In London this week

Hi all,

I'll be in London this week on my way to open our new office in Madrid. I'm leaving for Spain Saturday morning (20 January). Please leave a comment if you'd like to hook up this week in London -- maybe we can have a blogger meetup or something. Let's discuss who, where and when in the comments section.

Cheers!

Dave

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XPLANE Culture Map

XPLANE Culture Map, originally uploaded by dgray_xplane.

Every company has a culture, but it can take time to learn, and the stated culturecan often differ significantly from what people actually experience.

At XPLANE we have created a visual map of our culture, to guide our teams in daily decision making and help them make choices that are consistent with what we stand for and who we want to be.

Click here and roll over the photo for notes that explain the diagram.

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Job openings at XPLANE

As most of you know by now, XPLANE is in growth mode. I thought I would share a list of currently open positions. If you or someone you know is right for XPLANE please let them know about it.

It's an exciting time for us and I hope you will consider joining us.

Applications/resumes should go to opportunities@xplane.com, but please feel free to copy me as well (dgray at xplane dot com).

Senior Information Designer (Portland, St. Louis)

Qualified candidates will demonstrate skills in visual communication, process mapping, creative direction, people management and business technology.

We will also be looking for strong organizational and interpersonal skills.

Computer skills: Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office Suite, and any capability with Web 2.0 tools a plus.

Education/Experience: College degree in visual communication, information design or journalism is preferred. 5 years of real world experience is required.

Travel: You will typically spend at least 5 days out of town per month. A passport will be necessary.

Salary/Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience and we offer a complete benefits package.

Send your resume along with 3 samples of your best work to opportunities@xplane.com. No phone calls.

Information Designer (St. Louis)

XPLANE is a global leader in visual communication and we are looking a Junior Information Designer to join our creative team. You will work with top managers from Fortune 500 companies around the world to creatively visualize complex processes and technologies.

Qualified candidates will demonstrate skills in visual communication, information heirarchy, process mapping and typography. We will also be looking for strong organizational and interpersonal skills.

Computer skills: Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office Suite, and any capability with Web 2.0 tools a plus.

Education/Experience: College degree in visual communication, information design or journalism is preferred. 2 years of real world experience is required.

Travel: You will typically spend at least 5 days out of town per month. A passport will be necessary.

Salary/Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience and we offer a complete benefits package.

Send your resume along with 3 samples of your best work to opportunities@xplane.com. No phone calls.

Production assistant (St. Louis)

Requirements:

· 3 years experience in a graphic design studio, advertising agency or interactive agency or comparable freelance experience required

· Bachelor’s degree in fine arts, illustration, graphic design, interaction design or visual communications is preferred

· Experience in Adobe Creative Suite 2, particularly Illustrator and Photoshop is required, Flash skills are a plus

· Excellent rendering, illustration and graphic design skills

· Strong understanding of design principals including: layout, type and color

· Strong conceptual thinking ability

· Excellent understanding of constraints (limited color palette, bandwidth constraints, etc.)

· Ability to define tasks, organize complex projects and meet deadlines under pressured timeline

· Skills in all aspects of managing the print process including production, pre-press and press checking capabilities

· Excellent leadership and teamwork skills

· Outstanding references

Responsibilities:

· Take instructions from a designer to create complete layouts and final deliverables

· Work with a project team leader to fulfill client needs and adjust artwork based on those needs

· Produce final files that image properly to multiple print and interactive environments

· Maintain style sheets and update as required

Send resume and samples to opportunities@xplane.com.

Production assistant intern (Portland)

Requirements:

· Experience in a graphic design studio, advertising agency or interactive agency or comparable freelance experience required

· Bachelor’s degree in fine arts, illustration, graphic design, interaction design or visual communications is preferred

· Experience in Adobe Creative Suite 2, particularly Illustrator and Photoshop is required, Flash skills are a plus

· Excellent rendering, illustration and graphic design skills

· Strong understanding of design principals including: layout, type and color

· Strong conceptual thinking ability

· Excellent understanding of constraints (limited color palette, bandwidth constraints, etc.)

· Ability to define tasks, organize complex projects and meet deadlines under pressured timeline

· Skills in all aspects of managing the print process including production, pre-press and press checking capabilities

· Excellent leadership and teamwork skills

· Outstanding references

Responsibilities:

· Take instructions from a designer to create complete layouts and final deliverables

· Work with a project team leader to fulfill client needs and adjust artwork based on those needs

· Produce final files that image properly to multiple print and interactive environments

· Maintain style sheets and update as required

Send resume and samples to opportunities@xplane.com

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XPLANE opens office in Europe!

Here's a happy announcement:

XPLANE is opening a European office. Quietly, last fall, we acquired a Madrid-based information firm called IdeaMaps. I am happy to say that in January I will be going to Madrid to formally launch the venture and train the IdeaMaps team in "the XPLANE way." Going forward, IdeaMaps will be known as XPLANE EU and will be serving XPLANE clients in Europe and neighboring regions.

I'm so excited that I keep hearing Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison singing in my ear:

"The rain in Spain falls mainly on XPLANE."

There will be plenty more to come on this subject, I have no doubt. Meanwhile, if you are in Europe please leave a comment on this post and introduce yourself! I'll be looking forward to meeting you in person.

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How to find movies you would probably like

Well it's the holidays and if you're anything like me you're scrambling for last-minute gifts, preferably ones you can buy on Amazon.com.

The Movie Map is not only an excellent example of visual thinking in action, it's also a cool tool that can help you out with gift ideas (if you like to give DVDs).

Just enter any movie that you like, and the map will show you, for people who liked that movie, what other movies they liked. The search above shows movies you might like if you liked "The Matrix."

So if you have a friend and you know what movies they like, you can find other movies that they would probably like. Bingo, gift idea!

Check it out.

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DIY Visual Thinking School

Visual thinking school, originally uploaded by dgray_xplane.

Visual Thinking School (VTS) is a two-hour time slot that XPLANE sets aside each week, specifically for our teams to improve their visual thinking skills.

You can set up and run your own "DIY" version, either at work or at home. Here's how:

The trick is to remember that visual thinking is a holistic skill that involves training the eye, mind and body. The "XPLANE way" is evolving constantly -- most XPLANERs probably learn and try something new at least once a week.

You don't need to be an expert to run visual thinking workshops. Instead of thinking of yourself as a teacher, think of yourself as a learning director. Learning, as opposed to teaching, can be largely self-directed and is usually about a person trying to figure out a way to achieve a goal.

You don't need to be a teacher as much as a goal-setter. Once you have set learning objectives, you can have your team design learning activities themselves.

You could try rotating ownership of VTS to a different person each week.

Give the "VTS owner" a training goal and let them design the session. They can then make calls to subject-matter experts or do some research to fill in any gaps in their knowledge.

You will be amazed at what results you can get with that approach.

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Still life with book

Still life with book, originally uploaded by dgray_xplane.

Just listed a couple of paintings for sale on eBay. Details here.

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The Dutch Golden Age, art markets and the Internet

Still life with cheese by Floris van Schooten

When the Dutch East India Company was established in 1602, the impact on global trade was massive -- similar to the internet's impact on trade today. The art world was changed forever.

The emergence of international trade on a broad scale also set the stage for the rise of a merchant class, who used their new income to buy large houses. They covered the walls of their new homes with art, and in so doing unleashed one of the biggest revolutions in art history.

Prior to this time, most artwork had been commissioned by the rich -- that is, by monarchs or churches, and most subject matter was either religious in nature, or served to exalt royal figures and aristocratic ideals.

But in the Golden Age of Dutch painting, still lives and domestic scenes took their place as worthy subjects for art. Painters like Rembrandt and Vermeer created wonderful paintings of apples and pears, home and hearth, feasts and wine and beer.

Today a similar market revolution is underway; one that threatens to turn the art world on its head. Artists and art collectors can now connect directly with each other, no matter where they are in the world.

Personally, I have decided to start a new blog where I'll sell my paintings by eBay auction, starting at 99 cents. The idea is to let the market decide, and let the market for my paintings evolve over time. If you're interested I hope you'll subscribe.

I am also excited to see how the paintings take on a life of their own, and hope collectors will share photos of how they chose to display the artwork in their personal environment.

In this thread, let's discuss the following questions:

1. What do you think is happening?

2. How will it impact you?

3. How can we work together to create a new art, for a new world?

4. What other thoughts do you have?

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Look Me Up Under "Missing Link" on Wikipedia

Timely article in today's Washington Post:

Look Me Up Under "Missing Link": On Wikipedia, Oblivion Looms for the Non-Notable.

I wish they had called me for a quote!

Funnily enough, I found the article on the Wikipedia talk pages.

Here's the latest installment of the XPLANE Wikipedia saga.

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How can our spaces improve creativity?

In reply to my post about process, anonymous said:

I truly believe if there were more environments that fostered and encouraged innovative and creative thinking...we'd be a different place.

For once I'd like someone to walk up and say "let's reinvent the wheel just for fun." I know these people exist everywhere, I think they just need a little push.

Maybe that's a deeper conversation for another place...sorry for the rambling.

I agree, it's a deeper conversation. So let's have it.

How can we create work environments that encourage innovation and creative thinking? I look forward to hearing your thoughts here.

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Cityscape for sale on eBay

Cityscape for sale on eBay, originally uploaded by dgray_xplane.

Ok, here goes. My first original painting for sale on eBay.

It's a cityscape, a view of downtown St. Louis from the south.

I am going to let the market decide what it's worth: bidding starts at 99 cents (plus $10 shipping, if you're in the US).

You can bid on it here.

Bidding ends Saturday December 9th.

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Stop searching for God and just sit!

Notes and sketches, originally uploaded by dgray_xplane.

I really like this quote from Carol Righi. You know it strikes me as interesting that when businesses want to see more innovation, they talk about creativity. They hold workshops on how to be creative. But when you talk to most creative people -- like artists, inventors, and yes, bloggers -- they don't talk about creativity, they talk about process.

I share Carol's belief that our processes and practices are the primary drivers of real creative endeavors. It's like the zen buddhist said, "Stop searching for God and just sit!"

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XPLANE proposed for deletion from wikipedia

The XPLANE entry on Wikipedia has been marked for deletion.

Update: The page has been deleted based on the opinion of Wikipedia editors that the company is not notable enough. There were dissenting opinions. You can read the discussion at the articles marked for deletion page -- but please don't edit the page as the discussion has been closed. I have put the article up for deletion review, which means a larger pool of editors reviews the decision to delete.

However, anyone who believes differently is always free to write a new article about XPLANE. Be aware that any article must cite evidence of notability, such as multiple, independent, reliable sources, writing about XPLANE in some significant way. If anyone is interested I will be happy to supply such references.

And as always, please leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Thanks in advance,

Dave

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10 (or more) ways to a killer blog

Just click it!

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Handouts or no handouts?

Notes and sketches, originally uploaded by dgray_xplane.

User Experience Designer and Product Manager Jeff Lash, speaking at the 2006 St. Louis User Experience Design Conference (STLUX).

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