Emergent: April 2019
This month: Saying “sorry” too much, from amateur snowboarder to the Olympics, and how to design emotional interfaces for boring apps.
Emergent is a monthly newsletter that features Noah’s ideas, writing, podcasts, and other things that are capturing his attention. Subscribe here.
I have an eclectic set of articles this month. From asking yourself if you say “sorry” too often, to the strange and interesting story of an amateur snowboarder who made it to the Olympics through sheer perseverance, there’s something for everyone.
If you like what you see or have some suggestions, drop me a line at noah@paloalto.com.
Thanks for reading!
Noah
1. This month’s self reflection
I know I say “sorry” too often. Maybe it’s my English heritage. Of course, there are the “sorrys” that you should say — like when you bump into someone.
But what about all the other “sorrys,” like saying, “Sorry, this may be a bad idea” in a meeting? According to this article, when we needlessly apologize, we end up making ourselves small and diminish what we’re trying to express. Read on to find out what you should say instead.
2. This month’s advice for amateurs
At the last Winter Olympics, you may have seen a curious thing: a snowboarder who went down the half-pipe and, unlike all the other competitors, didn’t do any death-defying tricks. It seemed odd, and people didn’t know what to make of it.
How had a seeming amateur made it to the Olympics? I’ve been curious about this story, assuming there must be a backstory, and it turns out there is. It’s a fascinating tale of what can happen when an amateur perseveres.
3. This month’s advice for managers and designers of “boring” products
How to design emotional interfaces for boring apps
Many of the tools we use every day are utilitarian. From email, to chat, to your screen capture app, these tools just get things done for us. They aren’t necessarily interesting — kind of like the plumbing in your house. But, that’s where the challenge comes in for product managers and designers of these apps.
How do you get users to be passionate about your app and evangelize it for you? How do you make it “fun” to use? If you’re facing this problem, check out Smashing Magazine’s excellent article that talks about all the ways you can bring emotion and connection to the “plumbing” that we use every day. Read it now.
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