The Anthropologist
The Anthropologist is rarely stationary. Rather, this is the person who ventures into the field to observe how people interact with products, services, and experiences in order to come up with new innovations. The Anthropologist is extremely good at reframing a problem in a new way, humanizing the scientific method to apply it to daily life. Anthropologists share such distinguishing characteristics as the wisdom to observe with a truly open mind; empathy; intuition; the ability to “see” things that have gone unnoticed; a tendency to keep running lists of innovative concepts worth emulating and problems that need solving; and a way of seeking inspiration in unusual places.
Being a former product manager and also a real and dedicated anthropologist (University of CPH) I am usually met with surprise whenever I present my data/analysis. I have come to realize that part of this is due to the anthropologist’s way of showing SENSES of people. A sensual approach to understanding the actions of people is very uncommon, yet it is through our senses we ARE in the world. Senses are hard to “see”, oppressed by dominating mindsets of our society (incl. annoying lean managers who fail to realize that lean does not exclude being attentive to customer diversity) - and apparently we need translators such as the anthropologists. I believe that a strategic, transdisciplinary innovation team should be part of any organisation! Thank you, Tom Kelley, for giving your support to the anthropologists.
Thanks Tom Kelley!
As an anthropology professor I am always dealing with the student’s question: what can we do with anthropology besides academic research? Or, does anthropology matters outside the academic world? I manage to find exemples and I don’t have a single doubt about the importance of the anthropological knowledge and its “way of looking” for the life in this planet. Nevertheless, one thing is the opinion of an anthropologist, a completely different thing is the view of a renown management guru. As Tom Kelley writes, an anthropologist should be able to see things that usually others do not see. An anthropologist should be able to put things in context and de-contextualize at the same time. This, as implied in the book, is of great help for innovation processes and for all other communication processes (team-building, CRM, culture translations, sharing of (in)formation…). In one word, Tom Kelley puts the anthropologist in the right place of an organization, everywhere. Probably, this “everywhere” is the answer for so few anthropologists in lucrative organizations. How do you explain to an employer that “I do not have a specific, closed skill, but I’m able to understand and adjust to your company, your clients… and to give you new insights that can make a difference?”. Well, Tom Kelley, has the answer.
Thanks Tom Kelley.
Dear Tom Kelly,
Greetings for the day!!!
I just read the book and there is just one thing to say… WOW!!!
Couple of weeks ago, i was handling a training and on Apple products(I work as a technical trainer with a leading MNC.) where i had to train people on answering the customer queries and the necessary things on the product and its usage. Moreover, the training was also imparted on customer handling and about new ways of showing the demo on the product too.I explained certain new ways what i had got from the observation had at the store on how sales rep’s sell the products.There were about 20 in the batch and i posed a question on to them saying “whats the feature of a wireless device?” People came out with different answers as”wireless internet connection point, can print wirelessly as it has an USB port, connects 20 computers wirelessly etc.. But one of the trainees said It can charge an Ipod. I was dumbstruck by the answer as it does charge an ipod, but nobody had observed it. Superb, i had no other way to congratulate the student other than gift wrapping “Ten Faces of Innovation” to him.
Cheers,
Manjunath Krishna