FEATURE
Why generative AI is more dangerous than you think
From this author's perspective, the place where most safety experts go wrong, including policymakers, is that they view generative AI primarily as a tool for creating traditional content at scale. While the technology is quite skilled at cranking out articles, images and videos, the more important issue is that generative AI will unleash an entirely new form of media that is highly personalized, fully interactive and potentially far more manipulative than any form of targeted content we have faced to date.
AI magnifies some of the issues highlighted in the Ethics of Persuasion.
CREATIVITY
Advantages of Innovation - 2023 Most Innovative Companies
From A (Apple) to U (Unilever), the top 50 companies in BCG's 2023 Most Innovative Companies report outperform the MSCI World Index on shareholder return by 3.3% points per year.
The 50 most innovative companies for 2023 are a geographically diverse group, roughly evenly split between North America and the rest of the world. In spite of the market headwinds that they experienced in 2022, tech companies continue to dominate the top 50, including the top ten.
Among other things, these companies drive digital innovation with a clear bias toward new digital products, agile teaming, and improving customer and marketing insights. Read or download the entire report at the link...
I Was Skeptical About Innovation Advice, So I Put It to the Test
The author test-drives the innovation process laid out in the new book Think Bigger: How to Innovate to write this article, and compares it against the original 70-year-old book that popularized brainstorming.
Innovation requires individuals trying to push boundaries and break out of routines. In both approaches, you define a problem, break it down, then put the pieces back together again.
How to get over writer’s block, unlock your creativity, and brainstorm great ideas
This article has a few things you can do to unlock your creativity and get the ideas flowing. The idea is to crank open the faucet of your creativity and see what comes out.
CURIOSITY
Nike chief design officer John Hoke III reflects on his creative process
Diversity, inclusivity and all play important roles in the collaboration process of design at Nike, according to Hoke.
“What I've personally witnessed is when diversity is present, curiosity ensues,” Hoke said. “Empathy is basically the fuel of creativity which is the backbone of innovation, and that's our advantage.”
EMPATHY
Airbnb’s CEO spent 6 months living in his company’s rentals—and found the core problem with his business
The previous issue of BeingDesignerly had a curated article about how Airbnb's latest redesign came out of listening to customers. This article talks about how executives leading companies should not live in a bubble, but actually spend time experiencing what their customers experience. I know of many C-level executives who do this regularly, but this holds true at all levels of the pyramid - walk a mile in your customers' shoes! If you go "Undercover Boss" to avoid the white glove treatment, you will definitely be able to empathize with customers.
VISUAL
How Visual Thinking Can Help Teams Get Clarity, Be More Creative, and Have More Inclusive Meetings
Some people think more visually, in pictures, whereas others think more “verbally” in terms of words. However, the working world is more geared to those who think verbally. You can use visual thinking techniques, such as use of images, drawing out ideas and creating pictorial records of conversations, to create a more inclusive workplace culture. By using simple visual thinking techniques to create categories of information, collate information and prioritize information - you can get some quick wins in getting clarity in your meeting. Visual thinking techniques, such as templates and metaphors, can change the way that you think about your problems, and then help you be more creative in your ability to solve problems.
Visualized: The Daily Routines of Famous Creatives
The daily routines of 16 famous creatives—poets, thinkers, scientists and even politicians—are charted for comparison with each other.
The average and median amount of time spent on creative work for these individuals was just over 8 hours a day. At the extremes were two French novelists, Honoré de Balzac with 13.5 hours daily spent on creative work, and Victor Hugo with only 2 hours. However, most of these brilliant minds made sure to get a good rest, with an average of 7.25 hours of sleep across the board.
UX
How companies make it difficult to unsubscribe
This visual story gets you scrolling through the author's saga in trying to unsubscribe or cancel 16 online services. Look at the ways companies made it, knowingly (or unknowingly), challenging.
There's a whole other discussion on calling these "deceptive" patterns instead of "dark" patterns.
INCLUSIVE
What Are the Top Barriers to Digital Inclusion in 2023?
In 2023, there is a website or app for just about any task, and these digital platforms offer convenience, cost savings, and efficiency. Yet, digital platforms have not been designed for everyone. Researchers at American Foundation for the Blind conducted the Barriers to Digital Inclusion Survey (BDIS) to learn about the prevalence and impacts of digital inclusion barriers faced by individuals who are blind, have low vision, or are deafblind.
Conducted in late 2022, the survey captures the barriers faced by 398 research participants. These findings reveal the consequences of inaccessibility both for the individuals who face the barriers and the companies and organizations whose programs, services, and products contain barriers.
The report offers recommendations for policymakers, business leaders, and computing educators to create greater digital inclusion and ensure that businesses are reaching all of their customers effectively.