Hello All
Another Set of great links this week. From the importance of story in UX, to structured programming, to self-improvement, to the nuance of product design, to collection of biometric data – the theme this week is all about the art of improvement. Speaking on improvement, USPS.com updated their website, and did a fantastic job and inspiring for us as we work upon our own FlightSafety redesign.
Have a great weekend.
M
1. Why Story Matters In UX
“People love a good story. They love being the hero in their own story even more. Story is one of the most powerful tools that humans use to understand and communicate with the outside world. Part evolutionary feature, part survival mechanism harking back to Paleolithic times, part communication tool—story powers the human brain. Story-based cognitive function is so powerful that neuroscientists have a term for it when it doesn’t work: dysnarrativia, the inability to understand or construct stories. Narrative cognition is so central to how humans operate that not having it is debilitating. Like living with amnesia, it is difficult, if not impossible, to function normally. Story, and its underlying architecture, powers the ability to understand what happened in the past, what happens in the moment, or what will happen in the future. It’s a framework and a lens with which humans comprehend everything.”
https://www.usertesting.com/blog/2017/02/27/story-matters-ux/
2. Professor Frisby’s Mostly Adequate Guide to Functional Programming
From Nate: “Recently I’ve been learning about functional programming. Came across and an extremely approachable, “mostly adequate” guide to functional programming. Highly recommended for anyone interested in FP.”
https://drboolean.gitbooks.io/mostly-adequate-guide
3. Dynamic Communication – 27 Strategies to grow, lead & manage your business by Jill Schiefelbein
From Dan: “I am only 30 pages deep and I have picked up a lot of great valuable info that I can apply immediately.”
http://www.DynamicCommunicationBook.com
4. Eduardo Briceño: How To Get Better At The Things You Care About
“Working hard but not improving? You’re not alone. Eduardo Briceño reveals a simple way to think about getting better at the things you do, whether that’s work, parenting or creative hobbies. And he shares some useful techniques so you can keep learning and always feel like you’re moving forward.”
http://www.ted.com/talks/eduardo_briceno_how_to_get_better_at_the_things_you_care_about
5. MLB Approves Device To Measure Biometrics Of Players
It would be interesting to use the WHOOP device to track pilots while training. If only to consider where we could help pilots train better during stressful situations.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18835843/mlb-approves-field-biometric-monitoring-device
6. The Real Reason Why McDonald’s Coke Tastes So Good
While we all know how much Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett loves Coke, the attention to detail and consistency that McDonald’s applies just to their beverages is inspiring.
http://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/the-real-reason-why-mcdonalds-coke-tastes-so-good
7. Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies
“The human brain has some capabilities that the brains of other animals lack. It is to these distinctive capabilities that our species owes its dominant position. Other animals have stronger muscles or sharper claws, but we have cleverer brains. If machine brains one day come to surpass human brains in general intelligence, then this new superintelligence could become very powerful. As the fate of the gorillas now depends more on us humans than on the gorillas themselves, so the fate of our species then would come to depend on the actions of the machine superintelligence. But we have one advantage: we get to make the first move.”
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0198739834/
8. Netflix Personal Trainer
How To Make It: Making a Netflix personal trainer requires a little technical know-how, including comfort with building basic electronics and doing some coding. You may also want access to a CNC router or 3D printer to create your case. To speed things up, we designed a custom PCB to hold all your components, though you’re welcome to create your own board.
http://makeit.netflix.com/projects/personal-trainer
