Antanas Mockus

Yesterday I heard Fred Dust of IDEO speak about how museums can be more innovative and interactive.  He asked everyone not to look at other museums as sources of inspiration for new ideas, but to look outside the field.  I couldn’t agree with him more.  One story that really struck was about the creative solutions the former Mayor of Bogota developed to combat one of the big problems facing the city—reckless driving.   After realizing that fining people for committing traffic offenses was ineffective, Mayor Antanas Mockus hired mimes to enact these offenses, essentially mocking the ruler-breaker, while holding signs that say “Incorrecto!”  Due to his creative measures, traffic fatalities dropped more than 50%, proving that the fear of humiliation is far more powerful than the threat of a fine.  Mockus is a brilliant thinker who I plan to channel in times when only a truly out-of-the-box solution will do.