(to expand/explore/extrapolate)

• Improv Foresight

“I suspect the reason there is so much to learn from the practice of theater is that the humanities and social sciences lack a strong culture of experimentation. Theater is, in a sense, the true laboratory for the humanities and social sciences.” –venkat

• compact methods
• http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2010/01/23/impro-by-keith-johnstone/

(via http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a525362.pdf )

“Meanwhile, we lose precious time and initiative to our enemies who are proficient in the art of Jazz. We do not have the time to compose a symphony, rehearse and play a flawless performance. Our audience, the operating environment, wants to hear us play Jazz and we must be better than the competition. Traditional planning gives us the time to learn while emergent decision making uses that time to execute inside of the enemy’s decision cycle. In short, be a team player; create opportunities for others. Educate yourself; broaden your appreciation of the Operating Environment. Practice on real problems; create real solutions. Tolerate mistakes. Act on instinct. Take advice to heart. Focus more on what just happened and less on the future. Play jazz”

Characterization of Staffs with high Capability for Improvisation

1. Willingness to forego planning in favor of acting in real time
2. Understanding of organic resources
3. Proficient without specific guidance or analysis
4. Ability to agree on a minimally restrictive plan which facilitates improvisation
5. Open to departure from the Standard Operating Procedures
6. Rich and meaningful themes on which to draw for lines of operation
7. High confidence to deal with non-routine events
8. Skillful at paying attention to the performance of others in order to keep the interaction going and set up interesting possibilities for one another.
9. Preference for process rather that structure