Inspirometer was an amazing system of interpersonal metrics aimed at self-directed learning and development. It automatically mapped the flow of value between people in an organisation, and empowered people to understand and improve their part in it.
To see how it worked, click on the first of the short videos below.
Inspirometer launched in 2012, but it failed for two key reasons: Lack of entrepreneurial flair from its founder; and it was too far ahead of its time. The cultural politics within most organisations at the time still made people vulnerable to how feedback might be used against them.
However, a future is emerging where the vast majority of our focus will be about people and change. And we will increasingly need data that lets us know how we are doing, and how we can improve. Furthermore, complexity will mean that everyone’s situation will be unique. So the data will need to be personal and real-time. At some point, people will need to reinvent Inspirometer.
Sadly, that ship has sailed for us. The architecture on which Inspirometer was built is now so far out of date, we would need to start again from scratch. And we have learned (the hard way) that we are the wrong people to do it. But we learned a lot in out eight years of trying, and we believe that such a tool can be a real force for good. So if the video below is helpful to you, that’s great.
And if you want to tap into our experience, and the mass of resources we created around it to try and develop a more sympathetic culture, please get in touch.
This second short video does much to explain the intent of Inspirometer in enhancing the quality of relationships between people, particularly in meetings.
And this third, slightly longer, video looks at the importance of fundamentally rethinking meetings to transform how people engage with the opportunities of the future.