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Is it possible to communicate entirely in symbols?

One artist addressed this issue at the Second Lives exhibit at the Museum of Art and Design in Manhattan, which runs through April 19, 2009. In a commentary on what language means today, the artist uses icons to depict a conversation between two people who meet on board an airplane, an icon-rich environment.

After reading the story in icons, which features a running narrative below it, museum goers are invited to engage in their own dialog using only symbols. A computer features a dictionary-style listing of icons from which to select and construct sentences.

Does it work? Well, you could form a limited range of sentences using the icons, but I wasn’t able to decipher the icon sentences that other museum goers had left. I believe that two reasons account for this.

The first is that icons derive their meaning, in large part, only after repeated exposures. That’s why in many cases, icons are still accompanied by text below them. Another factor influencing the readability of icons is context — the environment in which the symbols appear provides clues to what they mean.

In all, this is an interesting commentary on how the nature of language is changing in a time when IM texting has given rise to widely understood abbreviations, emoticons are commonly used to convey base emotions, and corporate logos have become a shorthand for a range of values and stories.

WAKE UP CALL: So what ramifications does this have for us as a culture? On the upside, symbols provide a shorthand for allowing people to communicate with each other quicker and easier than ever before. On the other hand, in a world that increasingly communicates through visual rather than written methods, we need to be aware of the ways in which nuanced and complex thought is being compromised.

IDEAS: The Impact of Leverage

As the member of a grant allocations committee of a nonprofit, I was tasked with rating each grant application on a score card that posed the following questions:Continue reading

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Red Rooster Group Terms of Agreement

Scope of Services

Red Rooster Inc. agrees to provide all the services described above within the criteria specified. If, however, the Client changes any of the criteria during the project that results in additional services required, we will let you know what the additional fees would be and would require Client approval to proceed.

Additional services will include, but are not limited to, changes in the extent of work, changes in the complexity of any elements of the project, and any changes made after the Client approval has been given for a specific stage of the project, including marketing/strategic direction, concept, design, copy development and production and programming of final electronic files.

For programming services, Red Rooster Inc. provides code guarantee for up to 30-days from launch and guarantees that the site will be designed to function efficiently on current browsers. Additional code correction after this 30-day period as well as any site maintenance/updates, if needed, will be billed and negotiated separately.

Red Rooster Inc. will keep the Client informed of additional services that are required and obtain the Client’s prior approval for any services that cause the total fees to exceed those outlined in this agreement.

Payment

Payments must be made in accordance with the payment terms in this document. We can issues invoices for these payments. Please let us know if you need to issue a Purchase Order or need any reference on the invoice.

The initial payment for each project is not refundable in the event the project is terminated. Red Rooster Inc. reserves the right to suspend work and/or withhold issuing any project documents if payments are not received in a timely manner according to the schedule.

Additional Services

Rounds of revisions or corrections beyond what is noted above to be billed at the rate of $200 per hour. Changes in the scope of work beyond what is described above will necessitate an additional fee and approval from the client.

Expenses

The fees for out-of-pocket expenses and in-house expense are not included in this agreement and will be billed additionally upon completion of the project plus a 20% markup for account handling and supervision. Out-of-pocket expenses include, but are not limited to, illustration and photography, photo retouching/manipulation, presentation materials, overnight couriers and messengers. We will gladly use the client’s vendors and account numbers for some of these expenses, where appropriate and when provided by the client.

Cancellation

In the event of cancellation of this project at any time, Red Rooster Inc. will retain the first payment and the Client will pay an additional cancellation fee that will include full payment for all time spent up to that point and well as expenses incurred up to that point. The cancellation fee will be based on the fees described in this agreement and subsequent change orders.

Inactivity Clause

If the project is in active due to client unresponsiveness in providing materials, feedback or approvals for 30 days, the project will be considered closed and all outstanding payments will be due. We may require a fee to reactivate the project.

Client’s Responsibility

The Client is responsible for appointing a sole representative with full authority to provide or obtain necessary information or approvals that will be required by Red Rooster Inc. in order to proceed with the project on a timely basis. This will include final approval of this agreement, subsequent change orders, invoices and all project stages, including, but not limited to, strategy/creative briefs, design, editorial, mechanicals and press proofs. The Client’s approval of all tangible material and artwork will be assumed after the work has been submitted to the client for review, unless the Client indicates, in writing, otherwise.

The Client and/or the Client’s subcontractors will provide accurate, complete and timely information and materials to Red Rooster Inc. necessary for the project. The Client guarantees that they have all the necessary rights and/ownership in such materials to permit Red Rooster Inc. to use them for the project.

In order to avoid errors, text changes and corrections will not be taken over the phone and must be emailed to Red Rooster Inc. We prefer that the Client make changes in PDFs using the Comments feature in Adobe Acrobat. For text with extensive changes please submit the revised text by email as well as a marked-up hard copy, indicating the revised text.

Third Party Contracts

If appropriate to the project, Red Rooster Inc. may contract with other companies or individuals to provide services such as design, writing, photography, illustration, programming, consulting, printing and production. If any of these parties has terms, payments, credits or usage rights, that are not specified in this Agreement and that will affect the project, we will submit those for your approval (this usually affects rights related to programmers using proprietary coding). Upon approval, the Client agrees to be bound by all specified terms and conditions by these third parties.

Rights/Ownership

Upon payment of all fees and expenses, Red Rooster Inc. will transfer ownership and all rights to the client for the approved final concept created by Red Rooster Inc. Red Rooster Inc. will retain all rights and ownership to preliminary concepts, works in progress and electronic files, whether the project is completed or canceled.

Credit

Red Rooster Group reserves the right to add a small, unobtrusive credit line on the brochures, websites, and other materials we create for the Client reading “Design by Red Rooster Group/redroostergroup.com” and to feature the project and credit the Client in publicity/promotion of the project including, but not limited to, our website, brochures, press releases, competitions, awards, etc.

Samples

The client will supply Red Rooster Inc., with 15 printed samples of each printed project. These samples will represent the highest quality of work produced. Red Rooster Inc. can use these samples or photographs of these samples and the name of the client for publications, exhibition, competition and other promotional purposes (such as our website).

Storage of Electronic Files

Red Rooster Inc. will provide electronic files of the final project to the Client, its vendor or agent. We will store all final electronic files created for the client for one year from the completion of the project. Red Rooster Inc. will charge $200 per hour to retrieve/transfer any element of our electronic files from archive at the request of the Client.

Arbitration

Either party may request that any dispute arising out of this agreement will be submitted to binding arbitration before a mutually agreed upon arbitrator pursuant to the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitrator’s award will be final and judgment entered in court having jurisdiction.

Legal Issues

This agreement will be construed and governed under the law of the State of New York. If Red Rooster Inc. must retain an attorney to enforce any terms of this agreement and wins, the Client will be required to pay all court costs, attorney’s fees and collection fees.

The client representative, has full authority to provide and obtain all necessary information and approvals throughout this project. The Client represents that they have full power and authority to enter into this Agreement and that it is binding upon the Client and Red Rooster Inc. and enforceable in accordance with its terms.

IDEAS: Valuing Intellectual Capital

Why don’t nonprofits value intellectual capital, particularly marketing expertise, when it can prove crucial to the success of their cause? I encountered that question when I learned about a nonprofit organization that was planning a campaign to raise $300,000 for food pantries and safety net social services, as well as to engage the community in volunteering on a regular basis.Continue reading

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Ami Dar’s Online Tools for Effectiveness

At the CT Association of Nonprofits 6th Annual Conference, Ami Dar, the founder of Idealist, spoke about using online tools to communicate more effectively within an organization. His 70-person company uses Google Docs to share documents and Skype to hold video calls with each other around the world, using the internet and avoiding phone bills.

He urges nonprofits to embrace these tools, which bypass traditional hierarchies, and create a more streamlined organization. His organization’s adoption of these methods was driven by the younger generation – provided the tools, but without a mandate to use them, they naturally tended to them – a fine formula for nonprofits.

WAKE UP CALL: Will you allow the younger generation to drive change in your organization? What steps will you take to lead the change? The next time you email a document to a colleague, try posting it on Google Docs instead.

RELATED POST: How Lunatic is Your Fringe?

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Facing the Recession

Citing a $6 billion state deficit, Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy reported at the recent Connecticut Nonprofits Conference that the last eight years have brought “an assault on social services.”

“Government has an obligation to provide for its citizens.” He delivered a passionate call to fund the state’s safety net, starting with a 1.5% average increase in nonprofit aid. “The needs of the least among us should be taken care of first.”

Fellow presenter and NYU Professor Dr. Paul Light predicted massive consolidation in the nonprofit sector due to recession. Smaller organizations will likely join together to reduce administration costs.

According to Light, nonprofit organizations represent a $1 trillion sector, powered by 11.5 million employees and 61 million volunteers.

He views a reduction in the number of nonprofits as inevitable and a chance to strengthen the sector. Instead of avoiding the situation, we should embrace the opportunity to start a strategic dialogue regarding which organizations should go under and which ones should survive.

WAKE UP CALL: As a member of the nonprofit community, how can you engage peers to begin open, honest communication about the challenging times ahead?

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Redefining the Nonprofit Sector's Brand

As an expert in branding for nonprofits, I found it refreshing to hear a fellow nonprofit expert discuss the concept of the nonprofit sector’s brand as a whole. Without using the word “brand” specifically, NYU Professor Paul Light pointed out that no one refers to “nonprofit-ness,” although the term “businesslike”Continue reading

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Doing More with 'Enough'

In light of current economic conditions, the nonprofit sector can’t afford to continue in a “business as usual” manner. This was the message that NYU Professor Paul Light delivered at the 6th annual conference of the Connecticut Association of Nonprofits. His keynote reflected the event theme of “Sustaining Nonprofits, Strengthening Communities.”

“We’re the first to go into a recession and the last to come out,” said Light, who is also Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. To that end, he recommended the following paradigm shifts:

Greater state support. Grant money is appreciated, but state funds also need to help cover capacity building. Nonprofits can’t be expected to fulfill their respective missions with grants that don’t support training, marketing, and other critical areas.

Sector makeover. Many leaders in the nonprofit arena are getting older and retiring—and young people aren’t clamoring to take their places. The nonprofit world needs to shed its stodgy, ascetic image to attract innovative young minds.

As the global community prepares to tighten its belt, everyone talks about the need to “do more with less.” Light argues that it’s time that nonprofits have the opportunity to “do more with enough.”

WAKE UP CALL: What steps can we take to increase state support and to attract the fresh talent we need?

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The Moment of Now Conference 2008

On October 24, 2008, the Columbia School of Business held a conference titled “The Moment of Now: Market Innovations in Social Enterprise” to explore themes in the emerging sector of social enterprise. In this session on Cultivating Effective NGO-Business Partnerships, Gordon Peterson (second from left), VP of Corporate Social Responsibility for The Timberland Company, squared off with two nonprofits: Allison Clements (left), Corporate Counsel for the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Kyle Cahill, Director of Corporate Engagement at the Environmental Defense (third from left), moderated by Alan Webber, Founder of Fast Company magazine.Continue reading

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Creating Awareness for the Third Sector

After the three-day Nonprofit Congress in May, the National Council of Nonprofit Associations (NCNA), which produced the Nonprofit Congress, organized a lobbying day to create awareness about the nonprofit sector. The New York delegation was one of many that went to Capitol Hill to lobby our Representatives and Senators about the National Capacity Building Initiative (put forth by NCNA). The bill provides $25 million for training and infrastructure for charities to help them become more effective and sustainable (half the funds from the federal government, half from private sources). That’s me (Howard Adam Levy, Principal of Red Rooster Group) in the yellow jacket, with Fred Fields, from the United Way of New York City, behind me, and Doug Sauer, Executive Director of Council of Community Services of New York State, bottom left.

The lobbying effort was important on three fronts:

1. To generate awareness about the need for funds specifically for non-program activities to allow nonprofits to pay for leadership training and operational costs.

2. To demonstrate to government the impact and importance of the nonprofit sector, which accounts for $1 trillion of the economy and 10% of the workforce.

3. To promote advocating for the nonprofit sector as an essential activity for nonprofits and to show that we can be effective when organized (with the NCNA the organizing body for the social services sector).

WAKE UP CALL: What are you doing to advocate for the nonprofit sector?

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