difference between complex problems and complicated problems comes down to whether a problem is solvable or not. Is there a stable outcome? Is there an end state? Can research and expertise provide us with answers? Is the situation predictable? Answer yes to these questions and you have a complicated problem. Answer no and you have a complex one. It comes down to the difference between building a community and building a building. ” Complex vs. Complicated “ – Chris Corrigan
community is complex • What experiments are you doing as a community to see what works and what doesn’t? • How are you measuring success? • What are “community wide” concerns vs. interest groups?
• Building blocks add capacity over time, and become more valuable • Some examples: • An email list • A monthly meetup • An annual festival or conference
Passing!) the Torch • Individuals that step up and get involved only have so much energy to give per event, or over time. • How do you leave room for new people to step up and add energy? • How do you organize and gather your learnings and manage your building blocks so they can be passed on?
• How do people find out about your community? • Regular events where people can connect • Post things online where people can find it by searching • Consider centralizing some resources
not an economist! • I feel under-informed a lot of the time when I think about the host of issues I know nothing about • I ask “why” a lot • I am good at dealing with complex problems
• Canada is often talked about as a country that relies on natural resources • I think our bigger asset is Human Resources • great school system that continues to produce educated young people • people want to move here: lots of immigration from all over the world, especially here to the West Coast
All businesses are technology businesses • The printing press was once considered new-fangled technology • Is email technology? Is a website? • Which parts of technology are you experimenting with in growing your business? • Is there an email marketing group? An advertising online group? An optimizing your business with tech tools gorup?
Digital businesses can be built here • You’ve got power, Internet, and computers. And smart people. • Digital businesses can scale beyond their geographic area from day 1. • You won’t build the next Facebook. • Not just “startups”. Selling on Etsy or Shopify. Building a web services business.
Competing globally == being global • Global == online • There are no barriers • How does a geographic community work together to raise their profile online?
help • Local mentoring • “I’m looking for someone that knows X…” – scaling word of mouth • Tell your story in a way that it can be shared • Always have an “ask”: customers, advisors, investors
• Learning • gather demand and get targeted training • Support • peer-to-peer, centralized resources • Marketing / Growth • a business development trip to another city, shared costs of a conference trip • Group Buying / Shared Access • quantity discounts and access to bigger / better stuff
• This is a complex system, there is no right answer • Decide what you want to improve, try little (but consistent) experiments & measure them, learn what works and what doesn’t, and re-invest in what works • Value the energy of people. Lots of ways to get engaged, to get help, and to step up.
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