Interview notes and insights from three inter

1. Walking 30 Minutes
CS 377T – Stewart MacGregor-Dennis

2. Chosen Pattern:
Functional talking and walking
 Many immensely productive
individuals use the pattern of
walking and functional talking.
 Examples of these people
include the late Steve Jobs and
Mark Zuckerberg.
 Part of my goal was to drill down
on why walking is seen as
conducive to productive
discussion of certain forms.

3. Interviewee One:
Entrepreneur at Facebook
 Profile
 This interviewee is a two time entrepreneur who’s
company was recently acquired.
 I met him at an eDorm event where he was a guest and
took the opportunity to interview him.
 Observations
 He walks fairly often.
 He uses walking for specific types of discussion, such as
getting on the same page for product vision.
 Sometimes multiple walks are needed with someone.
 He chooses who to walk with based on opportunities.

4. Insights
 He found that walking was a more productivity way to have
certain types of discussion, which meant that he would see it
as a rational decision, rather than something he had to do.
 The insight here is that finding a way to make walking the “most”
productive way to do an activity may make you more likely to do it.
 The social component of walking was important for him.
 Sometimes it’s key to get buy-in and share a joint vision for a
particular area.
 Here, the social component of talking with someone helps foster co-
creation of the vision.
 Walking creates informality
 Often business meetings can constrain productive.
 Walking not the best for everything
 He did not use walking for discussing areas requiring huge attention
to detail.
 Instead, it focused on bonding to a conceptually shared vision.

5. Interviewee Two:
Stanford Junior/Designer
 Profile
 Stanford Junior who is undeclared, but probably
studying Mechanical Engineering or Computer
Science.
 Great designer.
 Observations
 Walks to discuss the design vision with someone, or
to generate new inspiration.
 Finds he can be more creative while walking
sometimes.
 Often walks with people he is working on a project
with.

6. Insights
 Walking may help with certain types of thinking.
 Stepping away from what you’ve already written down
can give you a clean slate perspective.
 Therefore, sometimes its useful to view your previous work or
thinking, and sometimes it can be helpful to step back.
 Again, he found that he was most productive on
particular tasks through walking, and so he would walk
more often.
 He learned this pattern from other designers he had
worked with, so the social sharing component may be
important.
 Showing people where walking may be the most
productive or creative way, could be a powerful
technique.

7. Interviewee Three:
Recent Stanford Alumnus
 Profile
 Recent Stanford Alum who studied Physics
 Now travelling a lot.
 Observations
 Would use walking as a way to catch up with friends.
 Seen as more enjoyable
 Would often roam in walking, rather than going to a
particular place.

8. Insights
 The form of the walking can mirror the type of
thinking that is required: e.g. roaming walking may
lead to roaming and creative discussion, and
directed walking may lead to more goal-driven
discussion.
 Walking can be seen as a powerful social activity.
 The looser structure can be more conducive to
conversations that have a more emergent rather
than rigorous structure.
 Use meetings with friends and social reinforcement
for walking.
 Scheduling a meeting with a friend is something you
may be less likely to miss.