The right decision

"Think decision-making is about gut feel? Think again. It’s all in the mind..

The way the human brain works can sabotage our decisions.

Fifty years of research has revealed we use unconscious routines known as heuristics to cope with the complexity inherent in most decisions. These serve us well in most situations.

In judging distance, for example, our minds frequently rely on a heuristic that equates clarity with proximity. Yet, like most heuristics, it is not foolproof. On hazy days, our eyes will trick our minds into thinking things are more distant than they actually are.

Researchers have identified a series of such flaws in the way we think when making decisions..."

The AFR article goes on to explain:
- The anchoring trap
- The status quo trap
- The sunk cost trap
- The evidence trap
- The framing trap and
- The forecasting traps

W: http://www.afrboss.com.au/magarticle.asp?doc_id=25548&rgid=2

Hear it from the BOSS: The Leadership Question - 11 April

What makes a leader? How is Australians' view of leadership changing?

Expert panels led by Adam Spencer (Sydney) and Geraldine Doogue (Melbourne).

Time: 6.30pm-8.30pm
Price: $ 49.50(including GST + Booking fee)

Event details for Sydney | Tuesday April 11

Speakers include:

John Mulcahy, CEO Suncorp
Alison Watkins, Executive chairman Mrs Crocket’s Kitchen
Janine Allis, CEO Boost Juice
Ross Fowler, Managing director Cisco Systems Australia and New Zealand
David Deverall, Managing director and CEO Perpetual Limited

To book for City Recital Hall, Angel Place, phone the City Recital Hall box office on (02) 8256 2222 or go to the link below.

Event also taking place in Melbourne on May 3rd. Speakers and details at the link below.

W: http://www.afrboss.com.au/events/EventDetail.asp?eventid=464

d factory: All about Eames - 30 March

d factory is a free monthly event put on by the Powerhouse Museum

6pm – 6.30pm
Drinks and music in the Café

6.30 – 7.15pm – All about Eames
To coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Eames’s feted lounge and ottoman, this month’s dfactory panel looks at the work of Charles and Ray Eames. Regular dfactory host Nell Schofield will be joined by architect James Grose, Market Manager for Herman Miller Alan Boyd and Powerhouse Museum curator Anne Watson to reflect on the legacy of two of the 20th century’s greatest designers.

7.15 – 8.30pm
Drinks and music

When: Thursday 30 March 2006
Time: 6.00pm – 8.30pm
Where: Powerhouse Museum, Courtyard Café – enter via Macarthur Street

W: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/dfactory/

Queenstown NZ's jewel in the crown

"Queenstown was once known as the destination for three things: bungee, beer and backpackers.

Of course, the achingly beautiful New Zealand South Island town has also long been on the international ski circuit.

But in recent years Queenstown has stepped into a new realm, cultivating high-end, sophisticated travellers -- and with that has come a rush of hoteliers, upmarket restaurants and tourism businesses..."

W: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18462845%255E25658,00.html

Bigger is not more beautiful

Article in the Weekend Australian: "As we rush to super-sized homes, designers are looking for smarter alternatives, writes Guy Allenby..."

W: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18462732%255E25658,00.html

The Picture Books of Koji Suzuki & Ryoji Arai

"An interesting phenomenon in current day Japan is the amount of adults indulging in picture book reading. Previously considered a children’s pastimes, it seems that adults are longing to rediscover the ‘child’ in themselves. Two picture book writer-illustrators contributing to this renewed interest are Koji Suzuki and Ryoji Arai. Their inimitable styles stem from their own perceptions of life and seem to generate a certain ‘healing’ effect on their readers. After widespread interest in their native Japan, their work is now being internationally recognised.

The Picture Books of Koji Suzuki and Ryoji Arai will showcase approximately 60 original drawings from their many published books, as well as large-scale paintings by Suzuki."

When: till Friday 17th March
Where: Japan Foundation Gallery, Shop 23, Level 1 Chifley Plaza, 2 Chifley Square, Sydney

W: http://www.jpf.org.au/02_events/yoe/picturebook/picturebook.htm

Ryoji Arai's website: http://www.ryoji-arai.info/
Koji Suzuki's website: http://www.zuking.com/

Cyclic Defrost CD Compilation - EMERGENT - For 25s and under

"Folks

A quick reminder about the compilation CD we are compiling in conjunction with the Noise Festival.

5000 copies of this CD are being pressed for distribution with the June/July edition of Cyclic Defrost.

We welcome submissions from any Australian-based artist who is 25yrs or under in any of the genres associated with avant-rock, electronics, noise, abstract hip hop, modern classical or even freak folk.

Basically we are after anything that would fit under the broad banner of what Cyclic Defrost covers.

Submissions close April 1
More info at www.cyclicdefrost.com/emergent.

Seb

Editor-in-chief
Cyclic Defrost Magazine
P.O.Box A2073
Sydney South
NSW 1235
Australia

w - www.cyclicdefrost.com
e - seb@cyclicdefrost.com"

Source: Cyclic Defrost email

Bilateral Petersham - Lucas Ihlein

Lucas Ihlein has received a 2006 Arts Grant for his project Bilateral Petersham.

"He will display items he accumulates from living in his local neighbourhood of Petersham, the contents of which will then be displayed at the Chrissie Cotter Gallery from 24 May to 4 June..."

Where: Chrissie Cotter Gallery, Pidcock St, Camperdown, Sydney.

W: http://www.marrickville.nsw.gov.au/livinginarea/culture/chrissiecottergalleryevents.htm

Google acquires Upstartle

SMH article titled: 'Google edges closer to taking on Microsoft'.

"Search leader Google has acquired Upstartle, a small startup that runs a collaborative word processor inside Web browsers, according to a posting on Google's official press site on Friday.

Upstartle runs Writely.com, which helps people access and edit documents from any computer on the internet..."

W: http://www.smh.com.au/news/breaking/google-edges-closer-to-taking-on-microsoft/2006/03/11/1141701737494.html

Pattern Recognition - till 19 March

"Pattern has entranced artists for millennia. Pattern Recognition presents a new way of recognising the concious, and less overt, possibilities of pattern in object making. In Pattern Recognition , nine Australasian articulate pattern in a diverse range of forms; tactile, stimulating and surprising."

At the Object Gallery, St Margarets 417 Bourke Street, Surry Hills, Sydney

W: http://www.object.com.au/pages/current.html

Frost*bite: graphic ideas by Vince Frost - till tomorrow

"Frost*bite is a frank and open account of Frost's work over more than a decade: the good, the bad and the ones that got away. This inspirational exhibition provides a true reflection of the ideas-based philosophy now synonymous with Frost's name."

At the Sydney Opera House Exhibition Hall till 12 March 2006.

W: http://www.object.com.au/pages/current.html

DIY Design It Yourself

D.I.Y. Design It Yourself is a design handbook edited by Ellen Lupton.

I came across this book whilst browsing at the Kinokinuya bookshop. I liked the images and various types of media featured in the book. There's a few pages devoted to each of the following: blogs, books, business cards, cds, flyers, invitations, logos, newsletters, notecards, posters, stationery, t-shirts, web sites, wall graphics, zines, and there's a few interviews with designers as well.

I liked how it wasn't corporate design, but more from the design students just coming up with things, experimenting, trying out new ideas. The resulting product/media looks more 'home-grown', earthy, organic and fresh, rather than corporatized, and I appreciated that.

"This book is for people from all walks of life who want to publish words, images, and ideas on paper, on t-shirts, on the Web, or anywhere else. Current technologies—from digital fonts and the Internet to full-service copy centers—make it possible for nearly anyone to produce their own graphics. Technology alone, however, is not enough. If you learn how to think like a designer, you will be able to clarify your ideas and pull together the materials, services, and software you need to make your concepts real. This book demystifies the technical side of small-scale publishing in various media while opening up your mind to the creative side of design."

"This book was produced by students and faculty in the Master of Fine Arts program at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). We hope to broaden design awareness by spreading knowledge of what we do."

W: http://www.papress.com/designityourself/index.html

Ellen Lupton also maintains a blog called Design Writing Research at:
http://www.designwritingresearch.org/

10 ways to get the best deal on your next PC

Article in the SMH with 10 handy hints on how to get a good deal on your PC.

W: http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/10-ways-to-get-the-best-deal-on-your-next-pc/2006/03/08/1141701572013.html

Online buying frenzy as big business swoops on sites

Article in the SMH on how companies like Yahoo and Fairfax are buying websites which offer services and has a large number of people using them. Examples include Flickr, Stayz etc.

W: http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/online-buying-frenzy-big-business-swoops/2006/03/10/1141701687721.html

d factory: Tricks of the stage - Feb 23

Powerhouse Museum: Design talk d factory - Tricks of the stage
23 February, 6.00pm, FREE

"From Velcro to gaffer tape, the first d factory for 2006 reveals some of the tricks used for live stage performance and their impact on costume, prop and set design. Nell Schofield talks to production, set and performance designer Brian Thomson, lighting designer Gavan Swift, and costume supervisor Sue Osmond, about creating dynamic environments for live performance."

Event not listed on website, but received info in an enewsletter.

W: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/dfactory/index.asp

Architecture and Photography: Neil Durbach and Anthony Browell - 6 March

An AGDA talk by Neil Durbach and Anthony Browell.

6 March, 2006, 5.45 for 6.00pm start
Australian Museum, Cnr William and College Streets, East Sydney, (entry from William Street)

COST: AGDA Members $25, Non-members $40, AGDA Student Members $10, Student non-members $20

RSVP Robyn Tel 9955 3955, Fax 9955 0566, Email secretariat@agda.com.au

W: http://www.agda.com.au/eventsnews/nsw/events/2006/Archit.html

Victim out-stares attacking tiger

"A female rubber tapper working on a Malaysian estate escaped death when she engaged a tiger in a staring match in which the predator was the loser, a newspaper reported today..."

W: http://www.smh.com.au/news/unusual-tales/victim-outstares-attacking-tiger/2006/02/21/1140284061157.html

Card Art

Saw this magazine in the newsagent. Title: Card Art: Innovative Card-Making Designs. The cards featured are really cool and innovative. Not sure when I'll find time to try making any cards, but it looked so good I had to get it. Written by Stephanie McAtee and Emily Falconbridge. It features 120 cards with step-by-step instructions on how to make them. It's published by Universal Magazines in 2005. Couldn't see this publication listed on their website though. RRP: $19.95.

W: http://www.universalmagazines.com.au

A day in the life of Design: Extraordinary Everyday Objects

"Wake up. Go to work. Unwind at home. A well-designed object may not save your life, but it can make it better and more efficient. From a toaster to a toilet, a bed to a bike, these ten pages of product represent the height of simple pleasures.enjoy them, morning till night..."

City Magazine has published 5 pages of design products you can use throughout your day.

W: http://www.city-magazine.com/abovestandard.html

Q&A with Zaha Hadid - City magazine

"The personality of Zaha Hadid borders on myth. The 2004 Pritzker Architecture Prize winner, born in Iraq and based in London, has been called the most famous female architect in history. Hadid is often respected, at times feared, but always discussed—as much for her penchant for Miyake as for her darkly aggressive paintings and swooping buildings. CITY’s Eva Hagberg caught up with Hadid three days after the opening of her site-specific installation, Elastika, at design.05 during Art Basel Miami Beach..."

W: http://www.city-magazine.com/pageone/members/archives/2006/02/interview_zaha.php