The gapingvoid Value Proposition

Nov 7, 2012

[More thoughts on “Business Needs More Art”:]

I doodled the above cartoon/line just now…

Maybe it’s just as simple as that: gapingvoid art is a great way for your office vibe to up its game, without having to pay higher rent or hire that expensive architect or decorator.

This is work in progress. All feedback gratefully received. Feel free to ping me on Twitter or wherever if you want to chat about it etc. Rock on.

[Update: Heh. No sooner than I posted this, did the great Kathy Sierra leave a comment:

This is not your value proposition. It’s just a fact, a feature, an attribute. Same with “transforming office art”. That’s the WHAT, but does not answer WHY. There’s the why YOU do it, and of course the WHY your customer/user wants it. Their benefit. Their result. Their awesomeness-as-a-result. Turning up the soul… Yes there is certainly something there that’s a hell of a lot more valuable than simply saving them on the cost of a pricey decorator or architect.
WHY do they want those architects and designers in the first place? What are they hoping to gain? Your work is not just a cheaper replacement. It’s getting to the heart (soul?) of something deeper and richer… You know this better than anyone

And of course, Kathy is right. But one has to try these things. Like I said many times before, we’re on a mission to transform office art or die trying. “Business Needs More Art”. Rock on.

[P.S. Thanks, Kathy! Love…]

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Martijn Linssen

12 years ago

True. And who can afford one these days?

Better yet, it’ll be a sign of “spending (y)our money carefully” when someone does hire you – although I think you should get paid a few times what the lame ones charge

Standing out from the crowd is what matters – wearing a Mercedes’ worth around your wrist is such a clear sign of innate insecurity, and everyone knows it belongs to the Banks anyway

I wish I had an office Hugh – but I only have a car, laptop and phone. Each with a different lifecycle, and visibility

Food for thought?

Kathy Sierra

12 years ago

This is not your value proposition. It’s just a fact, a feature, an attribute.

Same with “transforming office art”. That’s the WHAT, but does not answer WHY. There’s the why YOU do it, and of course the WHY your customer/user wants it. Their benefit. Their result. Their awesomeness-as-a-result. Turning up the soul… Yes there is certainly something there that’s a hell of a lot more valuable than simply saving them on the cost of a pricey decorator or architect.
WHY do they want those architects and designers in the first place? What are they hoping to gain? Your work is not just a cheaper replacement. It’s getting to the heart (soul?) of something deeper and richer… You know this better than anyone 😉

Jon Husband

12 years ago

Die trying.

I appreciate (and do believe) the passion. Your work always makes that obvious. But I am assuming the back half of the phrase is figurative.

Elisa Carlson

12 years ago

I would argue that the best offices have meaningful art and meaningful architecture/design. It is an expensive but good investment in a talented, happy, productive and engaged team. E.g. Google offices, which are amazing.

On the other hand, i am leery of designers selecting art work; seems disingenuous and just wrong.

albert maruggi

12 years ago

you know like undercover boss? ok you are undercover for business owners, management, even departments, and you visually illustrate their personality.

in some cases it’s very personal, like for the CEO, what does his world look like, what emotions does he/she express throughout the day and that in part is what at least some parts of the company see. I have a couple of suggestions if you like this idea.

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