This document discusses how improvisation can teach lessons for design. It explores how improvisation involves using tools and frameworks, establishing roles and communication, and trading parts between collaborators. The document argues that improvisation fosters new ways of thinking and acting by developing thought patterns, practices, structures and ways to behave. It has historically been important to many artistic movements like hip hop, but has declined with the shift from tape to digital formats and the internet. However, improvisation remains important for spontaneity and the real-time web, and comes most naturally in one's mother tongue.

1. hannah donovan, 3 september 2010
JAM SESSION: What
Improvisation Can Teach
Us About Design

2. Prelude
Jamming with George Koller, 1988

3. Prelude
Dr. Shinichi Suzuki

4. Prelude
John La Porta

6. Prelude
dev/fort

7. prelude
What your brain does

8. prelude
What your brain does
Self-censoring

9. prelude
What your brain does

10. prelude
What your brain does
Self-expression

11. How to improvise
What lessons can
we borrow?

12. How to improvise
1. Tools

13. How to improvise
2. Structure &
framework

14. How to improvise
2. Structure &
framework

15. How to improvise
2. Structure &
framework

16. How to improvise
3. Roles

17. How to improvise
3. Roles

18. How to improvise
3. Roles

19. How to improvise
4. Communication &
Expression

20. How to improvise
5. Trading parts

21. Why improvise?
New thought
patterns, practises,
structures, and ways
to act.

22. Why improvise
Improvisation has
been at the heart of
every popular music
movement.

23. why improvise?
the romantic period

24. why improvise?
hip hop

26. Why improvise
Improvisation and
read-write culture

27. Why improvise
The decline of
improvisation

28. Why improvise
The Wurlitzer organ

29. Why improvise
From tape to the
internet

30. Why improvise
Spontaneity and the
real-time web

31. Why improvise
Improvisation is
easiest in our
mother tongue

32. Finale
Thanks!
Contact
@han on twitter / hannah@last.fm
Credits & further reading:
delicious.com/hannahdonovan/improvisation