“Jobs couldn’t decide whether to use the version with his voice or to stick with Dreyfuss. Finally, the night came when they had to ship the ad; it was due to air, appropriately enough, on the television premier of ‘Toy Story’. As was often the case, Jobs did not like to be forced to make a decision. He told Clow to ship both versions; this would give him until the morning to decide. When morning came, Jobs called and told them to use the Dreyfuss version.” (from “Steve Jobs”, by Walter Isaacson, p 331)

Just found an old hand-written journal, dated May 1993, with my then-notes on methodologies and methodology tools. I find it interesting reading, as it refers already back then to business scenarios and Warburton, who introduced me to personas also back then in 1993.

Here is the photo of the journal entry. You probably have to be a hard-core geek to read it, but if you are, I think you will also find it interesting.

Jurgen Appelo decided to ask a number of people “Five “Easy” Questions”, questions easy to ask but maybe long to answer. It is an interesting series, see http://www.noop.nl/2008/07/5-easy-questions-for-alistair-cockburn.html for mine and a list of the others.

Here are his questions and my answers:

5 Easy Questions for Alistair Cockburn

The easier the question, the harder the answer.

I had been waking up at 3am or driving down the highway held captive of my internal pessimist or angryman, or, as Dr. Amen calls it, Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs). His approach was to list rationally why they aren’t relevant, but I found APEs more effective.

At 3am, there aren’t many rational thoughts happening – that is the time of the weak frontal cortex and the strong reptilian, so Dr. Amen’s (“Change Your Brain Change Your Life”) excellent observation/suggestion won’t work. Also, when screaming at myself or someone else inside my head while driving down the highway, I’m also not prone to rational discussion about the topic.