Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
Summary
Our guest, Cheryl Platz, applies her extensive experience as a professional improv performer and educator to her design work in "unexpected" ways. Improv is more than a performance technique - it's a mindset that helps us energetically embrace constraints and uncertainty.
Key Insights
-
•
Improv builds essential design skills such as listening, adaptability, and presence through playful exercises.
-
•
The 'yes-and' principle enhances brainstorming and critiques by encouraging acceptance and building on ideas.
-
•
Justification in improv mirrors design feedback management by contextualizing constraints creatively.
-
•
Status awareness through subtle body language signals improves stakeholder interaction and leadership presence.
-
•
Physical improvisation engages different communication skills than verbal improv, benefiting diverse teams.
-
•
Cultural backgrounds influence how participants perceive and engage with improv exercises.
-
•
Improv exercises like wordball activate creativity and ease participants into ideation sessions.
-
•
Common improv pitfalls include overvaluing humor and ignoring environmental context in storytelling.
-
•
Applied improv can support role-playing scenarios in fields like medical training and user research but requires trust and safety.
-
•
Experienced improvisers integrate improv principles so deeply they appear naturally in professional settings.
Notable Quotes
"Yes-and is not about saying yes to everything, but about taking the nugget someone else gives you and building something awesome from it."
"Improv is like lifting weights for the brain—it starts with simple exercises, but over time it builds powerful muscles for connection and creativity."
"One of the golden rules is leave shame at the door because improv often means reconnecting with your kindergarten self."
"Status is about micro behaviors like eye contact and gestures that tell people where you sit in a social hierarchy."
"You don’t have to be a physical improviser to benefit; many foundational games focus on mental agility and presence."
"Improv is not just about comedy—honesty and storytelling are often more powerful."
"Funny is subjective, but craft and presence are things we can control."
"When doing improv in corporate settings, always make participation consensual and overexplain expectations for safety."
"Culture deeply affects how people approach improv; what is natural in one country may feel vulnerable in another."
"Improv skills help me appear high-energy and engaged in meetings, even when I’m effectively winging it."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"If you are silent about your pain, they will kill you and say you enjoyed it."
Zariah CameronReDesigning Wellbeing for Equitable Care in the Workplace
September 23, 2024
"You can have more than one priority at a time because they might have very different value and urgency profiles."
John Cutler Harry MaxPrioritization for designers and product managers (1st of 3 seminars) (Videoconference)
June 13, 2024
"Working in enterprise can feel like chaos with unclear directions and too much noise from new initiatives every six months."
Nick CochranGrowing in Enterprise Design through Making Connections
June 3, 2019
"Feedback is data; sometimes there are outliers, so it’s important to understand if feedback reflects the majority."
Deanna SmithLeading Change with Confidence: Strategies for Optimizing Your Process
September 23, 2024
"The digital identity card is an existing asset that we didn’t have to reinvent, but the user experience on top was lacking."
Magdalena ZadaraZero Hour: How to Get Far Quickly When Starting Your Digital Service Unit Late
November 16, 2022
"Be the one who picks up the sharpie first, especially if you’re in a leadership position."
Nova Wehman-BrownWe've Never Done This Before
June 4, 2019
"After more than 10 years of doing UX research, I was still only working above the iceberg, focusing on usability and feature level."
Liwei DaiThe Heart and Brain of the AI Research
March 31, 2020
"How are you managing connections across and between projects and communities inside your government during non-emergency times?"
Gordon Ross12 Months of COVID-19 Design and Digital Response with the British Columbia Government
December 8, 2021
"Ruthless prioritization tells us to be more efficient, but it feeds into a punishment culture."
Tutti TaygerlyMake Space to Lead
June 12, 2021
