Failing slowly

I've listened twice to the wonderful Do Lecture with Matt Jones and Russell Davies. That doesn't happen often.

Their lecture looks at the projects they're still doing for Howies window in Carnaby Street. As well as being great examples of their thinking, I completely loved what Russell called his post-rationalisation of the way the projects are not finished, by calling them "Slow projects."

He defines Slow projects as projects you do in your spare time, with the voluntary help of others, and that have particular characteristics, like for example, remembering you're doing it, being able to gently nudge people who are involved when you've not spoken to them for six months! How do you best pick up the pieces and start moving it all on. What's the art to keeping people motivated to help whilst time passes, and they (and you) get distracted by life and work. 

Most importantly, he talks about how this approach builds in lots of room for failure, especially when it's done by throwing something out there in public, and despite the risks you might imagine.

This really describes our experience of Happy Towns project. We've got some friends and others helping, and people connected loosely around it. That's new for us. Generosity of spirit and excitement about what we can do. It really warms the heart. It also answers some of the tensions around doing it too.

There are some wonderful others - Michael Braungart's for example. He worked with us on the first of the Dirt Café debates, bringing his multilayered irony and precision thinking. Big fan.

And they are all about people who actually do stuff! How refreshing is that??