Blind Spots

The session idea was contributed by Peter Marks peter@designinsight.com, who led the session.

Premise

The premise of this session was that there are the blind spots that clients may not see about their own businesses that outside freelance consultants do.

Why is this?

• Language/cultural reasons.
• Magnitude of actual realities versus those planned or perceived.
• 'Discounting the future'. Aaronson, in "Cognitive Dissonance".
• "Stumbling on Happiness". Daniel Gilbert, Harvard.

Tools / Techniques

• Metaphors - Best bridge to expose blind spot to client.
  • Common metaphors easily understood.
  • Even cliches have utility.

• Sensitization
• Political realities, understanding and working.
• Truth telling versus confirming the customer's hypothesis.
  • See 'metaphors', above. Ha, ha.

Conclusions

• Seeing what insiders don't, or can't admit.
• Novel view of the outsider. Fresh eyes.
• Blind spot anecdotes. Peter asked that any participants with interesting blind spot anecdotes please send them to him, at peter@designinsight.com