Pop quiz: What do the resurrection of long-extinct species of dinosaurs and iPhone app development have in common?

Answer:

“[They] were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.” - Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jurassic Park, 1993)

Okay, so a poorly conceived iPhone application won't (necessarily) go on a murderous rampage slaughtering extras and supporting actors, but like the failed theme park, it will end with you flushing large amounts of money down the proverbial toilet. more

Failure is a pretty scary proposition, especially in the context of project management. And yet, it doesn't have to be this all-consuming nightmare; it is a challenge that should be confronted head-on. According to famed political economist Douglass C. North, institutions lose their ability to lead strategically because they stop thinking creatively and instead become tied down to process, often because they are paralyzed by the fear of failure. more

At a recent training for a nonprofit client, I began my talk on online promotions with that proverbial slide filling the entire frame with logos of online tools. Then I flipped to Edvard Munch’s painting, “The Scream.” Indeed, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all of these possibilities that seem to change by the day. more

There’s an obvious appeal to having a large email list: you have the ability to reach many people with one click. But recently I’ve begun questioning the value of large email lists, and the effectiveness of bulk email in general, specifically for the types of clients EchoDitto works with – non-profits, progressives, NGO’s, etc. more

iHobo: bad taste, yes. You can read more here.

But I'm inclined to think that bad taste is better than no taste at all. more

I am fascinated by the intersection of humankind and machines. I often watch the rain as it strikes the puddles, and am entranced by the question of whether or not their pattern is chaotic or ordered. Likewise, I ask whether or not we have free will, are we perfect chaos or perfect order? That is, an imperfect order would be chaos. And, perhaps more to the point, I ask what we become when we make the perfect order that is the machine a part of our minds. more

Hello there.  My name is Sara Deneweth and I'm the newest member of the operations team.  Before starting at EchoDitto, I was the post-production manager for five years at a film/video studio in San Francisco, called Remedy Editorial and I'd like to share some of what I learned.  more

When I was younger, we lived in an area with moderate gang activity. Playing in the front yard without adult supervision was strictly forbidden. Accompanying my friends to the market on the corner and skipping the bus and walking to school in the morning was simply out of the question - even if we did it anyways. When I moved across the country, the atmosphere was different. I could play outside without my parents watching me through the window. I could go with my friends down to the stream and stay out until dark. more

This post on the crazy new math of the modern era drives me crazy.

Just like I don't believe in heroes, I don't believe in genius. I believe in community.

The long tail is everywhere, even poetry. The age of the elite creator is replaced by your neighbor the poet/journalist/insert-craft-here. Is there really a problem with anyone being able to write a poem? more