BQF Innovation Blog » different

The Ledge at the Sears Tower in Chicago

Paul Sloane — Sun, 03 May 2009 08:30:10 +0000

Take a different view of the world. Like this one.

The Ledge at the Sears Tower

‘Visitors to the Sears Tower in Chicago may find their hearts skipping a beat when they step out on this mid-air ledge. The tower’s latest attraction, called the Ledge, promises a walk on the high side with these new glass enclosures that extend 4.3 feet beyond the side of the building. Beneath peoples’ feet lies the sprawling Illinois city – 103 storeys, or 1,353 feet, below. Just an inch-and-a-half of glass separates the visitor from the street underneath. The attraction is due to open in June. It is part of a multi-million dollar renovation of the tower – America’s tallest building.’

Thanks to Zee Slash blog.

Paul Sloane

Innovation lessons from the World’s Craziest Restaurants

Paul Sloane — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:49:57 +0000

I came across this remarkable story about the world’s craziest restaurants. They include a toilet restaurant in Taiwan, a restaurant in the sky in Belgium, a prison restaurant in Italy and a graveyard restaurant in India.

: Restaurant in the Sky

They are all remarkable and successful because they offer the consumer a novel experience. Many restaurants are reacting to the economic downturn by cutting prices and offering discount coupons. But when everyone is doing this it no longer helps. Research shows that price is not the main factor in determining which restaurant people choose. The key factor is the user experience – which is a mix of atmosphere, surroundings, service and cuisine.

The same goes for your business. How can you move away from price competition? The answer is by using your imagination and creating a novel experience for your clients. Take a careful read through the list of the world’s craziest restaurants and see what ideas they trigger in your mind for your product or service. Think crazy, think novel, think differently from the competition.

Paul Sloane

Use a Japanese Haiku for a different view

Paul Sloane — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:15:37 +0000

If you ever get frustrated with Windows errors then try some of these Japanese Haiku computer messages for an altogether calmer point of view.

The Web site you seek
Cannot be located, but
Countless more exist

Chaos reigns within.
Reflect, repent, and reboot.
Order shall return.

Program aborting:
Close all that you have worked on.
You ask far too much.

Windows NT crashed.
I am the Blue Screen of Death.
No one hears your screams.

Yesterday it worked.
Today it is not working.
Windows is like that.

Your file was so big.
It might be very useful.
But now it is gone.

Stay the patient course.
Of little worth is your ire.
The network is down.

A crash reduces
Your expensive computer
To a simple stone.

Three things are certain:
Death, taxes and lost data.
Guess which has occurred?

You step in the stream,
But the water has moved on.
This page is not here.

Out of memory.
We wish to hold the whole sky,
But we never will.

Having been erased,
The document you’re seeking
Must now be retyped.

Serious error.
All shortcuts have disappeared.
Screen. Mind. Both are blank.

Paul Sloane