The design philosophy that Aaron Cooper relied on guided his 25-year career at Nike and continues to drive his current efforts in the footwear space. Sponge, Dominoes, Butterflies is an interesting three-part system; Each stage is named after an ordinary object or thing, but when viewed from its intended path, extraordinary results are possible.
The sponge represents the act of immersing ourselves in the world around us, experiencing new cultures and ideas, and squeezing it out for others. At some point, the sponge can't absorb anything anymore, so it's important to share what you're absorbing with those around you so that it can have a positive impact.
The domino phase represents the act of getting things on their feet and creating momentum. Expand on other people's ideas, offer support, listen and erect as many dominoes as possible. Negativity and doubt can eliminate dominoes, which means that other dominoes may not be able to fall forward. There may not be a direction yet, but to create positive momentum.
The third and final stage is the butterfly stage. Did you know that butterflies in South America can change weather patterns in the north? It's a scientific fact, and many times throughout Aaron's career, he has seen firsthand that a small thing he does can in turn have a big impact on others.