Part of the MFA Interaction Design Weekly Thesis Blog series - 5 of 64

I am not sure what ought to be my biggest takeaway from Jon Kolko’s visit to SVA this past week ought to be.  One sentiment does stick out though.  While he did not actually use these words, the message was this.

“Stop making excuses. Stop waiting for permission. Go do what is important already.”

I can even hear it in Jon’s voice in my head.  Of course Jon left it very open what “important” means.  He did make it very clear though that it is not designing another shoe, or another photo sharing app.  Jon spoke at length about applying our design talents at wicked problems; that we ought to tackle problems worth solving. He founded the Austin Center for Design with that goal in mind. As I think about thesis in this context, the question becomes, what is my wicked problem?

“Wicked problem” is a phrase originally used in social planning to describe a problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize. Moreover, because of complex interdependencies, the effort to solve one aspect of a wicked problem may reveal or create other problems.

via Wikipedia

What is important? What is a big hairy important problem in the world that I can take a bite out of, and that I care enough to push through the difficulty and resistance inherent in it?

It is at this point where I feel extremely lucky. I do indeed have wicked problems that sit close to my heart. My previous two thesis blogposts were about education and governance. I have mulled over these problems for a long time. These are big hairy problems that no thesis will “solve,” but now I have the opportunity and the space to take on a meaningful chunk of them. In a sense, this is what graduate school is for.

This brings me to another takeaway from Jon’s visit. Jon emphasized during his talk was the astoundingly low cost of launching new ventures today. New products and services can reach millions of people through new technologies basically for free.  Jon cites examples like the NEST thermostat and Instagram as examples of high impact products and services launched with relatively low cost.

Jon’s point, to put it plainly, is that if you have an idea for a world-beating product and service, there’s really nothing stopping you except your nagging self doubts.  So:

“Shh, I’m working.”

It’s a wonderful response to the inner critic, from Jon’s latest blogpost, “It’s hard, and I’m just not passionate about it.” Focus on the work, focus on what is in my control and find a new perspective to think from.  Tell the voice of doubt to just be quiet.

Which brings me back to the first takeaway, “just go make it.”  At dinner, Jon asked us about our ideas for thesis, so I described both of my ideas.  He said, “I like them both. Go make them. Why don’t you go make both?” When I hummed and hah'ed he asked, “How far away is thesis? 60 weeks? Spend 30 weeks on one, and 30 weeks on the other.”

So straight forward. Maybe I will. Thanks Jon.