The World's Best Book Summaries
How does knowledge of technology change how we experience the world? Should design take our knowledge into account? Knowledge of technology has a huge influence on the products we use and how we use them. When creating products, knowledge of technology often comes into play. Read more about knowledge of technology and how it factors into design.
Who is Sendhil Mullainathan? What were his research findings regarding judges’ bail decisions? Sendhil Mullainathan is a professor of Computation and Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago. In 2017, Mullainathan and colleagues conducted a study about judges’ ability to predict defendants’ likelihood of committing another crime. What did they find out? Keep reading for more about the experiment Mullainathan ran and his findings.
What is the Parkinson Principle? How does it work, and how can you learn from it? The Parkinson Principle states that any project will fill the amount of time you allot for it. With this in mind, it’s possible to spend less time on each project. Read more about the Parkinson Principle and how it works.
Are there many different light switch designs? What can light switch designs teach us about design thinking? There are nearly endless varieties of light switch designs, which can be frustrating in daily life. Light switch designs also serve as great examples for both good and bad design. Keep reading to find out more about light switch designs and how it helps explain ideas of good and bad design.
What is psychological grit? How can having grit benefit you in your life, and how can you build grit? Psychological grit is the philosophy posed by Angela Duckworth after conducting psychological research to predict success. Duckworth found that passion and perseverance were better predictors of success. Read more about the idea of psychological grit below.
What are some Talking to Strangers quotes by Malcolm Gladwell? What do these quotes teach us about human communication biases? Talking to Strangers is an eye-opening book about the impossibility of truly understanding a stranger. These Talking to Strangers quotes by Malcolm Gladwell encapsulate its key messages. Read these 5 Talking to Strangers quotes by Malcolm Gladwell.
What is user behavior? How can user behavior ideas create better designs? User behavior explains the way people interact with objects or interfaces. Understanding user behavior and the psychology behind it can help you create more user-friendly designs. Read more about user behavior and how it factors into design.
What is the purpose of embracing failure? How can you use failure in a creative workplace? Embracing failure is part of the corporate culture at Pixar. You take failure as the key to improving your idea and your project. Read more about embracing failure and how it can help.
What is the Pareto Principle? How can you use the Pareto Principle to be more efficient? The Pareto Principle, or the Pareto 80/20 rule, says that you get 80% of the results using 20% of the effort. In his book, Tim Ferriss argues that you can use this principle to make yourself more efficient and spend less time working. Keep reading to find out how you can use The Pareto Principle.
What is affordance design? Why should you take affordances into account when creating a new product? Affordance design refers to the idea of designing with an understanding that people can only interact with a product or object in a limited number of ways. There are several types of affordances to consider. Read more about affordance design and how it works.