A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future

(A sign of these new times is a young venture in Alexandria, Virginia. When routine legal research goes overseas and basic legal information is available online, what’s left for the litigious? High-concept work like that done by Animators at Law, a graphic design firm staffed by law graduates that prepares exhibits, videos, and visual aids to help

The left hemisphere specializes in text; the right hemisphere specializes in context.

The left hemisphere controls the right side of the body; the right hemisphere controls the left side of the body.

“[D]esign, stripped to its essence, can be defined as the human nature to shape and make our environment in ways without precedent in nature, to serve our needs and give meaning to our lives.

High concept involves the capacity to detect patterns and opportunities, to create artistic and emotional beauty, to craft a satisfying narrative, and to combine seemingly unrelated ideas into something new.

a business setting, apply this exercise to a particular product, service, or experience in your company. How can an opening line chosen more or less at random lead to a compelling tale about your offering? This ad-hoc, story-based approach might help you harpoon the big ideas swimming around on the right side of your brain.

Ambidextrous—A project of Stanford University’s d. school, this quirky magazine explores the craft of design and the nuances of design thinking. (More info: www.ambidextrousmag.com)

Unlike English, languages that require the reader to supply the vowels by discerning the context are usually written from right to left.

The left hemisphere handles logic, sequence, literalness, and analysis. The right takes care of synthesis, emotional expression, context, and the big picture.