Evaluating ideas: How hard is it to explain?

THERE’S A SAYING IN POLITICS: “IF YOU’RE EXPLAINING YOU’RE LOSING.” It’s true in the broader communications world too, and it makes for a great filter when evaluating creative ideas. … When a consumer sees your campaign, or a shopper bumps into your promotion, or a bookstore patron runs across your title, they won’t have read the research, consulted a briefing document, or been through all the brainstorm notes you’ve been through. The program, the display, the book — they all have to speak in the moment and be understood in an instant.

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What's the Meaning of This?

MATH IS NOT MY FRIEND. It is at best an acquaintance, at worst a nemsis, and nearly always an awkward guest in my home. We sit across the room from each other, nervously crossing and uncrossing our legs, searching for something in common to talk about. For Kathleen McDaniel (the youngest of my three sisters) however, math is a friend, a constant companion and even a source of comfort. Math can come into her house without knocking and sometimes they even laugh together. So I was surprised but pleased when Kathleen and I found ourselves agreeing about the relationship between creativity and math in an email exchange yesterday.

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