I mentioned Gamestorming a few days ago and had a few queries about it.

Gamestorming is a “Toolkit” of activities and guidelines for creating an environment where creativity and innovation can flourish. Popularised by the book of the same name by Dave Gray, published by O’Reilly.

It’s Brainstorming focused onto specific outcomes, with a large dose of play thrown in.

Some of the Techniques are old ones, some are new. What is great is the understanding of the structure or flow of a session. From Openers or Divergent Thinking, through Exploring or Emergent Thinking and finally into Closing or Convergent Thinking.

Now, most brainstorming and creative thinking facilitators would do this naturally but its a great overview for those new to the field.

With a bit of study of the book and the  Website I’m sure anyone could use some of these techniques with your group. Alternatively I’d be happy to run a session for you.

Having just suffered storm damage to our house via a flash flood triggered by a hailstorm, I read with interest this story about Hail Warnings delivered by SMS.

The scheme should save Insurance companies money and the end users the grief and loss of time that storms can deliver.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/hail-on-way-insurers-offer-a-headsup-from-the-heavens-20120219-1tha0.html

Interesting opinion piece by Matt Healy on the ABC Drum website about Cloud Computing.

Well worth checking out the comments section as well

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/3818628.html

There is a R & D Tax Incentive that many Australian Business do not know about or bother taking advantage of.

AusIndustry and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) are holding a series of public information sessions around the country.

Details here http://tinyurl.com/6hwq7e9

Glad to see Peter Rix being recognised for his long involvement in the Events Industry.

As a corporate MC and entertainer I’ve worked with Peter several times at major events.

In his early years, Rix was a driving, effervescent force in the development of a bustling local music industry, producing an average of 700 performances per year and managing 1970’s and 80’s music icons, including Mark Holden, Jon English, Billy Field, Richard Clapton and Marcia Hines, whom he continues to manage today. At 35, Rix swiftly evolved from artistic manager into the world of event creation, production and management, where he quickly became the master of event execution.

He’s being awarded a lifetime achievement award at the 2011 Australian Event Awards tomorrow night (Thursday Oct 6), for his outstanding creativity & innovation.

Read more about it here http://www.spicenews.com.au/2011/10/05/article/Peter-Rix-to-be-recognised-for-Lifetime-Achievement/XKHWKSQRWM.html

Time is running out to enter The Australian Innovation Challenge.

With a great range of Categories and Prizes it’s certainly worth checking out.

Entries close September 28!       Details here

Grant applications are open for the 2012 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. If you’re 18-35, this is your chance to apply for up to $22,000 to fund your project on an innovative or emerging scientific issue to benefit Australia’s primary industries.

The Awards aim to encourage science, innovation and technology in rural industries and help to advance the careers of young scientists through national recognition of their research ideas. Project recipients can undertake groundbreaking research and innovation with the objective of keeping Australia’s rural industries sustainable and profitable. The Awards have already helped more than 150 young Australians make their ideas a reality and showcase their talent to the world.

There are eleven Award categories open for applications: cotton, dairy, fisheries and aquaculture, forestry, grains, viticulture and oenology, animal welfare, red meat processing, pork, new and emerging rural industries and horticulture. Each category includes a grant of up to $22,000 for the nominated project.

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Award provides an additional $33,000 to one recipient of the industry Awards to extend their project.

Details here http://www.abares.gov.au/conferences-events/scienceawards

It was my pleasure to be invited to be Corporate MC at the Next Generation Supply Chain Summit held on the Gold Coast last week. Put together by GDS International, it featured keynotes, workshops and networking opportunities for C- level executives working in this vital and ever changing role.

Highlights of the event included -

• Bill Antonace of Woodside Energy outlining their massive RMM project.
• Panel discussion on the Future of Supply Chains in Australia, led by Christopher Holmes from IDC Manufacturing Insights. Panellists included Jo-Ann Murphy from Australia Post who outlined their transformation from a letter delivery organisation to a parcel delivery one.
• Peter Quine from Coles held a terrific workshop on Efficient Distribution Centres.
• Frederico Caporali from Primary Health Care, challenged some of the audience with his overview of Sustainable SC Management
• Sue-Ellen Mackintosh-Dixon, CEO of Peep Toe Shoes on innovative staff engagement, with the great insight “that the culture of the organisation is one thing that can’t be copied and should be viewed as a competitive advantage.”

A terrific two and a half days on the Gold Coast. The event is planned to be repeated again next year.

Interesting story in todays SMH about the evolution of the Mobile Phone, which turns 30 today.

Some of the facts quoted -

Mobile technology in Australia

Coverage – In August 1981, the mobile network was limited to greater Melbourne (the service launched in Sydney in December 1981, Brisbane in 1983 and reached all Australian capital cities by 1985).

Today, the Telstra mobile network covers 2.1 million sq km and reaches more than 99 per cent of the population.

Customers – Less than 1300 phones connected to the 007 network in its first year. Today, more than 11 million services are on Telstra’s Mobile Network, and in total 22 million people have mobile phone service in Australia.

Texts – In 1981, no one had heard of texting. In 2009/10, Telstra customers sent 9.4 billion text messages.

Mobile internet – Using a mobile network for internet access had not been imagined back in 1981. Now, Telstra’s mobile broadband network supports more than 10 million internet capable phones, tablets and data cards.

Base stations – Thirty years ago, there were three base stations in Melbourne and five base stations in Sydney. Today, there are more than 7400 base stations across Australia.

Costs – To buy a mobile phone it cost $4995 plus a $350 installation fee in 1981, compared to today where a customer can buy a phone from Telstra for less than $35 outright.

Read more: Mobile technology in Australia

Coverage – In August 1981, the mobile network was limited to greater Melbourne (the service launched in Sydney in December 1981, Brisbane in 1983 and reached all Australian capital cities by 1985).

Today, the Telstra mobile network covers 2.1 million sq km and reaches more than 99 per cent of the population.

Customers – Less than 1300 phones connected to the 007 network in its first year. Today, more than 11 million services are on Telstra’s Mobile Network, and in total 22 million people have mobile phone service in Australia.

Texts – In 1981, no one had heard of texting. In 2009/10, Telstra customers sent 9.4 billion text messages.

Mobile internet – Using a mobile network for internet access had not been imagined back in 1981. Now, Telstra’s mobile broadband network supports more than 10 million internet capable phones, tablets and data cards.

Base stations – Thirty years ago, there were three base stations in Melbourne and five base stations in Sydney. Today, there are more than 7400 base stations across Australia.

Costs – To buy a mobile phone it cost $4995 plus a $350 installation fee in 1981, compared to today where a customer can buy a phone from Telstra for less than $35 outright.

Read more: http://tinyurl.com/3ne9a2g

Is Queensland the Innovation Nanny State?

The Chamber of Commerce thinks so and believe Government Red Tape is stifling business growth and Innovation.

With over 80,000 pages of regulations to comply with it’s a little wonder people are struggling to move forwards.

http://www.cciq.com.au/news/businesses-name-queensland-the-red-tape-state/