The Seven-Man Clock

My wife got me one of these for my 40th birthday, a few years back. It is without doubt the best conversation piece I've ever had in my office. It's a small replica of a large kinetic sculpture which is in Seattle's Pacific Science Center. There are seven small brass people working at various places on the clock--turning cranks, riding escalators then falling down, etc. It makes a fairly loud whirring noise that thankfully fades into the background as you get used to it.

It seems at first that the workers are moving the machine. But, as you stare at the clock, it becomes increasingly clear that, in fact, the machine is moving the workers.

Which reminds me a lot of when I worked for very large companies.

(photo: the seven-man clock from Kinetico Studios and Gordon Bradt)

design, psychology, organizational behavior, management, business