learning about the science of spread - workshops & lectures

8/3/2019 Learning about the Science of Spread - Workshops & Lectures

1/8

Science of Spread: Learning Formats

Page 1 of 8

The Science of Spread

Learning Formats

1. Introduction to Spread

Interest is growing in understanding how ideas, behaviors, and products and services

spread.After all, spread is the goal of many types of significant human activity.

Orcasci is a unique strategy and marketing agency, pioneering the Science of

Spread. We have combined several scientific disciplines, from the science of how

individuals behave to the science of complex systems, to create a new scientific

framework, one that helps organizations spread good things more effectively.

What is Spread?

Spread is propagating or expanding a thing, a concept, a behavior, or an action.

A company wants to spread its products. It is looking to grow its business through new

product introductions and growing market share. At the same time it wants to spread

good behaviors and practices within the organization. A government wants to spreadpositive behaviors regarding health and society. Non-profits are trying to spread their

message and provoke action to address a variety of world issues. A person like Steve

Jobs wanted to spread his view of insanely great, and package that concept into

products. And so on.

How is Spread different from Marketing and PR?

Spread is the end goal for organizations. There are several ways of achieving spread,

and these include marketing and PR. However, these areas are subsets of the overall

spread activities. Often the thing that needs to be spread, say a product, has not been

packaged to be spreadable, and so the product fails to take off. Our concept of spread,

therefore, is a meta-concept, a higher-order concept that encompasses several areas,

rather than being confined to a narrow space like marketing.


2/8


Page 2 of 8

Isnt Spread mainly about Social Media?

No. Social media is a subset of spread, both in its concept of networks, specifically

social networks, and in its toolset of technologies. However, a good spread program

includes various tactics, which may or may not include social media. One of the key

starting points we establish when working on a spread problem is whether our

challenge is about convincing a large number of people to do things, or a small

number. Usually, the smaller the number, the more we need to rely on behavioral

science and neuroscience rather than on mass communication techniques.

What is the Benefit of Spread?

Effective spread tactics can dramatically boost revenue, increase profits, accelerate

customer adoption rates, implement internal change programs faster and more

effectively, and in general engage people more actively through messages. A well-

designed spread program usually costs you a lot less money than traditional methods,

and yields more certain benefits in a shorter timeframe. Spread makes great

commercial sense!

Why turn it into a Science?

Hope is not a business model. Many of us believe we have some intuitive knowledge

about how to spread things. At the same time, we have found that smart people

regularly make fundamental mistakes in some key spread areas we often suffer from

a form of spread-blindness. Organizations need methods that can be repeated, have

some form of predictive capacity, and actually work in practice. We have invested

years in synthesizing different strands of science to develop the science of spread.

This allows us to repeat the methods with confidence, and help organizations design

effective, high-impact spread initiatives.

Why sign up to a Learning Session?Spread is a specialist discipline, a new discipline, one that can have a huge positive

impact for all organizations. Even if some of the techniques can be guessed, it is

complex and broad enough to require specialist insight and knowledge. Our Learning

Sessions are designed to provide individuals and organizations with the knowledge


3/8


Page 3 of 8

they need to design effective spread programs, based on solid scientific understanding

and real-life cases.

Yes, you can keep muddling your way through. But, how much better would it be to

know what you are doing?

2. Our Learning Sessions

We have designed a variety of Learning Formats to introduce you to the subject area,

to explore the core elements of spread, and in some cases, to work hands-on with the

concepts to develop solutions to your problems.

Our Science of SpreadLearning Formats are based around a set of modules. Each

module contains a short presentation, a Q & A session, an interactive exercise, and a

reading list. In each case, theories and scientific insight are illustrated by practical

examples.

This document describes the Modules, the Learning Formats, and how you can engage

with Orcasci to determine the best way your organization can learn about the new

knowledge of the Science of Spread.

3. The Modules

Each Learning Format covers all modules. Depending on your choice of format, the

modules are presented in more or less detail.

The Brain What do we know about the functioning of the brain through

advanced neuroscience and from the latest applied research on

human behaviors?

The module covers differences between men and women, and


4/8


Page 4 of 8

adults and children. The session does not require any scientific

knowledge of biology or neuroscience.

The Person What do we know about how people behave as individuals,

outside of a group context?

This module combines insight from neuroscience with the latest

findings in behavioral science, studying people using scientific

research techniques. The module includes persuasion

techniques, attitudes towards money and altruism, concepts of

happiness, etc.

A study of the individual is a fundamental component of learning

about groups and networks, and hence spread.

The Group What do we know about peoples behavior when they are in a

group setting?

This module is based on behavioral science, and describes

other situations and drivers than The Person module. People

often behave differently when they believe there are other people

watching their behavior.

A study of social dynamics is essential to building up a concept of

networks and spread.

The Network What do we know about how people and things connect together

and form networks, and how these networks function?

This module is based on network science, including social graph

techniques. The network is viewed in two ways: as a structure,

and as a means of allowing messages and actions to flow. Our

work in this area goes beyond basic network theory. It delves into

the differing roles of nodes in the network, how network flows

impact the underlying structures of networks, and how networks

can be utilized to achieve significant end results.


5/8


Page 5 of 8

A study of networks is critical to understanding how spread works,

and as a framework for designing spread programs.

The System What do we know about how dynamic, non-linear systems in

other words, just about all systems function?

This module is based primarily on the theory of complex

systems, providing a framework and a toolset to understand

interaction and feedback loops. The topic explores emergent

patterns, driven by The Rules (see module below). This session

also covers synchronization, exploring how some types of system

develop cyclical patterns, seemingly out of chaos.

A study of complex systems provides the key foundation to

connecting the world of the small and large, and helps to define

how systems progress over time.

The Rules What do we know about the heuristics, or rules of thumb, that

create patterns in complex systems?

In some sense, these rules are a component of complex systems,

but in the Science of Spreadthey play such an important rolethat they are worthy of a session in their own right.

One can adapt rules that already exist, or create rules to embed in

a system, to help design spread programs.

The Spread What do we know about how to tie together these different

strands of thinking and science to propagate ideas, behavioral

changes, and products and services?

This module includes a problem-solving toolkit that helps

understand the fundamental components of a problem. It provides

a framework and a path to stitching together different techniques

to form a plan to spread the desired outcome.


6/8


Page 6 of 8

4. Learning Formats

Orcascis Science of Spreadsessions are available in a variety of formats:

A) 3 Hour Lecture Includes the core content from each module, is less

interactive than other formats.

B) 2 x 1.5 Hour Lectures Content of the 3 hour lecture is delivered on two

separate days.

C) 1 Day Learning Workshop Covers each module in detail, including

worksheets. Open discussion format to explore questions from participants.

D) 1 Day Learning + Problem Solving Workshop A shortened version of the

Learning Workshop with about 2/3 of the time spent on addressing a specific

organizational challenge.

This workshop requires additional preparation time, which impacts the cost of

the workshop.

E) 2 or 3 Day Workshop Covers the main modules in greater depth, with

worksheets and interactive exercises.

This format may also include a Problem Solving Workshop component,

depending on requirements.

5. Fees

There is no standard fee schedule for these deliverables. The fees depend on the optionchosen, the availability of key staff, and travel time and cost.

For a quote, please email Mark Turrell ([email protected]) or call him on +1

323 825 3855 (US) / +44 208 133 9445 (UK).


7/8


Page 7 of 8

6. Further Information

About Orcasci

Orcasci (www.orcasci.com) is a strategy and marketing agency specializing in designing

straightforward programs that spread products, ideas and behavioral change, for

consumers, non-profit organizations, and B2B channels.

We have developed a toolset and methodology that leverages scientific insight and

social networking technology to help you get people engaged.

The company was founded in 2010, drawing on almost two decades of experience

working on innovation and collective intelligence projects, and taking advantage of

advances in thinking around the new Science of Spread.

The Science of Spread Toolset

Orcasci's Science of Spread toolset is based on behavioral science (the science of

people), neuroscience (the science of individual brains), the science of complex

systems, network science, and the practice of innovation management.

Our toolset is designed for all types of situation, and specific methods are tested and

developed to apply to particular industry challenges.

How We Work

Our clients are major corporations, media properties, and non-profit organizations /

NGOs, based mostly in the US and Europe.

We work on engagements on a project fee and/or a success fee basis to design

programs to help organizations spread their offerings:

accelerate the adoption of new products and services

increase the adoption of in-market products and services


8/8


Page 8 of 8

accelerate the adoption of ideas and behaviors

Orcasci provides strategic and tactical insights, and creative problem-solving capacity. In

addition to developing a results-focused and easy-to-implement marketing plan, our

projects often include a validation of the customer's project approach and the underlying

business strategy.

About Mark Turrell

Mark Turrell is the CEO and founder of Orcasci. He is a World Economic

Forum Young Global Leaderand Technology Pioneer. He has worked

with hundreds of multinational organizations to help them design and

implement enterprise innovation, change and spread programs. His

clients have included Allianz, Boeing, Cargill, Dow Chemical, Hallmark,

Kraft, Lexmark, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Whirlpool, Yahoo!, and Xerox.

Prior to Orcasci, Mark founded Imaginatik plc, an innovation software and consulting

firm. During his fifteen years at Imaginatik, he pioneered the use of crowdsourcing and

collective intelligence techniques within organizations for innovation, efficiency projects,

and complex problem solving.

Mark Turrell is also an Associate Professor at IXL Center / Hult International Business

School.

Reading List

http://astore.amazon.com/orcasci-20

learning about the science of spread - workshops & lectures

Documents