The thesis lesson I learnt yesterday which may be useful

[Tom Harman]

Hey team,

Yesterday, I learnt the valuable lesson of progressing your thesis without actually talking about your thesis. So there's a chance you may find it useful too.

It's a 3-step plan:

#1 — Identify someone you want to talk with, perhaps the author of the book you're reading or a talk you've seen that is relevant.

#2 — Email them saying you're really interested in chatting to them for 15–30 mins over Skype about their ideas as it relates very closely to your thesis. You might include 1 sentence describing your thesis, but the important thing is focusing on them and their ideas.

#3 — Skype with them. Have 4/5 questions prepared, but basically encourage them to talk about their work and their thinking. Finish by asking if there's anyone else they'd suggest speaking with to continue research. They might ask you what your thesis is actually about but you can palm them off by saying you're at an early stage in research, if you're not comfortable talking about it (although i'm sure there is value in doing that).

The key is managing to push forward all your ideas without needing to talk about yourself or where your thesis is :)

Hope that's useful.

Tom.

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harmantom.com
@tomharman

[Nicole Sylianteng]

Thanks Tom.

I like this "palming" :)
Been having similar thoughts about this talking.

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Nikki Sylianteng

http://nikkisylianteng.com

[Shanshan Gao]

I love the idea " encourage them to talk about their work and their thinking" , I unconsciously follow it sometimes.

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Shanshan Gao        

www.shanshangao.info 

thesis blog

MFA Candidate of  Interaction Design 

School of Visual Arts

New York, NY 10011

[Amit Pitaru]

This is great advice, thanks Tom! I'll be using it as well : )

On 11/29/12 4:55 PM, Shanshan Gao wrote:
> I love the idea " encourage them to talk about their work and their
> thinking" , I unconsciously follow it sometimes.
>
> On Thu, Nov 29, 2012 at 1:45 PM, Nicole Sylianteng
> <nicole.s...@gmail.com <mailto:nicole.s...@gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Thanks Tom.
> I like this "palming" :)

> Been having similar thoughts about this /talking/.

>
>
> On Thu, Nov 29, 2012 at 1:41 PM, Tom Harman <t...@harmantom.com
> <mailto:t...@harmantom.com>> wrote:
>
> Hey team,
>
> Yesterday, I learnt the valuable lesson of progressing your

> thesis without actually /talking/ about your thesis. So

> there's a chance you may find it useful too.
>
> It's a 3-step plan:
>

> #1 � Identify someone you want to talk with, perhaps the

> author of the book you're reading or a talk you've seen that
> is relevant.
>

> #2 � Email them saying you're really interested in chatting to
> them for 15�30 mins over Skype about their ideas as it relates

> very closely to your thesis. You might include 1 sentence
> describing your thesis, but the important thing is focusing on
> them and their ideas.
>

> #3 � Skype with them. Have 4/5 questions prepared, but

> basically encourage them to talk about their work and their
> thinking. Finish by asking if there's anyone else they'd
> suggest speaking with to continue research. They might ask you
> what your thesis is actually about but you can palm them off
> by saying you're at an early stage in research, if you're not
> comfortable talking about it (although i'm sure there is value
> in doing that).
>
> The key is managing to push forward all your ideas without
> needing to talk about yourself or where your thesis is :)
>
> Hope that's useful.
>
> Tom.
>
> --

> harmantom.com <http://harmantom.com>

> @tomharman
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> --
> Nikki Sylianteng
> http://nikkisylianteng.com
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> /*Shanshan Gao */
> /*www.shanshangao.info <http://www.shanshangao.info>*/
> /thesis blog <http://shanshangao.tumblr.com/>/
> /
> /
> /MFA Candidate of Interaction Design /
> /School of Visual Arts/
> /New York, NY 10011/
>
> --
>
>

[Sana]

On a side note: this piece is old but gold,

http://worrydream.com/ABriefRantOnTheFutureOfInteractionDesign/

Sent from my iPhone

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