Comment

Comment by Neve Chambers on May 19, 2012 at 11:50pm

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My favourite secret is: What you have matters more than what you lack. (If you’ve got a bicycle, consider what you can build based on that, rather than worrying about not having a car, a truck, a metal shop.) This means your lucky to have what you've got and not to winge about things you dont have. There is many people in the world that wont even have a bike but you could be winging about not having a car. I think this could help me change the world because I will be making use of what I have and not wasting time winging about what I dont.

Comment by Leah Arrensen on May 9, 2012 at 1:58pm

I agree they are all highly important.

Comment by Zachary Thames on May 8, 2012 at 6:46pm

I think all these tips are highly valuable, but I very much agree with Ethan Zuckerman's tip: "Don't fight culture".

Comment by Zachary Thames on May 8, 2012 at 6:44pm

Comment by Leah Arrensen on May 7, 2012 at 6:12pm

I think the creative one is the most important.

Comment by Zachary VanDeuren on May 7, 2012 at 2:34pm

I think its critical to raise awareness, by using the concepts of sharing knowledge and understanding.

In my opinion sharing knowledge to increase the quality of human life is very important, especially in 3rd world countries in remote areas. But even the most populated areas would need complete understanding of the issues all of us Humans share on global level.

Comment by Asim Riaz on May 2, 2012 at 8:10pm

Comment by Mady Ward on May 2, 2012 at 5:17pm

I really liked the idea of innovating on existing platforms by Ethan Zuckerman.
I also enjoyed Amy Smith's idea of not just giving finished technologies - but providing skills! My Mom owns a company based in Cambodia, where the average salary is per person is generally less than $40 a month if you work for the Government there. That's why a lot of women turn to prostitution because they can make a lot more per month (up to $200 - what a MAJOR difference!).. but when you take those women (as well as men) and teach them skills that they can use not only for their jobs that we give them, but also in life in general, they start to realize that they DO have a purpose in life, and they DO mean something to somebody!

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Comment by Mady Ward on May 2, 2012 at 5:17pm

I really liked the idea of innovating on existing platforms by Ethan Zuckerman.
I also enjoyed Amy Smith's idea of not just giving finished technologies - but providing skills! My Mom owns a company based in Cambodia, where the average salary is per person is generally less than $40 a month if you work for the Government there. That's why a lot of women turn to prostitution because they can make a lot more per month (up to $200 - what a MAJOR difference!).. but when you take those women (as well as men) and teach them skills that they can use not only for their jobs that we give them, but also in life in general, they start to realize that they DO have a purpose in life, and they DO mean something to somebody!
LEARN!

Comment by Mady Ward on May 2, 2012 at 5:16pm

I really liked the idea of innovating on existing platforms by Ethan Zuckerman.
I also enjoyed Amy Smith's idea of not just giving finished technologies - but providing skills! My Mom owns a company based in Cambodia, where the average salary is per person is generally less than $40 a month if you work for the Government there. That's why a lot of women turn to prostitution because they can make a lot more per month (up to $200 - what a MAJOR difference!).. but when you take those women (as well as men) and teach them skills that they can use not only for their jobs that we give them, but also in life in general, they start to realize that they DO have a purpose in life, and they DO mean something to somebody!

Comment by Sean Millard on May 2, 2012 at 5:08pm

the thing that i chose was in the take some one actions and also can be a different ting that would be in the blog

Comment by Artur Ansmann on May 1, 2012 at 10:31am

The tips for innovation in Africa from Ethan Zuckerman, Amy Smith and Paul Polak seem to be useful to understand what it means to be a social innovator. Socal innovation describes innovations, which have direct impact on social problems and conflicts. In this context my favorite secret is "Provide skills, not just finished technologies". To improve the economic and social situation in most of the african countries in the long term they need to be able to handle their problems and conflicts themselves, aid-packages are usefull to deal with current problems, but they cant be the long term solution. By teaching the neccessary skills to promote innovation there will the possibility to achieve this goal.
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Comment by Marcel Ulrich on April 30, 2012 at 6:47pm

There are a lot of these 33 secrets i agree whith like "Innovation (often) comes from constraint" or "Listen to the right people." But in my opinion the most important one is "Make it inexpensive."!
The most glorious innovation is just useless if it the production of it is such expensive that it can't be paid by the people who have a need for it.
In these days everything is about money. Nothing which can really make a difference is for free. This is the sadly truth!
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Comment by Sarah Lehneke on April 30, 2012 at 2:41pm

i also agree with Jens kortegast that "Understand" is very important to solve problems, nevertheless which type of problem it is (I've also chosen this secret) He goes further by questioning in a rhetorical way His point "Is talking and listening the answer?" I think this is food for thougts. The main problem is the growing of capitalism and the exploiltation of third world people. So i think the big companies who are exploiting the third world do understand the peope, but they don't act this way,cause: they want to make more and more profit - they are not really interestet in "understanding" the people.

Comment by Wei Guan on April 30, 2012 at 2:09pm

My favourite secret is "Listen to the right people. " From Amy Smith on rules for design in the developing world.
First of all is "Listen! ". When you want to create the solution, you must to know what the real problem is. So you must "talk to the people who have the problem – and LISTEN to what they have to say. " Just like what Paul Polak said.
And second is "to the right people! ". Each person has their own opinion. So you must listen to a lots of people and find the right one. Do not let the prejudices to mislead you.

Comment by Tim Winkelmann on April 30, 2012 at 1:26pm

My favorite secret is:
"Peripheral vision - keep a look out for other challenges or new solutions all the time.".

In my opinion this is one of the best ways to find new solutions for other problems you don't even know about when you start.
While focused on finding a solution or collecting ideas for one special challenge you often also have ideas or a new approach for totally different problems.
Many great innovations have been discovered only by chance and not while really searching for them.
For example penicillin, microwaves, post-its or potato chips have only been discovered by chance.
So my conclusion is peripheral vision isn't the definite way for finding new solutions, but it's a very good one.
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Comment by Julia Switt on April 30, 2012 at 11:58am

Amy Smith on rules for design in the developing world:
Try living for a week on $2 a day.
That’s what my students and I do when I teach my class about international development. It helps them begin to understand the trade-offs that must be made when you have only very limited resources. More broadly, it was in the Peace Corps in Botswana that I learned to carry water on my head, and noticed how heavy the bucket was; and I learned to pound sorghum in to flour and felt the ache in my back. As a designer, I came to understand the importance of technologies that can transport water or grind grain.
I like this kind of the lessons, because the students can put themselves to the life of the people who are living for a week on $2 a day.

Comment by Peter Ch***winski on April 30, 2012 at 11:10am

"Share knowledge and skills to continue the innovative process both to and from people and communities"

This is my favorite secret because everyone has different skills and experience. When people work in teams they are more productive then when they work individually because the teammates complement each other, they work as a unit, pushing each other when needed, providing sustainment and assisting in each other's development.

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Comment by Dimitri Werchorobin on April 30, 2012 at 10:53am

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My favourite secret is "Economic sustainability" from Paul Polak. Furthermore, I agree with all other secrets, but one that I have outlined my opinion the most practical.
With economic sustainability can as Polak described provide financial motivation for continued growth over time. Empower people by improving their economic or social status. In addition it is a real way to deal with problems as well as a strong economy can solve many financial, and with it other problems, which are sufficient in Africa.
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Comment by Elaventhan Arunakirinathan on April 30, 2012 at 9:57am

They are 33 secrets which all could change the world in their own way. My favourite three secrets are "Don’t fight culture" from Ethan Zuckerman , "Listen to the right people" from Amy Smith "think like a child – children have no limit to their thinking" from Paul Polak.
1.You can not change the social and cultural environment of the people only of the reason that you want to help them. The people wont accept it. So it would more decrease the progress than increase it.

2. If you want to find a solution for someone's problem, you have to listen to, understand and talk to him about the problems. You have to find a solution by being a good listener and actor.

3. Think like a child – children have no limit to their thinking. I absolutely agree to this point. Its usal that adults think big and complex and only rubbish is the outcome. In my opinion thinking like a child is the easiest way to help these people. So we, the social innovator has to think like a child to act like an adult.

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