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Don’t Be Not So Ridiculous…
I have been doing a bit of travelling of late. All work related you understand, not me just jaunting off merrily to some far out corner of the globe to drink hybrid concoctions, brewed up by some indigenous tribesmen of…wherever.
I dont know about you, but whilst driving around the country I tend to get hungry. And where better to stop than good old McDonalds™? That’s right I’m admitting it
My name is Christian, and I like McDonalds™
What is it about the golden arches that people don’t like to admit? Speak to anyone and they will always have something bad to say about the place. Ask anyone their opinion of McDonalds™ and you will likely get the same negative response…
- The food has no nutritional value
- It doesn’t fill you up
- Its fattening
- It has a stupid song associated with it
But everyone still goes there…and yes, that includes you.
It was while tucking into my served-in-a-box, processed sandwich that I got thinking about an interesting post by Jon Bell where he talks about his unique way of inspiring his co-workers. Jon’s theory is this – if he and his co-workers cant decide where to go for lunch, Jon suggests McDonalds™. This immediately brings other, apparently better, suggestions out of the group. Jon goes on to apply this theory to design – if no one has ideas, suggest something ridiculous to get the ball rolling. This could be a very effective technique to get the creative juices flowing in everyone.
But what happens if after suggesting the unthinkable everyone says “hey, thats a good idea?”. What if we all actually admitted we like McDonalds™? Does that bad idea then become a good idea? How many people have to agree on something before a stinker of a thought becomes the next big thing?
The internet is such an ever changing environment. Every day new technologies are released (or at least, far cleverer people than me work out new and amazing things to do with these existing technologies). How many of these wonderful things that we take for granted such as touch screens, responsive stylesheets and gesture control started as “McDonalds™ ideas”?
Where would the web be if those clever people had been in a room full of people who were scared to admit they wanted to go to McDonalds™ and instead decided to conform by suggesting a more acceptable alternative. A world full of genius’ (or genii?) bursting for a McChicken sandwich, but instead forking a pistachio salad in to their normal sized head which houses their oversized brain. Sipping pomegranate juice to wash down the fresh rocket and plum tomatoes, “ooh you can really taste the freshness of the leaves”.
Now and again, just now and again, why not admit that you like the most ridiculous idea the most. You might find you’re not on your own.