InnovationCamp #1 is two weeks from today!  Being a first, there will inevitably be loose ends, chaos, and some pesky problems on the day.  Without risk, though, there is no reward…

One of the ways that InnovationCamp will differ from other camps will be in the differentiated sessions.  We will run two types of sessions.  One will be the presentation-conversation type that is common at BarCamps and other Camps.  The second type of session, though, will be an all-hands on deck, let’s build a solution kind of session.

Design Method Sessions 

These problem->solution sessions will follow a design methodology.  They are aiming to have a group produce some sort of rough prototypes, mock-ups, drawings, sketches, user scenarios, etc., that might actually be able to address the problem that is presented.  They will last two hours, and will follow a general design-methodology:

• Statement of the problem, relevant constraints, past attempts, etc.
• Open Brainstorming
• Break into small groups to attempt at prototypes (scenarios, drawings, sketches, mock-ups)
• Each group shares their prototypes with the presenter and group
• Presenter responds
• Summary conversations

Saturday Experiment

Which leads to today.  As we are encouraging participants at InnovationCamp to turn up with a particular problem to share with others (in order to get collaborative help with that problem), it is only fair that we (Bandit and I) present and share our problems as well.

Education/Learning/Entrepreneurship???

NotanMBA started as a concept to create a new learning format for business education for young and independent entrepreneurs.  We were (are) keen to create a user-generated alternative to traditional business education which, as we know first hand, is formulaic, static, status-oriented, and taught mostly by people who have never ever worked in an actual business.  Now, our conundrum runs like this:

What sort of platform can enable young and independent entrepreneurs (like the awesome guys at Indy Hall, Conjunctured, Office Nomads, Sandbox Suites, etc) to present what they see as critical learning moments to others in the global community of independent entrepreneurs as they encounter them.  Say I’m in a client meeting and the client totally helps me out by pointing out to me how I can better present a bid for a contract.  I get back to my (coworking) office, and go online to say: Hey, I just had this happen and I wanted to share it with you guys. 

First, do ya’ll think that this type of information sharing would be useful?  Does it already exist, and if so where?  What sort of platform might make this work?  Is there anything in it for you?

Still puzzling over this one-

The Butcher