Obsess Over Process

Verne Ho @verneho

Process Thursday, March 14, 2013 4 Comments

If you're not thinking about process, you're probably doing it wrong. That's what we say internally, anyway.

I know, process can be a dirty word, but it’s a function of how you approach it. The thing is, process isn’t for the sake of process. Process is for the sake of the people. And if you understand that people constantly change, adapt, and grow, then you must accept that process must also constantly change, adapt, and grow.

Process is an often overlooked but killer competitive advantage. We don’t dare to say that we’ve got everything 100% right, but we take pride in knowing that, when hell breaks loose, we’re better equipped to solve problems together.

Obsess over process. It’s the best advice I can give any team.

Planning as a Team

Verne Ho @verneho

Process Monday, January 28, 2013 7 Comments

Two Fridays ago, we got the team together to kick off our upcoming company planning sessions. With everyone seated around the Sandbox (our nickname for our team meeting room), we openly discussed topic ideas, session formats, organizing action items, and scheduling, among other details.

Last week, each person had a chance to submit their recommendations on topics they’d like to talk about or see covered. Recommendations typically cover everything from the way we work (process, roles, accountabilities), to the things we work on (new industries, clients, special projects), to the things we use everyday (equipment, supplies, studio space). These recommendations get consolidated, refined and turned into a series of presentations, workshops, and roundtable discussions that are led by our team over a course of 2-3 days where the studio closes up shop. It’s like our own internal Jet Cooper conference. And we do it every 6 months.

Behrouz leading a Futurecasting workshop.

Behind the Scenes: TEDxToronto

Verne Ho @verneho

Community, Design, Projects Tuesday, November 15, 2011 7 Comments

TEDxToronto is an independently organized conference licensed by TED. The yearly event brings together Toronto’s thought leaders, change-makers and everyday citizens to witness unforgettable talks from all disciplines.

As active participants in our local community of technologists, educators and designers (in all their broadest definitions), our team couldn’t have been any prouder to carry the label of official Creative Partner for TEDxToronto over the last two years. With the release of this year’s talk videos this morning, I thought I’d reflect on the work we’ve been privileged to create (and recreate) for this prestigious annual event.

Behind the Scenes: My City Lives

Verne Ho @verneho

Design, Process, Projects Friday, September 2, 2011 7 Comments

My City Lives, one of our longest standing clients, launched the second version of its location-based video platform yesterday, adding another significant stripe to its sleeve since its inception (and since we first started working with them) in late 2009.

One of the joys of working with talented startups is that we often get to watch products graduate through their various stages of maturity. The relationships we build and retain with a product (and its team) through that growth provides a backbone of consistent feedback and other inputs that allow us to better understand the vision, position and users over time. This inevitably enables us to deliver even better work round after round, phase after phase.

How do you use your Moleskine?

Verne Ho @verneho

Community, Fun, Process Thursday, August 25, 2011 10 Comments

Once upon a time in February, I casually tweeted that I was picking up a new Moleskine at my local Chapters. Specifically, I mentioned that I was making a move to a Plain Moleskine from the Ruled and Squared ones that I was previously using.

What followed from this single, unassuming tweet about my preference in notebooks, was a string of replies from others who were equally passionate about the type of Moleskines that they felt were superior.