What Designers and Strategists

Can Learn from Dick Fosbury

Brad Smith // #WebVisions

Who the heck is Dick

Fosbury?

Here’s Dick setting an Olympic high

jump record with a height of 2.24

meters (7’ 4.25”) at the 1968 summer

Olympics in Mexico City.

His technique became

famously known as the

“Fosbury flop”

“The Straddle Technique”

But how does any of this

relate to Designers and

Strategists?

Fosbury’s success had a lot to

do with innovation.

Dick’s coach replaced the

sawdust with foam rubber.

By cushioning his landing,

Fosbury could radically

change his approach and

movement over the bar.

Within a few years, almost every

high jumper had adopted his style.

His innovative approach to a sport

that seemed to have reached its

limits was ridiculed at first.

”…Fosbury is the world's Laziest High

Jumper."

”…he looks like a fish flopping in a

boat."

As designers and strategists, it’s

our role to follow trends and

innovations, and to ask questions.

Evolution Happens.

1996

2013

1996

2013

Future Challenges

Video/Motion

Voice

Gesture and Position

Geolocation

Ambient systems

How will we reinvent

digital and analog

interfaces and

experiences?

The changing webs.

Change factors.

Guess what?

A UX Designer and

Strategist’s work is

gonnaget a lot more

complicated.

But here’s the

good news:

Anticipating

and adapting to

change equals

job security.

Don’t accept

“what is.”

Ask “what if…”