to the main point of this post...

Urgent 2nd Class peeks behind the scenes at the work of Nick Bantock and how he creates his art. A "how to" book for those with willing spirits.

Chapters include: "Faux Mail", "Dubious Documents", Maps, Handwriting and Type, and "Commercial Ephemera."

If you're not familiar with Bantock's work, begin here: http://www.nickbantock.com

Inaugural Post: Mr Beck's Underground Map

Still glowing from a recent trip to Great Britain in late March, visiting London and Oxford...

At a visit to the London Transport Museum, I bought Mr Beck's Underground Map: A History by Ken Garland (link).

It tells the story of Henry C Beck, an engineering draughtsman (British spelling) for the Underground Group, who in 1931, completely redefined the map's design.

His simple diagram, based on the horizontal, vertical, and 45-degree lines of electronic circuit schematics, elegantly cut through the confusion of earlier versions. Before Beck, Underground lines were shown with surface features or followed the literal geography of each line. The result was an overload of unnecessary information.

Beck's design made a complex system cognitively digestible -- something we can get our minds around. The power of simplicity -- Absolutely brilliant!

• See Beck's first sketch via the Victoria and Albert Museum
• Read more about Beck via Wikipedia