A quick riff on systems that break and how we should prepare for them.

1. DESIGNING FOR FAILURE
A quick riff on systems that break and how we should prepare for them.
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2. On June 24 2010, Kevin Rudd
stepped down as prime minister
of Australia.
KEVIN WAS AUSTRALIA’S FIRST CHINESE-SPEAKING PM.
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3. Shielding Australia from the global financial crisis.
DESPITE
Kevin was dumped.
BECAUSE OF
Waning popularity amongst the public and his party.
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4. It was a swift and pragmatic change.
Like changing blades on a shaver.
Replace and carry on.
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5. When a leader departs - whether
excluded or executed - there is
always a contingency.
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6. In Kevin’s case, it was the Welsh-
born girlfriend of a hairdresser.
JULIA GILLARD IS AUSTRALIA’S FIRST FEMALE LEADER.
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7. In politics, every hiccup is met with a
protocol for action. In theory, a
government can never become too
inefficient or come to a complete halt.
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8. Can’t make meeting
Send substitute
Poor performance
Call election
Impeach
Extramarital activities
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9. Marketers work in the opposite way.
etisoppo
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10. We don’t admit failure. And it has
become acceptable to report our
failures as success.
Say, for example, we threw a
bunch of money into a
television campaign.
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11. DID PEOPLE NOTICE US?
Most of that money exits at
WILL PEOPLE REMEMBER US?
our first outcome level.
WILL PEOPLE CONSIDER US?
BUY OUR PRODUCT, PLEASE.
@alexanderchung
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12. Instead of planning for this inefficiency,
we parade around impression numbers
as if they replace sales themselves.
We should be a little more humble.
@alexanderchung
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13. Imagine we threw a bunch of
money into a television
campaign knowing that many
people will ignore us.
TELEVISION @alexanderchung
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14. DID PEOPLE NOTICE US?
WILL PEOPLE REMEMBER US?
CONTINGENCY
WILL PEOPLE CONSIDER US?
BUY OUR PRODUCT, PLEASE.
We design specific
programs for people who
will ignore us. This gives
us another opportunity to
send them toward more
valuable outcome levels.
@alexanderchung
alexanderchung.posterous.com
©20 09 U ND ERC U R R E NT G L OB A L . CONF I DEN TI AL AN D P R OP R I E TARY.

15. DID PEOPLE NOTICE US?
WILL PEOPLE REMEMBER US?
CONTINGENCY
WILL PEOPLE CONSIDER US?
BUY OUR PRODUCT, PLEASE.
There should be a contingency for every
inefficiency in your marketing system.
@alexanderchung
alexanderchung.posterous.com
©20 09 U ND ERC U R R E NT G L OB A L . CONF I DEN TI AL AN D P R OP R I E TARY.

16. A Julia Gillard for every
circumstance.
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17. DESIGNING FOR FAILURE
Thanks!
@alexanderchung
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