Storyboarding for Success

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I'm rewriting one of our workshop manuals in manga/comic book format.

While I was in Cabo San Lucas last week, I continued work on the project.

Storyboarding is the easiest way for me to do this. It triggers my right brain by forcing me to think visually. It also forces me to simplify my concepts.
So, I sat by the pool with a pad of post-it notes and sketched out my ideas.

The workbook opens with a quote from Confucius - "If you must play a game, know the stakes, the rules, and the quitting time" - so you can see here that I sketched some ideas around that.

The post-it notes are great, because I can move them around, insert or delete ideas and images, or redraw one without wasting the other pictures.

Once I drew the storyboard, I went to Microsoft Clip Art and grabbed some images that matched my storyboards. Eventually, I'll acquire some more exclusive images or shoot my own, but the Microsoft art is free and represents a good start.

Here is my 'manga' version of the Confucius quote.

Had I started at the computer, it would have probably taken more time, been less clear, and less creative.

The next time you create a presentation or document, try storyboarding first. You might be surprised by the results.

One other way to utilize your storyboards, is to just import them directly into your document or presentation.

This image that depicts "Stereotypes vs. Generalizations"

could be cleaned up in Photoshop and easily dropped into my presentation.

Learning through Film: Mushi-shi

Mushi-shi is an animation series based on a best-selling Japanese manga or graphic novel.

Set in an ambiguous time frame - it looks like the past, but feels contemporary - this series follows our hero Ginko, a wanderer who studies mushi: ghost-like creatures who live on the continuum between plant and animal.

Most people cannot see mushi, and are unaware of their existence, but they can affect humans greatly. Ginko can see them and he attracts them, so he has become a Mushi-shi.

This series has an X-files feel. In each episode we are presented with a problem or mystery that only Ginko can understand or address.

The series unfolds like a Japanese scroll, revealing secrets at its own pace. There is little action, yet each episode moves quickly. The feeling is philosophical and contemplative, the art is stunning, and the music is beautiful. Mushi-shi is, in simple terms, a masterpiece of its genre. A quick search on the internet will show you the universal acclaim it has earned.

You can learn quite a bit about Japanese culture from almost every episode. One of my favorites is episode #23, "The Sound of Rust". A young girl has an unusual singing voice that attracts a species of mushi. This mushi acts like rust and clings to everything in her village, including people (but is invisible to everyone except the girl and eventually Ginko). The girl stops singing or talking.

When Ginko enters the story, she is a young woman. The villagers are crippled my the mushi, and Ginko arrives to help. Ginko thinks he knows the cure and resolves to solve the problem.
In a scene we've all watched in movies a hundred times, the villagers now understand the cause of their problem, and rush to the young girls house, angry at this 'monster' for causing their pain.

Do they want blood? No.
Do they want revenge? No.
What do they want? An apology...

You know, just like in Frankenstein when the villagers rushed the castle with torches and asked for an apology!

This is a very Japanese phenomenon. Japanese love apologies.
If you mess up on your taxes, or any kind of government paperwork (I was once late for visa renewal) you must write a "gomennasai" (apology) letter.
"I'm sorry I caused the good people of the government so much difficulty due to my lack of consideration... blah, blah, blah...."
When you've shown proper humility, the process can move on.

When I lived in Japan, it seemed we were forever attending these "gomennasai" meetings with customers.
"I'm sorry we charge so much"
"I'm sorry the manuals are in English"
"I'm sorry your engineers broke the machine"

And so on... I actually became quite good at looking and sounding remorseful.

A couple of years ago, Hideki Matsui of the New York Yankees broke his wrist on a diving attempt to catch a ball. He would be out for the season. He called a press conference and apologized to his team, the fans, and his Japanese fans for letting them down by being so vulnerable as to have a season-ending injury.
The New York media was stunned by this apology... they'd never seen anything like it.
This article in the Japan Times nicely summarizes the 'apology' gap.

Bottom line: Next time you have a problem working in Japan and you want to resolve it - you might want to start with 'gomennasai'.

One Way to Communicate with Images

Take a moment and read the following passage:

Ken sat at a nondescript desk, in a nondescript office, in one of the
cookie-cutter high tech office buildings that populate Silicon Valley. At the
end of the day, Ken checked his emails and say a message from his Japanese
counterpart that read, "Call me".

Ken picked up his phone and dialed the number in Japan.

After exchanging pleasantries, the Japanese manager updated Ken on the days
events. Ken's blood pressure rose and his face turned red as he responded, "He
did what?"

As the call ended, Ken's pent-up anger burst out as he slammed down the
phone. This action relieved some of Ken's stress. Unfortunately, that stress was
soon replaced by a feeling of despair. Ken dropped his head into his hands as he
considered his options and thought, "My career is over".

Now read this version (click to enlarge):


Here are four questions for you:

1. Which method is more efficient?
2. Which method is more effective?
3. Which method is more engaging?
4. What are the pros and cons of each method?

There are, of course, no correct answers to these questions.

We know that Asians, particularly Japanese, are used to reading graphic novels (I'll use this word to include comics, cartoons, manga, and sequential art), but Americans are becoming more and more comfortable with this style of visual communication as well.
If you haven't noticed, look at how much the Graphic Novel section of your local Borders has grown in the past few years.

I've mentioned in the past few months that both Daniel Pink and Patrick Lencioni released business books in graphic novel format. Google also released the user guide for Google Chrome in this format.
Translation: The wave of graphic communication is growing.
Will you be riding it, or standing under it?

I'm rewriting one of my workshop manuals to be in graphic novel format. I'll be offering attendees both formats to see which they choose. As I get results, I'll keep you posted.

Links of Interest:

• Google Chrome Graphic Guide
• Scott McCloud's "Making Comics"
• Daniel Pink's "The Adventures of Johnny Bunko"
• Patrick Lencioni's "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team"

Book Review: The Adventures of Johnny Bunko

Daniel H. Pink's A Whole New Mind is one of my favorite books. He's an engaging writer and he picks interesting and important topics.

I drove straight to the bookstore when I heard that his new book, The Adventures of Johnny Bunko - a career guide done in manga (Japanese comics) style - was released.

I've read a few manga - Shirow Masamune's Ghost in the Shell holds a prominent spot on my bookshelf. enjoy the manga, the anime movies and the video series... I've even got a Major Kusanagi action figure on my bookshelf - but I'm not what you'd call a hardcore manga fan.

Major Motoko Kusanagi
Ghost in the Shell's Heroine protects my books

Still, you'd have to be blind not to see that visual communication is the next big wave in learning, and manga is a leading edge of that wave.
Hence, my interest in Johnny Bunko. I bought it and read it in one sitting.

Title: "The Adventures of Johnny Bunko"
Author: Daniel H. Pink
Genre: Manga, Business, Careers
Summary: to quote the book's subtitle, "The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need"

Favorite Quote: I have two - "There is no plan" and "Make excellent mistakes".

Strengths: Well, I applaud Mr. Pink for innovating. It's not without risk to write a non-fiction book in manga format. On the other hand, his audience - new college graduates - is ready for this. And the message is right on target. I don't have any major disagreements with the content.
Weaknesses: All the learning in this book could have fit in a manifesto (manifestos rock!!).
This, essentially, is an article, not a book.

Ghost in the Shell proved that a manga doesn't have to be simple or dumb.
In fact, I guarantee that you'll learn more and think more during a reading of Ghost in the Shell than you will in Johnny Bunko.

Conclusion: Maybe Johnny Bunko is the baby step we need to launch the next visual learning wave - but if you're interested in riding that wave, I'd suggest you pick up one of these:

• Ghost in the Shell - the science fiction manga that inspired "The Matrix"
• Understanding Comics - Scott McCloud's overview of comics as a visual language is proof you can learn through pictures.
• Flight Volume 2 - This anthology of 'sequential art' - as Will Eisner termed it - is inspired and inspiring. If you wonder what the medium is capable of - look here.

Post-it Flags: 1 flag
* Each time I find an interesting quote, model, image, or idea in a book, I mark it with a Post-it flag. The more flags, the more value I found in the book.

Am I a Geek? Are You a Geek?

Yesterday, Barry Posner signed my 1st edition copy of The Leadership Challenge. 

Believe it or not, before I met him, I had to decide which edition I was going to ask him to sign - yes, I have all four editions...

In the afternoon, I stopped at the Recycle Bookstore in San Jose, and bought four more books to add to my reading pile.

• Riding The Waves of Culture by Trompenaars
• Managers As Facilitators by Weaver & Farrell
• The Cycle of Leadership by Noel M. Tichy
• Passion at Work by Lawler Kang

Based on these two data points, I realize that if someone wanted to convict me of being a geek,  they could find some pretty strong evidence.

1. I have an engineering degree.
2. I read for fun.
3. I don't just read, I collect books.
4. I have three computers on my desk (powered up and ready to go)
5. I like anime.
6. I enjoy the occasional graphic novel, manga, or sequential art.
7. I enjoy documentaries and foreign films.
8. I have a large catalogued collection of dvds.
9. I have a large catalogued collection of cds.
10. I own a couple of action figures (Musashi Miyamoto and "Ghost in the Shell's" Major Motoko Kusanagi)
11. I love maps.
12. I love libraries.
13. I have a sand (yes... sand) collection.
14. I can program in BASIC and HTML.
15. I've had a website since 1998.

Curious, I googled, "Are you a geek?" and "Are you a nerd?"

I took the GeekTest and scored at only 10.45365% (love the accuracy there).

Turns out I'm not even close. The lack of anti-social and fantasy attributes (no role playing games in my past, sorry) holds me back from reaching true geekdom.

How about you? Where do you score?