Alice Albrecht is the founder and CEO of re:collect, a software tool that helps knowledge creators focus and connect. Alice’s background is in cognitive neuroscience and machine learning. In this conversation, we explore how tools for thought such as re:collect can help augment our thinking.Show notesAlice Albrecht (LinkedIn)re:collect@recollect_ai (Twitter)RENDER(); Tools for Thinking conferenceAlice’s re:collect demo at the RENDER() conference (Vimeo)InstapaperPocketObsidianRoam ResearchEveryReadwiseSubstackGPT-3Stable DiffusionShow notes include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Rob Ashton is a writer who focuses on the science of how the things we read and write influence what we think and do. Rob founded the global learning company Emphasis, and over the last six years, he’s focused on researching the science of reading and writing, ranging from cognitive and social neuroscience to behavioral and neuroeconomics. In this conversation, we discuss how science can make us more effective readers and writers.Show notesRob AshtonEmphasisRob’s Silent Influence courseTali SharotThe span of the effective stimulus during a fixation in reading by George W. McConkie & Keith Rayner SaccadePredictive codingDunning-Kruger effectFamiliarity heuristicAffect heuristicShow notes include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Erin Malone, Chair of the Interaction Design BFA Program at the California College of the Arts, discusses her work with design pattern libraries and collaboration with the Anti-Defamation League to combat online hate. Topics include the evolution of design systems, tracking online hate through a social pattern library, challenges in designing social interfaces, and the impact of systematizing interaction design on work approach.

Natalie Marie Dunbar, Senior Manager of Content Design at Walmart, discusses content strategy and how to establish a content strategy practice in an organization. She explores the differences between content strategy and information architecture. Dunbar also talks about her journey in content strategy, the role of content in supporting end-to-end experiences, and transitioning from an individual contributor to a manager in design. She shares insights on scaling up practice and provides book recommendations.

Howard Rheingold is an eminent author, maker, and educator. His work has explored and defined key aspects of digital culture, including the use of computers as tools for mind augmentation, virtual communities, and social media literacy. In this conversation, we discuss computers as extensions for our minds, Douglas Engelbart’s unfinished revolution, basic literacies for interacting in information environments, and the resurgence of Tools for Thought.Photo by Joi Ito (CC BY 2.0)Show notesHoward Rheingold (rheingold.com)Howard’s PatreonTools for Thought: The History and Future of Mind-Expanding Technology by Howard RheingoldThe Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier by Howard RheingoldNet Smart: How to Thrive Online by Howard RheingoldHotWiredWhole Earth CatalogInstitute for the FutureXerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC)Steve JobsBill GatesDouglas EngelbartJohn von NeumannAlan TuringGeorge BooleCharles BabbageAlan KayMother of All Demos (Wikipedia)Stanford Research InstituteSam WineburgRoam ResearchObsidianDEVONthinkThe BrainJerry MichalskiJerry’s BrainRender(); Tools for Thinking conferenceBrian EnoScenius, or Communal Genius by Kevin KellyShow notes include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Lorenzo Bernaschina is the developer of Gems Notes, a note-taking tool that uses artificial intelligence to find relationships between ideas. In this conversation, we talk about smart note-taking and how technology might be used to extend rather than replace human intelligence.Update 2022-08-14: This episode was edited at the guest’s request.Show notesLorenzo’s personal websiteLorenzo Bernaschina (LinkedIn)@ittaboba on TwitterGems NotesRoam ResearchObsidianmy mindZettelkastenNiklas LuhmannAlan KayDouglas EngelbartSteve JobsShow notes include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Steve Portigal is a consultant who helps organizations build more mature user research practices. He’s the author of Interviewing Users: How to Uncover Compelling Insights and Doorbells, Danger, and Dead Batteries: User Research War Stories. He’s also the host of the Dollar to Donuts podcast about research leadership. In this conversation, we discuss the skills required for conducting successful interviews with users.Show notesSteve Portigal (portigal.com)Steve Portigal (linkedin.com)Portigal ConsultingInterviewing Users: How to Uncover Compelling Insights by Steve PortigalDoorbells, Danger, and Dead Batteries: User Research War Stories by Steve PortigalDollars to Donuts podcastDale CarnegieDunning-Kruger effectShow notes include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Daniel Stillman is a conversation designer and coach. He’s the host of The Conversation Factory podcast and author of Good Talk: How to Design Conversations That Matter.This is a special episode of The Informed Life: it’s the first recorded in person, while Daniel and I attended and taught at UX Lisbon in May of 2022. Fittingly, it’s an experiment: a freeform, less produced conversation about how we converse. In some cases, this results in less context than you may expect. In particular, you’ll hear references to the names of other speakers at the conference. I’ve included links to their profiles in the show notes.Show notesDaniel StillmanThe Conversation Factory podcastGood Talk: How to Design Conversations That Matter by Daniel StillmanThe Nine Elements of Transformative Facilitation by Daniel Stillman (includes a diagram of Daniel’s conversation operating system)UX Lisbon conferenceBernadette Irizarry (UX Lisbon)Matt LeMay (UX Lisbon)Natalie Nixon (UX Lisbon)Katie Swindler (UX Lisbon)Scott Kubie (UX Lisbon)One Page/One HourNickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara EhrenreichAbby CovertDave GrayPhilip McKenzieLeland MaschmeyerWhat is the Negotiation Institute? (harvard.edu)Ladies Get PaidBrave New Work: Are You Ready to Reinvent Your Organization? by Aaron DignanCarl CollinsSwissmiss (Tina Roth Eisenberg)Daniel MezickRichard Saul WurmanAndy PolaineHow to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale CarnegieViktor FranklJoe RoganShow notes include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Mike Rohde is a designer, teacher, and illustrator — but you’re more likely familiar with his work in sketchnoting. Mike is the author of The Sketchnote Handbook, which popularized the practice, and the founder of the Sketchnote Army, a showcase of sketchnoters and their work. He’s been described as “one of the leaders of the visual thinking revolution.” In this conversation, we discuss how Mike’s approach to visual note-taking has influenced his work.Show notesMike Rohderohdesign.comThe Rohdesign Dispatch (Mike’s newsletter)Mike Rohde on LinkedIn@rohdesign on Instagram@rohdesign on TwitterThe Sketchnote Handbook: The Illustrated Guide to Visual Note Taking by Mike RohdeThe Sketchnote Workbook: Advanced Techniques for Taking Visual Notes You Can Use Anywhere by Mike RohdeThe Sketchnote ArmyThe Sketchnote Army podcastAdobe PageMillLiminal Thinking: Create the Change You Want by Changing the Way You Think by Dave GrayBullet JournalRyder CarrollUlyssesMarkdownZettelkastenThe Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking by Pam A. Mueller and Daniel M. Oppenheimer (PDF)Show notes include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Kat King is an information architect who’s “interested in information and how we figure things out.” She replied to one of my Twitter threads about note-taking, and I was intrigued by her approach. I recently saw Kat give a thoughtful presentation at the IA Conference and wanted to find out how she uses notes to learn and teach. So, this conversation focuses on note-taking as a means of learning.Show notesKat King@katalogofchaos on TwitterUniversity of MichiganThe Information Architecture ConferenceCornell NotesMoleskineLEUCHTTURM1917The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain by Annie Murphy PaulThe Informed Life episode 74: Annie Murphy Paul on The Extended MindThe Informed Life episode 69: Karl Fast on Interactionism, part 1The Informed Life episode 70: Karl Fast on Interactionism, part 2Show notes include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.