Shortform Books

Prototype Testing Example: Step-by-Step Instructions

Want a prototype test example? How can you test a product prototype using the Design Sprint method? In his bestselling book Sprint, Jake Knapp provides a step-by-step process for completing your own Design Sprint workshop. According to Knapp, the final day of your workshop should be dedicated to prototype testing, and Sprint provides an example of how to test your prototype in three steps. Read on for a step-by-step example of prototype testing, according to Knapp’s Design Sprint method.

The Pagan Origins of Christianity: It Began as a Cult?

What religion did Christianity originate from? How did Christianity replace paganism? According to Brian Muraresku, Christianity began as a female-led pagan cult that used psychedelics to induce transcendental states to connect with the divine. Psychedelic brews induced the direct experience of God, but this kind of experience was eventually suppressed by the Christian “establishment.” Keep reading to learn about the pagan origins of Christianity.

Growth Hacking: A Marketing Method for the Modern Age

Are traditional marketing methods still effective? How do you make your product/service stand out in modern markets? In today’s fast-paced, high-tech world, old approaches to marketing no longer work. Large-scale, big-budget advertising campaigns are too slow and imprecise for the online world. Sean Ellis and Morgan Brown present the solution to this dilemma—growth hacking marketing. Keep reading to learn about the growth hacking marketing method.

How to Turn Customer Conversations Into Useful Feedback

How can you use customer conversations to make your product better? What information should you gather during these discussions? In The Mom Test, Rob Fitzpatrick recommends taking customer feedback to determine if your business is worth continuing. To get this feedback, you need to talk with customers in the first place. Keep reading to learn how to take advantage of your customer conversations.

Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz: Overview

What is Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz about? What are the main takeaways of the book? The ultimate goal of copywriting is to craft advertisements that spur demand for what you’re selling. In Breakthrough Advertising, Eugene Schwartz says you can do this by understanding what customers already need and framing your product as the only solution to fulfill these needs. Read below for a brief overview of Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz.

4 Anti-Enlightenment Positions: Steven Pinker Calls Them Out

What does it mean to be “anti-Enlightenment”? What kind of attitudes or paradigms fit into this category? According to Steven Pinker, four forces are standing in the way of humanity’s progress: religion, anti-scientism, tribalism, and declinism. He believes that the world is on the right track but argues that these enemies of progress must be stopped if human advancement is to continue. Continue reading to learn more about Pinker’s argument.

Design Sprint Prototype Storyboard: Why & How to Make One

Why are prototype storyboards helpful for the design process? How do you make one for a design sprint workshop? Jake Knapp’s five-day Design Sprint method is an efficient way to design and test a product prototype in a team. According to him, storyboarding a prototype benefits the design process and is a crucial step to take towards the end of your sprint workshop. Read on to learn why and how to make a prototype storyboard, according to Knapp’s Design Sprint method.

Shortform Views: What Book Should Everyone Read in Their Lifetime?

What books should everybody read in their lifetime? Can there possibly be a book that’s relevant to everybody? At Shortform, we want to highlight our employees and put names and faces behind the words. That’s why we’re asking Shortform team members their thoughts and opinions on different topics. Today, we’ve asked if there are any books that everyone should read. Here’s what they had to say.

Shortform Reads: Books Can Shape Perspectives & Habits

What book might help you change your relationship with yourself? What series is like a comforting cup of tea? Grace could tell you. She’s a host and writer for Shortform’s YouTube channel. We interviewed her recently to learn a bit about her relationship with books.

The Religious Use of Psychedelics: Accessing the Divine

The Folly in the Hero's Quest for Physical Immortality

Can psychedelics induce a direct experience of the Divine? How did ancient religions use psychedelics to induce spiritual states? Many religions have a history of performing rituals that involved the consumption of hallucinogenic beverages to induce mystical or transcendental experiences. The descriptions of these experiences feature themes of death, rebirth, and immortality, acting as a gateway to a direct experience of the Divine. Keep reading to learn about the religious use of psychedelics.