How to Remix Smart In a Busy World

by Nathaniel Whittemore · 2010-03-03 07:40:00 UTC
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Everyone has wisdom. No one has time. So Ignite -- a global series of rapid-fire talks -- is trying to make wisdom shareable in a new and engaging way.

Basically, the way an Ignite presentation works is that each Ignite speaker has 20 slides, each of which is set to auto-advance after 15 seconds, for a total of five minutes. This keeps every presentation fast, simple and to the point.

The first Ignite was held in December 2006 as a chance to share geeky wisdom over beer within the tech community. When word got out that it was a totally fun format, the originators handed the reins over to O'Reilly Media. Since then, over 200 events have been held around the world.

This week is Global Ignite Week, and in 68 countries, over 10,000 people from all walks of life and across all types of careers will be enjoying the excitement, ideas and rapid fire wisdom shared by their peers.

For me, this is just one more example -- along with things like the proliferation of TED talks online, the growth among unconferences and BarCamps, and the explosion of interest in Pecha Kucha -- of the importance of how to remix smart in a hyper-connected world.

Really, this phenomena lies at the intersection of two trends. First is the growing need people feel for offline connection. Perhaps unexpectedly, as more of our lives go online, I think we're seeing significantly more creativity in how people meet offline. Secondly, in our complex world, there's a growing need for knowledge, wisdom and ideas -- not to mention a heightened appreciation for the diversity of sources from which that wisdom can stem. As we're assailed on all sides by stories of global problems, hearing the best insights that others have to offer is not only a strategy that can lead us toward better action -- it's also a way to retain sanity.

Check out this video from an Ignite event in Portland, OR about "How To Be A Refugee" to see the format in action:

Photo credit: Randy Stewart

Nathaniel Whittemore is the founder of Assetmap. Previously he was the founding director of the Northwestern University Center for Global Engagement.

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