Emotionally Intelligent Signage and Pecha Kucha takeaways
It is rare for me to sit still for a video presentation.
Anil Dash compelled me not just with Dan Pink’s drawing power, but with a connection to me personally when he told me that his tastes also ran to faster speeds, but that this presentation was nevertheless worth the time.
Anil further told me why he took the time… “far more impressively, [Dan Pink] created his own presentation in the format, and it’s a smart and thoughtful look at the emotional expressiveness of signage in public spaces.”
My first takeaway was on the title, ‘Emotionally Intelligent Signage’. I think that this describes the method or process used by the sign writers very effectively, especially for the signs that address a common anxiety. The signs which give me a reason, though, such as the ‘keep off the grass’ sign or the ‘hand dryer’ sign, go a lot further to invite response and involvement from the reader.
When I’m reading those signs, I’m being asked to think, consider, and participate, to make a conscious decision by getting involved rather than just reacting. It’s similar to my POW acronym on great blogging. The power of why …why I should care.
Communicators have been using emotional triggers for as long as we’ve had emotions, but asking me to make a conscious decision to care is a lot braver than haranguing me about why I should or trying to trigger it reflexively. It tells me two things: that you have a good reason to be asking and that you respect me enough to ask for my involvement.
Mark Dytham and Astrid Klein’s Pecha Kucha form is a delightful example of marrying discipline to creative energy, and considering it led me to my second takeaway.
I often go on about integrating different points of view and expanding horizons to embrace various perspectives. Here’s an illustration.
Reverse these…
‘All form and no substance.’
‘Form follows substance.’
‘If it’s worth doing it’s worth doing well.’
…and then put the results beside the originals, like an equation that expands their meaning. This is how I see Pecha Kucha.
What are your takeaways?
