mikeclark.design

🌟Achievement Unlocked🌟 I have always been comfortable in 2 dimensions. After installing and uninstalling Blender several times in the last 5 years, I have found an alternative that makes that third dimension less scary. #keepgoing made with Spline

What if I told you I built this #motiongraphic in #powerpoint? #powerpointISNTboring

𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄? A "viral" tik-tok has an average view time of between 30-80 seconds. In today's digital landscape, the cost of capturing attention is steep and continues to rise. Given the power of algorithms, you have less than two minutes to make a compelling first impression and captivate your audience. These are trends prevalent and verifiable in the "real world," yet we often expect a different demeanor in the "corporate world." As learning professionals, it's our task to 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲 our audience, captivate them, and establish credibility. And if TikTok is any indication, we need to accomplish this in under two minutes. Believing we can make substantial behavior change in under two minutes is unrealistic. However, if we fail to capture our audience's attention within that timeframe, they are likely to (physically or mentally) keep scrolling. Here are three tips to 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲 and capture your audience: 📖 Storytelling: Stories have the power to connect on an emotional level, making your content more memorable and impactful. By weaving your information into a narrative, you can capture and hold your audience's attention more effectively. 🧠 Interactive Elements: Transform passive listeners into active participants by incorporating polls, quizzes, and Q&A sessions. Interactive elements increase engagement and retention by providing immediate feedback and making the learning experience more dynamic. 📱 Social Trends: With the majority of people spending significant time on social media, often engaging with content from individuals they don't personally know, it's crucial to understand what captures their attention. By leveraging popular formats, and a relatable tone, you align with what already engages your audience, making your interventions more compelling and relevant. What did I miss? Let me know in the comments 👇👇👇

In the words of Dwight Schrute: "𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴" but it doesn't have to be. PowerPoints have gotten such a bad wrap to the point that prominent leaders like Jeff Bezos have banned them from company cultures. These leaders prefer 1 page memos instead... 🙃 As a visual communicator (wow what a superfluous way to say Storyteller) - I cringe every time I see a presentation that looks like it was a "cheat sheet" that professors let you use in college. 12 point font, every word they were going to speak on the slide, Times New Roman and maybe a piece of 1998 clip art to ✨jazz✨ it up. When you design a presentation, you are telling a story and your words (on slide and spoken), your slides, and your builds should all compliment each other. If any of those three are redundant due to another - it probably should be in a different medium. Here is an example of a starting slide for a workshop I gave on PowerPoint (meta, right?). The workshop was around "Speedrunning" PowerPoint - that is using shortcuts and built in functionality to raise the quality of your presentations in the quickest amount of time. By applying a video game theme (speedrunning is made popular in the video game world), I invited my audience into this story and got them 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲𝗱. Now with a primed audience, my presentation is working to deliver my message. Scott Winstead asked the question recently "What tool as an instructional designer is under appreciated" and without a doubt it's PowerPoint. Do yourself a favor and follow BrightCarbon. Take one of their (FREE!!!!) webinars and leave those "one page memos" for the out-of-touch billionaires.

With OpenAI's #sora demo - I'm seeing a lot of commentary from creatives with the same sentiment: 𝘄𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 I disagree. The sky isn't falling for creatives; rather, I believe it has become more accessible than ever. Rick Rubin had a famous 60 minutes interview where he disclosed that he can't make music. He doesn't know how to operate a DAC or production equipment, nor is he classically trained in any music-related discipline. Despite this, he stands as one of the world's most influential music producers, a status he credits to his discerning taste. ChatGPT eliminates the need for a $100k Computer Science degree to bring your app idea to life. With Dalle or Stable Diffusion, there's no necessity for Graphic Design courses or expensive software. And Sora does away with the need for a decade of motion graphics experience and a high-end computer for rendering. What's essential are your taste and ideas. While half of the creative people are worried they will be flipping burgers by this time next year, there is another half that is saying this is all "cheating". They claim the foundation of Generative AI is built on "stealing" from "real artists." Again, I disagree - and with that logic you could easily talk yourself out of creating anything ever again. We are all inspired by something and your ideas aren't really yours. Ultimately, AI isn't going to take your job, but someone who embraces AI effectively might.

After being exposed to the Insights Discovery program in previous organizations, this week I got the opportunity to become a Licensed Practitioner! It was an awesome experience to gain a deeper understanding of the program and officially be able to add it to my offerings! This quote was introduced to me in the program, but it really hits this week. Keep Going!

By now, most new years resolutions have been abandoned. This quote hit me during my weekly Cavalry doodling. Instead of vaguely aiming to "be more organized," I'm investing in creating systems that organically lead to better organization. Here's what this shift looks like: 🎯Choosing a System and Committing: Finding a method that resonates with me and sticking with it through thick and thin. No more jumping from one shiny new tool to another. 💥Embracing the Bumps: Accepting that falling off track doesn't mean failure. It's an opportunity to learn and adjust. So, if I miss a day or two, it's not the end of the world – or my resolution. 📈Iterative Improvement: Understanding that no system is set in stone. It's not about creating a perfect system on the first try but about evolving and tweaking it as I go. Perfection is a journey, not a destination. This approach is already making a difference in how I view organization and productivity. It's less about the goal and more about the process. Now, I'm curious – what systems are you implementing this year to stay true to your goals? Drop your thoughts and ideas below! 👇👇👇👇 #NewYearsResolutions #ProductivitySystems #GoalSetting #ContinuousImprovement

I adopted ChatGPT on day 3. I felt like the person in the movie that tells everyone "the aliens are coming", but my hair is messed up and I keep dropping papers so no one believed me. I fundamentally believed it was going to change the way we worked and choosing to abstain would be the equivalent of saying "I'm good with that new fancy internet, I get my information from books at the library". Fast forward a year and some change. ChatGPT has now permeated nearly every industry, and the AI landscape brims with daily innovations. In this whirlwind, where LinkedIn influencers tout their AI-focused eBooks, you might feel like you're lagging behind, akin to clinging to a flip phone in 2024. But here's an important reality check: 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗬 in this journey. This technology is still in its nascent stages. A vocal minority might try to rush you, selling the notion that you're already behind. And I can't stress this enough: 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗬. But there's no need to stay there. Let’s connect and figure out how ChatGPT and Generative AI can elevate your work and empower your team.

I'm notoriously 𝗯𝗮𝗱 at taking notes. I've tried everything. Paper, stickies, iPad, Notion, Apple notes. The list is endless and with every new "shiny solution" is the promise that this time it will be different! Well... I have a new shiny solution - the reMarkable 2 - a paper-like tablet that is levels above the typical tablet/stylus experiences. Here are three ways the reMarkable tablet will help me be a better note-taker and more productive: 🥇Distraction-Free Design & Paper-Like Feel: The reMarkable 2 stands out with its design focused solely on reading, writing, and storyboarding, devoid of the usual distractions like notifications and apps. This, coupled with its paper-like feel that mimics actual pen-to-paper, not only keeps me focused but also aids in better memory retention. It's the digital convenience I need with the familiarity of traditional note-taking. 🥈Customizable Templates for Flexible Workflow: What sets the reMarkable 2 apart is its ability to adapt to my workflow through customizable templates. This flexibility means I can tailor the system to fit the specific needs of each project, be it project planning, brainstorming, or daily task management. It's about the system adapting to my needs, not the other way around. 🥉Seamless Organization and Access: The reMarkable 2 transforms how I organize and retrieve notes. With its advanced organizational features, I can easily categorize, search, and access my notes from anywhere. This eliminates the frustration of lost notes and inefficient sorting, making my note-taking process smoother and more efficient. While the reMarkable 2 is yet another "shiny solution," its unique features, especially the customizable templates, align perfectly with my goal to improve my note-taking habits and overall productivity. I'm excited to integrate it into my daily routine and see the difference it makes!

Another experiment with Cavalry. It's crazy how much easier this is to learn than After Effects and it's free! Is your brand stagnant and need to "grow legs"? Let's connect! #openforwork #motiongraphics #brandingdesign