The Informed Life

Veronica Erb is the author of Finding Out, an email newsletter for people who do and use UX research. Previously, she led UX research at NPR and consulted with a variety of companies. In this conversation, we discuss Veronica’s reading and note-taking practices.Since we recorded this, Veronica published a post with photos and screenshots of her notes. The link is in the show notes, in case you want to see what she's talking about.Show notesVeronica ErbScreenshots and photos of Veronica’s notesVeronica Erb on LinkedIn@verbistheword on Twitter@verbistheword on InstagramFinding Out, Veronica’s newsletter@howwefindout on InstagramFinding Out on TwitterNPRThe Boxcar ChildrenGrinnell Collegedanah boydBad Feminist: Essays by Roxanne GayThe Foundations of Social Research: Meaning and Perspective in the Research Process by Michael CrottyWord by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries by Kory StamperMethod of loci (Memory palace)Microsoft OneNoteSubstackJane AustenReadwiseGoodreadsDEVONthinkGoogle SurveysGoogle SheetsThe Informed Life episode 8: Trip O’Dell on DyslexiaAdvanced chess (Centaur chess)Show notes include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Dorian Taylor is a consulting designer. He’s been influenced by the work of the architect and design theorist Christopher Alexander, who died in March. In this conversation, we discuss Alexander’s influence on the design of built environments and software.Show notesDorian Taylor@doriantaylor on TwitterThe Making of Making Sense (Dorian’s newsletter)At Any Given Moment in a Process (Dorian’s post about Christopher Alexander)Fifteen Properties Through an Information-Theoretic Lens  by Dorian TaylorChristopher AlexanderThe Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering by Fred BrooksA Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction by Christopher AlexanderNotes on the Synthesis of Form by Christopher AlexanderThe Nature of Order: An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe by Christopher AlexanderThe Timeless Way of Building by Christopher AlexanderThe Oregon Experiment by Christopher AlexanderA City Is Not a Tree by Christopher Alexander (PDF)Patterns in Architecture OOPSLA 1996 keynote lecture by Christopher Alexander (YouTube)Cognition in the Wild by Edwin HutchinsGall’s Law (jarango.com)Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, designed by Frank GehryWalt Disney Concert Hall, designed by Frank GehryEishin School, designed by Christopher Alexander et alStata Center at MIT, designed by Franky GehryThe West Dean Visitor Centre, designed by Christopher Alexander et alVineyard Farmer’s Market, designed by Christopher Alexander et alClaude ShannonMarvin MinskyJohn McCarthyJ.C.R. LickliderDouglas EnglebartPatterns of Software: Tales from the Software Community by Richard GabrielShow notes include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Laura Yarrow is Head of Design for HM Land Registry in the UK. She’s also a public speaker and educator. In this conversation, we talk about how designers can increase their effectiveness in organizations by becoming trusted agitators.Show notesLaura Yarrow@laura_yarrow on TwitterThe people, place and space newsletterHM Land RegistryLaura’s Twitter thread about trusted agitatorsPace Layering: How Complex Systems Learn and Keep Learning by Stewart BrandStephen CoveySeven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen CoveyShow notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Oliver Caviglioli is a former headteacher of a special needs school. Now, he’s an information designer and author of several books about education. His latest book, Organise Ideas, which he co-authored with David Goodwin, explains the practice and science behind using graphic organizers to teach and learn.Show notesOliver Caviglioli@olicav on TwitterOrganise Ideas: Thinking by Hand, Extending the Mind by Oliver Caviglioli and David GoodwinDual Coding With Teachers by Oliver CaviglioliTeaching WalkThrus: Visual Step-by-Step Guides to Essential Teaching Techniques by Tom Sherrington and Oliver CaviglioliTeaching WalkThrus 2: Five-step Guides to Instructional Coaching by Tom Sherrington and Oliver CaviglioliTeaching WalkThrus 3: Five-step Guides to Instructional Coaching by Tom Sherrington and Oliver CaviglioliDave GrayXPLANEMetaphors We Live By by George Lakoff and Mark JohnsonMind in Motion: How Action Shapes Thought by Barbara TverskyCognitive load theoryGeneration effectRichard Saul WurmanGoldilocks principleWorking memoryShow notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Indi Young is a researcher who coaches, writes, and teaches about inclusive product strategy. She was one of the founders of the pioneering UX agency Adaptive Path. Indi wrote two influential books: Mental Models and Practical Empathy. Now she has a new book, called Time to Listen, which is the focus of our conversation today.Show notesIndi Young@indiyoung on TwitterIndi Young on LinkedInTime to Listen by Indi YoungMental Models: Aligning Design Strategy with Human Behavior by Indi YoungPractical Empathy: For Collaboration and Creativity in Your Work by Indi YoungLiminal Thinking: Create the Change You Want by Changing the Way You Think by Dave GrayGobstopperDaniel BurkaErika Hall on LinkedInShow notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Peter Bogaards, experience design expert, discusses curating a UX canon including works by Licklider, Bush, Tufte, and more. He emphasizes the importance of historical texts in shaping current design practices and values community collaboration.

Madonnalisa Chan is director of product management, taxonomy, and content services at Salesforce. I’ve known Lisa for a long time and admire her work as a taxonomist. But this conversation doesn’t focus on her work; instead, we discuss how she uses physical notes to manage her personal life.Show notesMadonnalisa Chan on LinkedInSalesforcePensieve (Harry Potter Wiki)Learning How to Learn courseThe Shoebox Method (YouTube)EvernoteGoogle DocsRyan HolidayThe Extended Mind by Annie Murphy PaulThe Informed Life episode 74: Annie Murphy Paul on The Extended MindSmart but Scattered: The Revolutionary “Executive Skills” Approach to Helping Kids Reach Their Potential by Peg Dawson and Richard GuardMind mapGirl ScoutsShow notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Boon Yew Chew is a strategic designer at Elsevier and a leader in IxDA, the Interaction Design Association. In this conversation, we delve into Roam Research, which Boon uses to take notes and tame “an ever-evolving multi-dimensional beast of knowledge.”If you’re enjoying the show, please rate or review it in Apple’s Podcasts directory: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-informed-life/id1450117117?itsct=podcast_box&itscg=30200Show notesBoon Yew Chew on LinkedInBoon Yew Chew on Medium@BoonYCH on TwitterElsevierIxDAIxDA London MeetupInteraction Conference 2022Adding life back to my notes: Roam after 4 months by Boon Yew ChewRoam ResearchOmniOutliner The Informed Life episode 43: Rob Haisfield on RoamThe Informed Life episode 54: Kourosh Dini on DEVONthinkEvernoteOneNoteSome show notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Dan Klyn is co-founder of The Understanding Group, an information architecture consultancy based in Michigan. Dan has also created useful and influential IA frameworks, and in this conversation, we focus on his latest: the BASIC framework.If you’re enjoying the show, please rate or review it in Apple’s Podcasts directory: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-informed-life/id1450117117?itsct=podcast_box&itscg=30200Show notesDan KlynThe Understanding GroupThe BASIC frameworkChris FarnumPeter MorvilleLouis RosenfeldAndreas ResminiRichard Saul WurmanBob RoyceEdith Farnsworth HouseLudwig Mies van der RoheKimbell Art MuseumLouis KahnRenzo PianoBrian EnoSome show notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

In observance of the winter holidays, this episode doesn’t feature a guest interview. Instead, I reflect on five themes that emerged in the diverse conversations we hosted on the podcast during 2021. I wish you and yours happy holidays!Cover photo by Waldemar Brandt on Unsplash.If you’re enjoying the show, please rate or review it in Apple’s Podcasts directory:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-informed-life/id1450117117?itsct=podcast_box&itscg=30200Show notesThe Informed Life episode 53: Jason Ulaszek on Healing Social RiftsThe Informed Life episode 54: Kourosh Dini on DEVONthinkThe Informed Life episode 55: Hà Phan on Product LeadershipThe Informed Life episode 56: Margot Bloomstein on TrustThe Informed Life episode 57: Ben Mosior on Wardley MapsThe Informed Life episode 58: Jesse James Garrett on Leadership and IAThe Informed Life episode 59: Matt LeMay on One Page / One HourThe Informed Life episode 60: Kat Vellos on FriendshipThe Informed Life episode 61: Jeff Sussna on Customer Value ChartingThe Informed Life episode 63: Sophia Prater on Object Oriented UXThe Informed Life episode 64: Sarah Barrett on Architectural ScaleThe Informed Life episode 66: Jim Kalbach on Jobs to Be DoneThe Informed Life episode 68: Mags Hanley on Career ArchitectureThe Informed Life episode 69: Karl Fast on Interactionism, part 1The Informed Life episode 70: Karl Fast on Interactionism, part 2The Informed Life episode 71: Sunni Brown on Deep Self DesignThe Informed Life episode 73: Patrick Tanguay on Newsletter CurationThe Informed Life episode 74: Annie Murphy Paul on The Extended MindThe Informed Life episode 75: Hans Krueger on the Cycle of EmotionsThe Informed Life episode 76: Dan Brown on IA LensesSome show notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.