I think that by tapping into those innate factors that control a person’s sense of motivation and achievement, we can design software and experiences that that are ultimately more fulfilling and rewarding.

Maybe that’s obvious to everyone else, but it’s something I haven’t really thought about before. I think I will now…

Software that Teaches: “

There is an old saying:

‘Give a man a fish, and you’ve fed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed a man for a lifetime’

Too much of our software simply gives people a fish instead of teaching them how to fish. That is, most software acts as a dumb tool…can do a particular thing but doesn’t teach how to use it well.

But teaching is increasingly part of the deal…if you’re building software you might consider how to teach people to be better at what your software does. Not only give them a tool to do something simply, but actually teaches them a way to do it better.

Some software helps you organize your stuff merely by giving you an improved structure:

• iTunes – Stores your music for you in logical ways (by artist, album, etc)
• Salesforce – Organizes your sales process by specifying lead strength.

But some apps take it step further, actually teaching you better ways to work. This is the software of the future.

• Mint – Teaches you how budgeting works and how to be better at saving money.
• Campaign Monitor – Teaches you how to be good at email marketing and designing emails
• Google Adwords – Teaches you how to run efficient ad campaigns

Software is easy to build and distribute. It’s easy to simply give it to someone and hope they figure it out and possess enough reason to use it well. But this type of software will eventually die out, replaced with software that teaches you how to get better at the activity for which it is designed.

“

(Via 52 Weeks of UX.)

The thesis came together really well in the end and I’m very proud of the work we completed (cheers Justin). Basically the synopsis of the thesis was exploring how the psychology of collaboration, coworking (big thanks to friends at Indy Hall, Alex, Parker, Jonny and Dave), and design can be used to help groups of people work and collaborate effectively together. We came up with the hypothesis that they can be used if you design tools to help people manage their anxieties of working together, while at the same time encouraging autonomy, investment and motivation. You can find more specific details here.

Having a wedding reception in New Orleans was the perfect way to round of our festivities after the wedding in Mumbai. New Orleans was the polar opposite and it was just what we needed. All in all, great friends, great food, great music and a GREAT time.

Once I came back from New Orleans I then started my new position as Lead Strategist at andCulture and director of a user experience focused consultancy called jabberynth. Exciting times.

It’s been crazy, but I’m psyched about life and work right now. Bring it on!

Humantic Design
The science & design of sustainable collaborations, founded on basic principles
of human behaviors that govern learning, motivation and purpose.

check it out!

Why to some of us take pictures of the food we eat? I know I do it, but I’m not too sure why. Is it to remember an awesome meal? Is it to capture the artistry of a chef’s production you your plate. Is it to show off and show everyone “look at my super awesome tasty dinner and I made it”. I don’t know, and I suppose everyone has their own reason for it. Personally, if I cooked more awesome meals I think I’d take more pictures of them.

Perhaps airlines should check out this post on re-designing the boarding pass. Some of the designs look great, I really like the vertical-styled pass.

So the project is still a go. Next on our agenda for this project is a meeting with the Faculty council, a bringing together of Bill and the Faculty council and a next round of prototypes to be presented on the 24th of Feb.

For those not familiar with the Finance Office project so far, here’s our most recent presentation of the project.

I’ve really enjoyed the chapters on Identity, involvement, individuality and boundaries within groups. All of which control the level of engagement of members with groups. Bringing voice to some of the questions these aspect present may be useful in some of the methods I hope to develop as I work with groups. I wonder if it’s possible to design tools that address questions such as “what do I need to give up to join this group” and “do my needs allign with the group’s needs”.

I’m also finding it interesting that disclosure is important in grouplife. In order for a group to function effectively, members have to “disclose” themselves. However, in order to do this they must also learn about the group to which they belong. I think this really means that the purpose of the group must be clearly defined before the members  feel they can disclose themselves to the group. This will allow members to get to know each other and how they contribute to the collective action of the group. I know I probably haven’t described that too well, but it’s a thought in process. Hopefully it’ll become clearer soon.

Now on to reading about how trust and shared experiences within the structure of a group help group members connect to each other.