Chris Murphy · 23 April, 2021
There’s a lot to read on this page, so here’s a tl;dr so you know what’s coming:
Idea Factories is a three week, cohort-based course, focusing on improving your thinking, your creativity and your ability to drive innovation. The course harnesses the power of reading and writing that is organised through a personal knowledge management system.
You don't have to be a writer to benefit from this course. Rather I'll focus on the role that reading, writing – and systematic note-taking – can play in improving your thinking.
It’s Never Too Late to Learn
Writing is an incredibly beneficial skill and it’s never too late to learn it. Aaron Swartz thinks of writing as an extension of creativity.
Be curious. Read widely. Try new things. A lot of what people call intelligence boils down to curiosity. —Aaron Swartz
Overview
In this short course (three evenings, plus supplementary work), I’ll explore the process of ‘designing a mind’ through the creation of a latticework of mental models, fuelled by reading and writing. I’ll cover:
the importance of designing a mind in an era of outsourcing and artificial intelligence;
the need to prime the brain – through reading, watching, listening… – to ensure that your thinking is constantly evolving;
the role that synthesis plays in the creation of a kaleidoscope of ideas;
the benefits of sharing your outputs as a way to level up your thinking by opening it up to scrutiny; and
an actionable strategy for developing an idea repository (commonplace book, or digital garden) bespoke to each learner.
Although there are many forms of input and output, I’ve focused on the importance of reading and writing as the backbone for the course, based on: feedback by existing members of The School of Design; and my own practice.
Who is this course for?
This course will be of interest to anyone who wants to develop their thinking and level up their ability to generate ideas.
In an age of abundance, where artificial intelligence and outsourcing are replacing roles left, right and centre, it's critical to develop your thinking. Algorithms can replace a great deal, but one thing they're yet to replace is the fuzzy logic of humans.
You'll enjoy this course if you're:
a designer, who wants to level up your career by improving your underlying thinking;
a project manager, who understands the role that innovation plays throughout product design; or
a writer – aspiring or established – who wants to improve their powers of observation and expression.
When will it run?
TBC (Possibly May, 2023?)
Signing up for the course, gives you access to The School of Design's Slack Discord community for a year. Join a small, but passionate community of design-focused entrepreneurs who are all learning together.
Below is a screenshot of Pathwright. I might use it (I’m testing it just now). Or I might use Maven’s platform to use.
TBC I'll be using Pathwright for all of the supplementary teaching materials. An easy to understand learning platform, it allows me to break each module down into a series of 'paths' comprised of tasks. It's easy to use and allows for group discussion within the tool.
Course Structure
The course is structured into three parts, delivered weekly, as follows:
1. Context
2. Input → 3. Synthesis → 4. Output
5. Outcomes
Over three weekly evening workshops – Thursday evenings, 19.00 GMT in April / May (?) (Dates TBC) – I'll cover the core principles of designing a mind. If you only attend the talks, you’ll end up ahead. If you attend the talks and do the homework, you’ll reap the rewards.
In addition to this content, there will be supplementary teaching materials provided via Pathwright. I’ve looked at lots of learning tools over the years and Pathwright is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest.
I’m in the process of developing a series of short, sharp assignments to accompany the weekly content and you’ll be able to work through these either in parallel with the workshops or, if it’s easier for you, at your own pace.
In his 2017 Design in Tech Report, John Maeda writes that, “code is not the only unicorn skill,” and he points to writing as the next most important skill for designers.
Invest in Your Future
The second course at The School of Design, Idea Factories is free for members on our annual plan. If you’re a member, good news, this course is an additional benefit of your membership.
If you’re not a member, an annual membership is just £95 and gives you a year of benefits, including being a part of a passionate community of design-focused entrepreneurs.
Chris's 'secret sauce' is that he's been through everything he teaches. Add in his strong focus on holding individuals accountable, and he’ll help you to accelerate your thinking and your career. —Al, Brighton
The following modules need to be reworked so that I fit everything into three evenings.
Module 1: Designing a Mind
A lot of what people call intelligence boils down to curiosity. —Aaron Swartz
The first module is context- and scene-setting. It's about the wider field of innovation and where ideas come from.
By outlining James Webb Young's five stage model from A Technique for Producing Ideas, I'll explain the role that reading and writing play in innovation. I'll also emphasise the importance of widening the frame of reference and opening up the aperture as strategies.
Module 2: Priming the Brain
…in my whole life, I have known no wise people (over a broad subject matter area) who didn’t read all the time. None, zero. —Charlie Munger
In the second module, I’ll explore the importance of priming the brain, ensuring it’s well-nourished.
I’ll emphasise the importance of developing a systematic approach to reading. In addition to developing friendships with ‘the eminent dead’, I’ll explore techniques to maximise the impact of your reading.
Module 3: The Board From White’s Perspective
In this module, I’ll outline a series of methods for looking at problems from different directions. Amongst other tools we’ll explore Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats to approach different problems from a range of perspectives.
I'll also underline the importance of syntopically reading and, as a creative exercise, I’ll suggest disagreeing with the author as you read.
Module 4: Publish, Publish, Publish
In the penultimate module, I’ll stress the role that publishing plays in elevating your thinking. I’ll explore the benefits of establishing a regular writing habit. /* This content is focused on 'You Are a Channel', rhythm, cadence, etc.. */
It's also about publishing in the open, sharing as you go. There's a lot to be said for writing and sharing and here, I'll say it.
Module 5: Seeding a Digital Garden for the Long Now
In the final chapter, I’ll explore the landscape of personal knowledge management tools (PKM) outlining their benefits.
Finally: The best way to start is to start. Like any skill, start small and – as you practice – you’ll grow. You just have to take the first step.
When I launched my record label, I needed to write press releases, product descriptions and more. My budget: £0. The first thing I did was buy some books on writing and start teaching myself. The second thing I did was practice, practice, practice.
As Thomas Edison put it, genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. Just show up, write every day and you’ll make progress.
Modules 1–5
Here are the modules in a little more detail. These pages will be publicly available while I #buildinpublic. The modules are a little rough at present, but they are starting to take shape.
Sources
After two decades as a Senior Lecturer at Belfast School of Art (2000-2020) it shoudn't come as a surprise that citation is important to me.
When I build a course, I believe in sharing the sources from which I've drawn inspiration. This course draws on material from the following readers, writers and thinkers (brief synopses below):
Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren: How to Read a Book
Chris Baker and Jacob Hansen: The Elements of F*cking Style
Roy Peter Clark: Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
Robert Greene: Mastery
Verlyn Klinkenborg: Several Short Sentences About Writing
Twyla Tharp: The Creative Habit
James Webb Young: A Technique for Producing Ideas
Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren: How to Read a Book
A much-needed book about something seemingly very simple: How to read a book. Adler and Van Doren’s book fundamentally changed how I read, or don’t read, books.
The ‘four levels of reading’ are worth the price of admission alone.
Chris Baker and Jacob Hansen: The Elements of F*cking Style
The Elements… drags grammar out of the ivory tower and into the gutter, injecting a dull subject with a much-needed dose of color colour.
Put simply: I found Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style dull and this much more engaging and entertaining.
Roy Peter Clark: Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
Primarily aimed at non-fiction writers, Clark’s book is full of thought-provoking exercises. Every writer knows that writing is hard work and every one of the strategies provided is a useful launch point for ideas.
Robert Greene: Mastery
I’ve always believed that the secret of greatness lies in 'rigorous apprenticeship' and my teaching has always been underpinned by Master-Apprentice exercises.
By paying close and careful attention to others’ work you can learn the secrets of success. It’s easy, it just takes hard work.
Verlyn Klinkenborg: Several Short Sentences About Writing
I’m in two minds about this book. The one star reviews (and there are many) criticise the book as lacking structure and it’s hard to disagree with those assessments. Klinkenborg‘s title is nothing if not accurate. If you’re looking for several – thought-provoking – short sentences about writing, look no further.
Twyla Tharp: The Creative Habit
Review to follow.
James Webb Young: A Technique for Producing Ideas
A short, but incredibly powerful book. If you’re looking for a technique for producing ideas, Young’s book has the secret. His reason for sharing it? His method requires hard work and few are prepared to put that work in.
Redraw:
When I started on my writing journey, all I had was an E grade in my A-Level English. I've now written six (or seven?) books; written for magazines worldwide, starting with a short review of an album – Afro-Cuba (The Jazz Roots Of Cuban Rhythm) – for WIRED in the mid-90s; and countless articles off- and online.