Patrick J. Gyger, director of the unique museum Maison d’Ailleurs (everything about Jules Verne, science fiction, utopia and other inventions) in Yverdon-les-Bains, answered to the question in French: “What percentage of your ideas do you actually carry out ?”.
Tricky question, he says, because if he answers with a low percentage it may seem he is not very efficient. Though at the same time if he gives a low percentage this could mean he has many ideas. On the other hand, if he gives a high percentage this means he has very few ideas but he is very efficient in implementing them.
But seriously, he adds, he thinks he has a reasonable number of ideas but he carries out only those showing quite fast a potential. He abandons even interesting ideas if they have little chance of success. He thinks this is sometimes an error.
Though, this attitude has an advantage. He does not loose time with unfruitful ideas. This does not mean that he tries to carry out only reasonable ideas. He tried for example to move the museum to the cloud-construction “Blur” of Diller & Scofidio build on the lake of Neuchatel for Expo02 (articles in French).
Interview made during the conference of lift10 in Geneva, Mai 2010.
