Book Review: Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers by Dave Gray, Sunni Brown and James Macanufo

The book presents the idea of approaching the brainstorming activity using games through collaborative play.

                                     

I enjoyed going over the book and found the games very useful, some of them entertaining as well. Approaching brainstorming in the form of a game is a new concept for me and it took quite a while to become open to the games presented.

One of the things that is very helpful is the good number of illustrations in the book the really helps the 'serious' brainstormer like me to appreciate the concepts being presented.

The games are presented in a manner that is straightforward and with just enough information  similar to what you would expect in playing board games.

One thing that stands out for me is the whole chapter devoted to the skills required in order to increase success in doing gamestorms.

I am looking forward to using the methods in my next brainstorming activity.

Recommended for those involved in generating ideas for almost anything like problems solving, marketing, etc.

About the authors:

Dave Gray is the Founder and Chairman of XPLANE, the visual thinking company. Founded in 1993, XPLANE has grown to be the world's leading consulting and design firm focused on information-driven communications. Dave's time is spent researching and writing on visual business, as well as speaking, coaching and delivering workshops to educators, corporate clients and the public. He is also a founding member of VizThink, an international community of Visual Thinkers.

 

Sunni Brown, M.P.A., is Owner of BrightSpot Info Design, a company specializing in visual thinking to support organizational and group success. Sunni was trained in graphic facilitation at The Grove Consultants International, a San Francisco-based company that pioneered the use of visuals in meetings and group processes. She is currently an Associate of The Grove, a freelance consultant for XPlane - the visual thinking company - and an Associate of Alphachimp Studios. She is also co-Founder of VizThink Austin, currently the largest visual thinking community in the United States. Sunni presents regularly on the topics of graphic facilitation, graphic recording and visual thinking. She is also a contributing researcher for Nancy Duarte's upcoming book on storytelling and presentations. Sunni holds Bachelor's degrees in Journalism and Linguistics and a Master's in Public Affairs from the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs. She lives in Austin, TX.

 

James Macanufo: As a consultant at XPLANE, James helps large technology and government clients develop their vision, strategy and communication plans. He is actively obsessed with understanding what things are, the way they work, and why they matter. He is also an occasional inventor of card games.

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[Disclaimer: I got this book for free as part of the Oreilly blogger review program I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”]

Book Review: The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferris

The 4-Hour Workweek is not a time management book but a book on how to 'design' your life so that you will only be working 4 hours every week while achieving the same results.

The book works on the idea that retirement need not to be at the end of our productive life but should be divided into mini-retirements to allow us to enjoy the experiences.

Of course, many of us have two objections: money and time.

In the book, Ferris gives a narrative on how he earned more money while working less hours, take advantage of different buying power of currencies, reduce non-essential busy work and a lot of other things.

The book is presented as a narrative, not a how-to manual nor an impersonal analysis of what Ferris calls 'Lifestyle Design'.

What I enjoyed about the book were: Ferris' humorous writing style, the vast list of useful internet sites and other useful tips. Ferris also has a blog that expands on the ideas in the book and provides updates on new 'experiments'.

Highly recommended for those who are serious about taking mini-retirements or even to those who just want to have more time for meaningful stuff without compromising professional results and financial gain.

About the author:
Timothy Ferriss, called "The Superman of Silicon Valley" by Wired magazine and nominated by Fast Company as one of the "Most Innovative Business People of 2007," is the author of "The 4-Hour Body" and the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and BusinessWeek best seller "The 4-Hour Workweek," which has been sold in 35 languages. He is a guest lecturer at Princeton University and faculty at Singularity University at NASA Ames Research Center. His blog is one of the most popular in the world (according to Alexa, Technorati): http://www.fourhourblog.com.

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Book Review: Innovator's Toolkit 10 Practical Strategies to Help You Develop and Implement Innovation

Innovator's Toolkit: 10 Practical Strategies to Help You Develop and Implement Innovation provides a good overview on innovation and the processes involved to bring innovative pursuits into realization.

The book discusses topics from idea generation to how leaders can help in ensuring that innovative pursuits are well-supported.

Although a good read, readers who are looking for anecdotes on innovation would be disappointed. The book mostly puts forward examples from various research, typical of any book from Harvard Business Essentials.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is involved in the the innovative process within the confines of a company or even entrepreneurs who are looking for a quick, no-jargon practical reference on innovation.

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Book Review: KaChing: How to Run an Online Business that Pays and Pays by Joel Comm

In KaChing, Joel Comm provides the reader with basic tips on how to run an online business.

Some chapters are very basic while some areas can be 'too technical' for beginners.

I bought this book looking for ways to monetize my blog and this book met my expectations. Not only does it provide tips on monetizing a blog, but there are other information on ways to earn beyond blogging.

I do appreciate Comm's reminders on building it slow and making sure that we operate within the terms of service of any partner program.

If you are looking to start an online business, this book provides a 'buffet' of options. If you are looking for ways to monetize a blog, better check out Comm's AdSense books.

About the author:
Joel Comm is an entrepreneur, NY Times bestselling author, and new media innovator. An expert on harnessing the power of social media and mobile applications to expand your brand's reach and engage in active relationship marketing, Joel is a sought-after public speaker who leaves his audience inspired, entertained, and armed with strategic tools to create a new media campaign that will explode their business.

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