This is an extract from a talk I did at my Alma Mater, Central Saint Martins College of Arts & Design, in November 2011. It charts important learnings for designers from the fields of communication, design, creativity, innovation, management and leadership, spiced up by some excellent artwork by Fredoichi and Mike Stimpson - thank you guys!

1. 1
3 things I
wish I knew
as a
student...
and 8 things
i have
learned
since!
Cecilia Weckström, The LEGO Group © Fredoichi
Extract from talk at Central Saint Martins College of
Art & Design, London, UK in November 2011.

2. 2
Image: Mike Stimpson
[1.] “designease” is not a
language normal people
understand

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Image: Mike Stimpson
[2.] A fool with a
tool is still a fool

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[3.] no
amount of
design can
compensate
for a bad
business
idea
Image: Mike Stimpson

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8 things I have learned
since I was a student!

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[1.] to
success-
fully
solve a
problem
first
define it
well.
Image: Mike Stimpson

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[2.] the
greater the
diversity of
stimuli, the
richer the
Image: Mike Stimpson
creative mind.

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[3.] don’t confuse
creativity with
innovation
Creativity Innovation
The ability to The ability to
generate ideas and generate ideas and
things that are new, things that are new,
surprising and surprising and
valuable to oneself. valuable to others.

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[4.]
compete in
areas
where your
skills are
scarce,
not where
they are Image: Mike Stimpson
abundant.

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Image: Mike Stimpson
[5.] what separates a master is
50 000 hours of practice.

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Image: Mike Stimpson
[6.] people join companies,
but leave managers.

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Image: Mike Stimpson
[7.] if your actions inspire others
to DREAM more, LEARN more,
DO more and BECOME more,
you are a leader.

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Image: Mike Stimpson
[8.] you choose the kind
of day you have.

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summary 23
Being
Leadership
Knowing Doing
[Intellectual [Disciplined
rigor] execution]

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one who fears
failures limits his
activities. failure is
only the opportunity
to intelligently begin
again. Henry Ford