Curious About..Interdependence 关于相互依存的好奇心
(The next installment of the Chinese version of this column, presented as always in its original Mandarin and English.)
I’m writing this as I fly across the Atlantic to the USA after a hectic set of conversations and meetings at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference.
I have lived on and off in America for over 20 years and one of the things that has always fascinated me about America is how it manages to be both diverse and unified at the same time - 50 states, each with their own unique geographies, climates, accents, economies and mindsets, but at the same time, still joined by a common purpose, shared beliefs and values. While nobody could argue that the USA faces unique challenges due to its diversity and scale, I have always found that the interdependence of the parts and the unity as a whole admirable.
It was my first time at Boao, and listening to speech after speech, one thought swam through my mind the entire time I was there: that perhaps, it is time for another USA to emerge - The United States of Asia. Let me explain.
The concept of interdependence is age-old when it comes to the nature. Interdependence in the natural world means that each species relies on others as part of its natural ecosystem, that by supporting one another each creates value for themselves and the others. Essentially, interdependence is a system where, by celebrating their differences and each realizing that their unique contribution creates mutual value, every species contributes to the good of the whole.
I’m lucky in that my work takes me all over the world and to different cultures and places – I grew up in Singapore which in many ways feels like home to me, but I have also spent a good deal of my life in both Europe and America, so I feel pretty well-equipped to make this statement: countries need to learn how to become more interdependent, like our animal friends.
In the last few weeks, I have worked on projects in four completely different Asian cultures, all of which taught me something and made me realize how those learnings could be so beneficial spread across the region.
First Japan, where we witnessed the resilience and dignity that emerged from the Japanese people in the wake of last year’s 3.11 earthquake, tsunami and subsequent economic problems, teaching us about the value of a collective sense of purpose and how each individual’s contribution can really matter. Then Singapore, where we see a society, where a well-designed and thoughtful infrastructure underpins and supports its citizenship, now looking to balance that infrastructure with an equally vibrant creative economy. Then India, where the natural resourcefulness and entrepreneurial bravery of the Indian mindset is creating new businesses at remarkable speed and with tremendous potential. Then finally to China, where I sat on a panel at Boao to discuss the manufacturing industry’s pressing need and imperative to shift itself from manufacturing meaningless products to creating meaningful and valuable products that meet the needs of the Chinese citizen.
That’s just four countries, and I can only imagine what Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and others have to offer, teach and contribute to the Asian ecosystem.
In our work at IDEO, we are often asked to help disparate parts of an organization work together around solving a common problem. We find that design is a great unifier; that by putting the user in the center of the process, we make sure that everyone is aligned around creating value for them, and that each individual’s contribution can be seen as driving towards the same end goal. As our work increases in its scale and complexity, we are finding that the stakeholders we are managing are often large, complex organizations in themselves. We find that giving business units a common problem to work together towards solving is an effective and constructive way to break down boundaries and show them that they can, in essence, go from being independent entities to becoming interdependent, each contributing their own expertise to the ecosystem.
In this same vein, I’d love to see The United States of Asia start to work together towards a common purpose – the happiness, wellbeing and prosperity of the Asian citizen. Each country has unique learning and insights, I have no doubt that each is working towards this goal, but often individually. I’m sure that by sharing the load and by realizing that each has its own unique piece to play in the system that each and all can benefit. Perhaps design can play the role of helping bring everyone together and work towards a common purpose and a more harmonious future.
To interdependence. To unity.
在忙碌完博鳌亚洲论坛2012年年会的一系列对话和会议之后，我踏上了返美的航班，在大西洋的上空写下了这篇文章。
我在美国断断续续生活了20多年，一直以来给我的一个最深的感触就是，这个国家既有多元化的一面，又能保持高度的统一。尽管全国50个州的地形、气候、口音、经济结构乃至观念模式都不尽相同，但各州都有一个共同的目标以及相同的信仰和价值观。不可否认的是，这种多样性和发展规模的确给美国造成了各种独特的挑战，但我始终认为，整个国家团结一心、互依互存的精神仍然值得钦佩。
此次是我头一回参加博鳌论坛，听着一场又一场的演讲，我脑海中时不时闪过这样一个念头：也许，另一个“USA”崛起的时刻已经到来——“亚洲联邦”（the United States of Asia)。且听我解释。
自然界中的相互依存这个概念已经由来已久。自然环境下的互依互存意味着每一种生物都是自然生态系统中的一部分，它们都有赖于这个系统中的其他生物，各种生物在相互扶持中为自己及其他生物创造价值。从本质上说，相互依存就是一个系统，系统里的每一个物种通过发挥各自的差异性，进而认识到自己的独特力量会创造出相互间的共同价值，并同心协力地致力于整个系统的正常运作。
因为工作的关系，我有幸走访了世界各地，亲历不同的文化和地方特色。我从小在新加坡长大，很大程度上新加坡就像是我的家，而同时我在欧洲和美国生活过很长时间，所以我有足够的理由表明这一主张：所有国家都需要学会如何相互依存，就像我们动物界的朋友那样。
过去几周以来，我先后在四个截然不同的亚洲国家做过项目，每一次经历都给了我一些启发，也让我认识到，如果这些启发能扩展到整个亚洲地区，这将会产生无穷的效益。
首先是日本，在那里我们见证了日本人民面对去年3.11大地震、海啸及随之而来的经济问题时所表现出的顽强的适应力和尊严，这让我们体会到了共同目标的价值以及不容忽视的个体力量。其次是新加坡，这个以健全完善的基础设施为公民造就福祉的国家，目前正寻求平衡，打造与其基础设施具有同样活力的创新经济。之后是印度，这个民族正以其丰富的自然资源和勇于开拓的创业精神，快速地打造出一个个潜力巨大的新型商业模式。最后是中国，我参加了博鳌论坛的一个专家小组会，探讨了制造业转型的紧迫性，即从机械化地生产无意义的产品，转而去创造富有意义和价值、能够切实满足中国人民需求的产品。
当然除了以上四个国家，还有泰国、马来西亚、印度尼西亚、越南等其他国家都将为亚洲生态系统贡献力量并带来借鉴意义。
在IDEO，我们经常需要帮助企业的各个部门开展相互协作、解决某个共同的问题。我们发现，设计是一股强大的结合力，它通过将用户置于流程的中心，以此确保每一位参与者的工作都是围绕为用户创造价值，每一个个体的努力都直接指向一个共同的目标。随着工作日益复杂且规模不断扩大，我们发现其实许多关键的利益相关方往往本身就是庞大复杂的组织。我们认为，给各业务部门分派一个共同的任务目标能有效打破组织间的距离，让他们从根本上体会到，他们可以从独立存在的个体转变为相互依存的伙伴，每个人都能为企业的生态系统贡献自己的专长。
同样地，我也希望看到“亚洲联邦”的各个国家开始同心协力地朝着一个共同目标迈进——即亚洲人民的幸福、健康和繁荣。虽然每个国家都拥有独特的经验和洞察，而且无疑都在朝着这个目标努力，但结果往往只是各干各的。我相信，若能相互分担这一使命，认识到系统中的每一个个体都有各自独特的作用，那么所有人都能从中受益。或许，设计的作用就是把人们连结在一起，让他们为了共同的目标以及更加和谐的未来而奋斗。
为相互依存喝彩。为团结一致喝彩。
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