Say “Hello” to StoryTech

Arthur M. Harkins, Associate Professor, CIDE, and Faculty Director, Innovation Studies

We’ll be using a narrative process today. We call it

StoryTech. StoryTech is derived from Japanese Shinto’s animism, permitting easy construction of

virtual realities.

StoryTech was invented by the speaker in 1988. It has been used

with hundreds of public and private organizations, university

classes, and individuals.

The advantage of StoryTech is that it allows you, the story

creator, to be comfortable with your creation and to “own” it.

Where has StoryTech been used?

• NASA• US Air Force• University of Minnesota Regents• 3M• General Mills• Bell Laboratories• Princeton University• Fairview-University Hospitals• Datacard & Datatrol

Where has StoryTech been used?

• U.S. Department of Agriculture• U.S. Department of the Interior• Microsoft• American Express Corporate, NYC• Thompson Publishing• West Publishing• Pitney Bowes• Lutheran Insurance• Minnesota Public Radio

What have been the effects of StoryTech?

• Improved confidence in the performance of strategic projections and plans.

• More open discussions among staff, resulting in improved information sharing.

• Better mining of tacit individual knowledge.• Foundation-building for strategic and

innovative organizational cultures.• Commitment of staff to creating the future.

The focus of your StoryTechs today and tomorrow is to help

you project new futures for your organization, country, or region.

Let me show you the basic “social software” underlying

StoryTech.

You’ll find a white paper cup on the table in front of you. Please

pick it up.

Please look at the cup.

In your mind, please change the color of the cup to pink.

Now, please change the color of your cup to yellow.

Next, please use your mind to put a “happy face” on your yellow

cup.

Finally, please ask the cup a question:

“Tell me, do you enjoy being a cup?!?”

What did your cup “say?”Please turn to your neighbor and

tell her or him what your cup “said.”

Now, what have we just done?

You have used your mind to “virtualize” a common object and

permitted yourself to “speak” with it.

This exercise demonstrates part of the incomparable genius of the human mind: the creative use of

imagination.

The process we’ve just experienced is at the core of all StoryTech exercises: the use of

imagination in a personally comfortable creative manner.

The comfortable use of imagination to re-think futures and project their implications is what we’re all here for during

today and tomorrow.

Let’s begin with a practice StoryTech. After we’ve done it, we’ll answer any questions you

need to have answered.

PRACTICE STORYTECH

When you have completed the practice StoryTech, please quietly discuss it with your

neighbor.

Good! Are there questions or comments about the practice StoryTech? About StoryTech

itself?

Good! Now, let’s accomplish the “official” StoryTech for today.

I’ll read it through with you first, and we’ll answer any questions

before you begin to write.

The Friday StoryTech

When you have completed the Friday StoryTech, please discuss it within your group. Your group is guided by a discussion leader.

Submitting your anonymous StoryTech to the conference

Blog.

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/chri1010/symposium/

What will happen later today and tomorrow.

Are there any other questions or points?

Very good! Thank you!See you later today!