We’re in the middle of our #YFL season, a dedicated period of time to embrace a yes-er, faster, lighter approach to working (and the types of work we do). As we continue to experiment with new ways of working, we’re going to implement a radical (not scary radical but, like, not-scary radical, ya know?) approach on a few upcoming projects. This approach will still be us, in terms of quality, intelligence, and essence, but will be a different version of us in that we’ll be embracing some new norms and setting some old conventions on the shelf (perhaps temporarily). In this way, this whole thing will be like us pretending to be a different version of us, a lot like Daniel Hillard pretending to be his much older British sister, Euphegenia Doubtfire, in the 1993 classic, Mrs. Doubtfire.
So, welcome to the MS Doubtfire Initiative.
The details of this approach, as well as the formative concept upon which the method is based (the Harold), will be mapped in the sections below but, before we get to that, let’s talk purpose: why are we doing this?
<aside> 💡 The purpose of this initiative is to challenge our use of existing Mostly Serious conventions and practices specifically related to our projects by implementing a new, loose project structure and associated behavioral rules. Our hypothesis is that current working patterns tend to add unnecessary elements to the project process and that, by embracing a model that does not start with those practices in place, we will both learn new ways of working and execute certain projects more efficiently.
</aside>
What the hell is the Harold and why the #$%& are we talking about it? Great question, y’all.
Really great question.
I could tell you what the Harold is, but I thought I’d let Claude(.ai) do it instead.
The Harold is a popular long-form improvisational comedy structure that was developed by Del Close and Charna Halpern in the 1960s. It has become a signature form associated with the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) improv and sketch comedy group.
The Harold typically involves a team of improvisers who create a series of interconnected scenes based on a single suggestion from the audience. The structure usually follows this pattern: