Customer Experience Library - Tip #7 Introduce Some "Chaos"

In Where Good Ideas Come From, Stephen Johnson outlines that usually the most innovative ideas come at the intersection of structure and chaos. He argues beautifully (with many cases studies, along with neuroscience) that breaking a paradigm requires taking a structured problem set, and introducing serendipity into the environment.  That serendipity could take many forms - getting out of the building for a company off-site, taking a different way home, talking to a stranger at a party, watching a movie or reading a book outside of your usual genre of interest.  All of these activities help introduce a bit of chaos into your brain to help you potentially re-frame your problem.  Johnson continues to explain different methods to assist in the innovation process through introducing new experiences into your daily routine to maintain your mental flexibility. Not every example he gives, I would recommend – the “open office” concept of the early 2000’s was a shot at this – has now undergone sever scrutiny.  But the underlying premise I believe carries weight.

Observe ways around you where people creatively solved their problems with all manner of design techniques and keep an open mind to learn how and where to apply any of those concepts in your business.

So, introduce some chaos!

Stop by a business you walk past everyday that you believe has lovely design, talk with that stranger on the bus, order food using a different app, approach that new person at the fridge of your friend group, go to an art show, a concert, a movie, call a competitor and ask to get lunch. 

Go into these experiences with a standard problem set you face on a daily basis, and then keep an open mind as you experience the “chaos” of other experiences, on how other industries, people, or organizations have solved similar problems.

Is there anything you can integrate back into your business?

Anything you liked?

Anything made you connect with a person or a product?

Go back and - Try it!

Better yet, if you’re a discipled, structured person by default, schedule some time every month for introducing this type of “chaos.”

You’ll be surprised with what you find. 

#customerexperience

#wheregoodideascomefrom

#designthinking