Alexandra MackinAlchymyxMachines are not human. And that’s OKAs an anthropologist who has spent years studying human behavior, , I’ve been thinking a lot about the tendency in both the tech industry…Jun 30Jun 30
Alexandra MackinAlchymyxBuilding resilient teamsA recent Wall Street Journal article that centered on how making yourself “indispensable” by being the only person who can do a task or who…May 9May 9
Alexandra MackinAlchymyxFocus on the activity (not the object)A recent issue of American Indian magazine had an article about a change in how Mi’kmaw artifacts will be kept and curated. In addition to…Jan 22, 2023Jan 22, 2023
Alexandra MackinAlchymyxEthnographic thinking without ethnographyOver the last few months, many ethnographers have been challenged by the question of how to conduct observational research in a time when…Nov 5, 20201Nov 5, 20201
Alexandra MackinAlchymyxCreating inclusive experiences, virtuallyWorking for Ad Hoc has made me much more aware of accessibility issues, or in the broader framing I prefer, inclusivity. Because the…Jun 29, 2020Jun 29, 2020
Alexandra MackinAlchymyxShopping like it’s 1870: Cost, control, and contaminationA friend of mine recently posted that he was “Really, really tired of the phrase ‘the new normal.’” I am too — and in part because as an…May 25, 2020May 25, 2020
Alexandra MackinAlchymyxThe inevitability of imperfectionWhat does it mean to create something that seems authentic? I’ve been pondering that since listening to an episode of The Allusionist…Nov 25, 2019Nov 25, 2019
Alexandra MackinAlchymyxWhy craftsmanship matters in a high tech wA few weeks ago, I toured the Faust Harrison piano factory, where they rebuild heirloom Steinways. Beyond the fact that I love getting a…Nov 17, 2019Nov 17, 2019
Alexandra MackinAlchymyxHow to avoid inflexible designIt turns out that some people do spend a lot of time pondering the contents of their pockets. A couple of months ago I heard a podcast by…Mar 13, 2019Mar 13, 2019
Alexandra MackinAlchymyxHow to find a path into a new domainWhen I was about 3 or 4, I took classes at a Yamaha music school. According to my mother, after the school closed, I spent months asking…Feb 22, 2019Feb 22, 2019
