Comments on: Hands v. Brains: An Attempt to Clear Up Some Confusion http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2010/08/14/hands-v-brains-an-attempt-to-clear-up-some-confusion/ UIE\'s latest insights on the world of design Wed, 22 May 2013 21:10:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Content strategy disrupts unethical agency sales practices — lucid plot, by Jonathan Kahn http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2010/08/14/hands-v-brains-an-attempt-to-clear-up-some-confusion/comment-page-1/#comment-185584 Content strategy disrupts unethical agency sales practices — lucid plot, by Jonathan Kahn Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:13:40 +0000 http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/?p=2445#comment-185584 [...] will do it for less, and probably to a good-enough standard. (Jared Spool calls this distinction hands vs. brains.) That’s great if you’re creating a factory-style contracting business in a low cost [...] [...] will do it for less, and probably to a good-enough standard. (Jared Spool calls this distinction hands vs. brains.) That’s great if you’re creating a factory-style contracting business in a low cost [...]

]]> By: Pleasure and Pain » Recent Reads – 8/24/2010 http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2010/08/14/hands-v-brains-an-attempt-to-clear-up-some-confusion/comment-page-1/#comment-152522 Pleasure and Pain » Recent Reads – 8/24/2010 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 04:01:36 +0000 http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/?p=2445#comment-152522 [...] Hands v. Brains: An Attempt to Clear Up Some Confusion » UIE Brain SparksJared's clarification [...] [...] Hands v. Brains: An Attempt to Clear Up Some Confusion » UIE Brain SparksJared's clarification [...]

]]> By: Mike Atyeo http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2010/08/14/hands-v-brains-an-attempt-to-clear-up-some-confusion/comment-page-1/#comment-152446 Mike Atyeo Fri, 20 Aug 2010 20:12:59 +0000 http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/?p=2445#comment-152446 This is common to other 'consultancy' types of business. One of the best management book's I've read is 'Managing the Professional Service Firm', by David Maister. He provides what may be a more powerful breakdown framework, and a 'how to balance' approach, rather than either/or. To summarize: He breaks client work into 3 types: 1. 'Brains' - where the client's work is at the leading edge of professional/tech knowledge, requiring creativity & innovation 2. 'Grey hair' - require less innovation & creativity, but may need highly customized deliverables, requiring primarily experience 3. 'Procedure' work - offering lots of opportunities for junior staff & routinization, primarily requiring cost-effectiveness He then shows the business case for how these might get mixed & matched in an organization, plus plenty of typical challenges (e.g. under-delegation!) that entrepreneurs face in operationalizing a strategy for a professional services firm. Definitely recommended reading if you're interested in building a business around this! No, I get no commission :-( This is common to other ‘consultancy’ types of business. One of the best management book’s I’ve read is ‘Managing the Professional Service Firm’, by David Maister. He provides what may be a more powerful breakdown framework, and a ‘how to balance’ approach, rather than either/or.

To summarize:
He breaks client work into 3 types:

1. ‘Brains’ – where the client’s work is at the leading edge of professional/tech knowledge, requiring creativity & innovation

2. ‘Grey hair’ – require less innovation & creativity, but may need highly customized deliverables, requiring primarily experience

3. ‘Procedure’ work – offering lots of opportunities for junior staff & routinization, primarily requiring cost-effectiveness

He then shows the business case for how these might get mixed & matched in an organization, plus plenty of typical challenges (e.g. under-delegation!) that entrepreneurs face in operationalizing a strategy for a professional services firm.

Definitely recommended reading if you’re interested in building a business around this!
No, I get no commission :-(

]]> By: Mario Bourque http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2010/08/14/hands-v-brains-an-attempt-to-clear-up-some-confusion/comment-page-1/#comment-152409 Mario Bourque Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:18:21 +0000 http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/?p=2445#comment-152409 I don't comment very often, but here goes... You are correct; once you do the brains, you seldom do the hands on. I like having them separated; because *based on my experience and not opinion*, you can get more objectivity. A generalist is good at an overseer/PM, but a specialist can go in for the kill. It does depend on the situation. If you're helping a local business revamp their Web strategy, that's one thing. If you're leading an enterprise level company working on a project that involves a lot of resources, you can't do both. If you do, chances are you will fail. I've never worked in an agency and do not have the desire to do so. Other than one startup in Tuckahoe, NY, I've always worked for enterprise level companies. I agree with R.H.Jr when he says "I would have a hard time billing what I do for Hands work; I’d be a very overpaid contractor." We've screwed ourselves out of that space. I barter with my tattoo artist, that's the extent of my outside work. If I were to end up unemployed, then I would probably have to do "hands" work. Not jobs. Not so many opportunities for senior folks. Also... Not everyone who starts as "hands" has the ability to make it as "brains". I haven't seen many examples of anyone who does both well on a large scale. Myself included. I'm not a novice either. In most cases, the wrong decision can cost a lot of money. If you blow it, people remember. Thanks to the Internets, it's a small world. I don’t comment very often, but here goes…

You are correct; once you do the brains, you seldom do the hands on. I like having them separated; because *based on my experience and not opinion*, you can get more objectivity. A generalist is good at an overseer/PM, but a specialist can go in for the kill.

It does depend on the situation. If you’re helping a local business revamp their Web strategy, that’s one thing. If you’re leading an enterprise level company working on a project that involves a lot of resources, you can’t do both. If you do, chances are you will fail.

I’ve never worked in an agency and do not have the desire to do so. Other than one startup in Tuckahoe, NY, I’ve always worked for enterprise level companies.

I agree with R.H.Jr when he says “I would have a hard time billing what I do for Hands work; I’d be a very overpaid contractor.” We’ve screwed ourselves out of that space. I barter with my tattoo artist, that’s the extent of my outside work. If I were to end up unemployed, then I would probably have to do “hands” work. Not jobs. Not so many opportunities for senior folks.

Also…

Not everyone who starts as “hands” has the ability to make it as “brains”. I haven’t seen many examples of anyone who does both well on a large scale. Myself included. I’m not a novice either.

In most cases, the wrong decision can cost a lot of money. If you blow it, people remember. Thanks to the Internets, it’s a small world.

]]> By: David Farbey http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2010/08/14/hands-v-brains-an-attempt-to-clear-up-some-confusion/comment-page-1/#comment-152398 David Farbey Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:18:44 +0000 http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/?p=2445#comment-152398 This "brains vs. hands" metaphor is an excellent and useful insight. Thank you! This “brains vs. hands” metaphor is an excellent and useful insight. Thank you!

]]> By: Robert Hoekman, Jr http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2010/08/14/hands-v-brains-an-attempt-to-clear-up-some-confusion/comment-page-1/#comment-152382 Robert Hoekman, Jr Sun, 15 Aug 2010 01:50:25 +0000 http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/?p=2445#comment-152382 I completely agree. I did Hands work for a long time — a lot of Hands work, with a little underpaid Brains work mixed in — until Brains work completely took over. Now I rarely do Hands work. I am a strategist: I build vision, and I build teams, and I bill appropriately for it. And yes, they're short engagements. And I would have a hard time billing what I do for Hands work; I'd be a very overpaid contractor. I completely agree. I did Hands work for a long time — a lot of Hands work, with a little underpaid Brains work mixed in — until Brains work completely took over. Now I rarely do Hands work. I am a strategist: I build vision, and I build teams, and I bill appropriately for it. And yes, they’re short engagements. And I would have a hard time billing what I do for Hands work; I’d be a very overpaid contractor.

]]> By: Jared Spool on Hands versus Brains : StevenClark.com.au http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2010/08/14/hands-v-brains-an-attempt-to-clear-up-some-confusion/comment-page-1/#comment-152381 Jared Spool on Hands versus Brains : StevenClark.com.au Sun, 15 Aug 2010 00:08:18 +0000 http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/?p=2445#comment-152381 [...] you’ve read those articles then Jared’s clarification of the hands versus brains metaphor is also essential. Good… now we’re all on the same page, so to [...] [...] you’ve read those articles then Jared’s clarification of the hands versus brains metaphor is also essential. Good… now we’re all on the same page, so to [...]

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