Unlearning 101

God Dome It! Unlearn!

The Saint Ignatius church in Rome was originally designed to include a cupola. For financial reasons, the feature was never built.

In moment, sparked by Divine intervention perhaps, Church officials hired Andrea Pozzo to paint a fake dome on the ceiling over the altar. Today, more than 300 years later, many visitors are shocked to find out the spectacular cupola above them is not real but an illusion.

Sometimes all it takes to unlearn a problem is the willingness to embrace a new perspective.

Interested in some other examples of turning problems into opportunities? Check out these older posts by self-described "Chief Unlearning Officer" Jack Uldrich:

Put One Foot in Back of the Other

The Opposite May Also Be True

You're Not Very Deep ... And That's OK!

But let me start off with what is wrong with university education in general. In the universities, we train specialists, hire specialists, and we promote faculty if they are the very best at whatever they do. In order to be the very best, people have to be very deep, which also tends to make people narrow. The university scorns the generalist—they say, "Ugh. In any given area, you don't know very much, do you?" This is what worries me. Engineers and MBAs are really good at solving problems. People who create products and services have to be generalists. Good designers do not rush to a solution. First they ask, "Is this the correct problem to solve?" They need to know something about everything, enough so they know how to consult the world's specialists, enough so they can combine and create across the narrow specialties, putting together novel, exciting new products and services. 

The above paragraph was taken from this excellent interview with design guru, Don Norman. In addition to highlighting yet another flaw with today's university education, I also like how Norman emphasizes the point of asking a new question--which, as you know, is a wonderful way to unlearn.

More broadly, though, I agree with Norman's point that "specialization"--which certainly has its place in society--can also be a weakness; whereas "generalists"--long regarded as the poor step-sister to their smarter siblings (the specialists)--can have some real strengths.

In other words, the phrase: "You're not very deep" isn't necessarily a criticism, it can also be a compliment.

Country Road Dangers

The other day I discussed this interesting paradox involving bike helmets and suggested that innovative designers might be able to craft a solution. I'd now like to pose another opportunity to creative designers--design safer country roads.

People mistakenly feel safer on country roads even though they are far more dangerous than urban streets. In fact, although only 23% of the population lives and works in rural settings over 57% of all accidents occur on rural roads.

There are a number of reasons for this (i.e. people are more likely to drink-and-drive on country roads; they are more likely to speed; feel as though they don't have to pay close attention, etc.) but could country roads also be designed in way to improve safety?

Related Posts

Food for Thought on Bike Helmets

Study at an Anti-Library

Food for Thought on Bike Helmets

Did you know that in the year after a state mandates its citizens to wear helmets while biking that biking-related deaths for children between the ages of 5 and 15 fall by about 8 death per year.

It is a small number but I think most reasonable people would say that it is a positive development. I agree. 

Yet, it is also important to "see what we can't see." In this case, a year after a helmet law goes into effect 650,000 fewer children decide to jump on bikes. (Presumably because wearing a helmut isn't cool.) This isn't a positive development because too many kids are already suffering from obesity and a serious lack of exercise.

The solution? Safety advocates, physical health experts and innovator designers need to team up to figure out how to design a helmet that will encourage more riding--not less.

Unlearning is About Dropping Things

Compare and contrast the two pictures. The picture to the right is a real version of an Apple iPod box and below it is a spoof of the same box if Microsoft were to package the iPod.

Apple has mastered the idea of dropping things. If you and your organization haven't, I invite to watch the short video below and then seek to unlearn the idea that more features; more information; and more bells and whistles are always better. 

Draw Outside the Lines

Read the following three quotes from Pablo Picasso:

"To blossom forth, a work of art must ignore or rather forget all the rules." 

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." 

"It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child."

Now take a look at his picture "Mother and Child" to the right. Do you notice anything? 

Picasso doesn't stay inside the lines! Notice how the blue color of the child's shirt is outside of the lines and how the color of the child's face also blurs outside the lines.

I imagine that Picasso "learned" the rules of not "drawing outside the lines" during his youth. Luckily, however, he unlearned this habit (and many others) later in his life.

Are there "draw inside the lines" habits in your life that you should now unlearn?

Unlearning isn't a Black and White Issue

The future won’t be either black or white—it will be black and white. In the field of architecture and design, people are often use to choosing between form or function. In the future, as a result of advances in nanotechnology, this age-old debate will become less relevant. As proof, I submit this article discussing a new technological advance that will allow the roof of the future to be both black or white—depending upon the temperature outside. (On cold days it will be black to absorb sunlight and on hot days it will turn white to reflect sunlight and keep the building cooler.) Depending upon your perspective that might either be a cool idea or a hot new area of interest.

Unlearning Empty Space

Artists can help revitalize urban spaces but first city planners and developers must unlearn some of their ideas about what retail spaces can be used for. To the right is a picture of an abandoned Blockbuster video store. Pictures like this are only going to become more common as people unlearn their reliance on DVDs and begin downloading and streaming movies directly from the Internet and into their homes.

The big question is: What happens with all of this empty retail space? Sure, a few stores will be replaced by neighborhood restaurants and new retailers but, for the foreseeable future, many will remain vacant. The result: urban blight

One strategy is to allow artists access to these spaces at a discounted rate. For example, a local community theatre group could use an old Blockbuster to perform new and innovative shows. Another option could be for local artists to use the spaces to show their latest paintings, sculptures, other pieces of art or even to teach classes.

The space is going to be physically empty. The best way to fill it is with the human creativity that resides within the human mind.

Unlearning the Bridge

Is there a better way to build a suspension bridge? According to researchers at Sheffield University the  answer is "maybe." As this article explains, engineers may soon be able to build a more structurally sound bridge using less material. The only unresolved issue is whether the more complex design will offset the material cost savings -- thus negating any financial benefits.

Nevertheless, I like this quote from one of the lead researchers: "It ended up that the only option was that the current wisdom was wrong." It is a wonderful reminder that when encountered with information that flies in the face of conventional wisdom we must actively strive to maintain an open mind.

Unlearning "Ten"

Check out the logo of the Big Ten Conference to the left. Do you notice anything? Do you see the number "11" embedded on both sides of the "T"? I never did and I live in Minnesota and am a big fan of the Big Ten conference (as evidenced by this recent post on Ohio State.) The logo was cleverly modified when Penn State joined the conference in 1990. In other words, it has taken me 19 years to "see" the "11."

As I said the other day, if you want to unlearn it helps to "see what isn't there." And, as this old clip from the cult classic movie, This is Spinal Tap, proves: 11 is like 10 -- only better.