The Brain Dance. Week 51–52: Dec 20–31, 2016
With the Christmas holidays around I decided to combine a two-week article list instead of the weekly one. It’s a momento to properly look back but focus on what’s coming next. This year in my opinion has been the year of the beginning of the redefinition of the industry. A moment where we’ve seen the consolidation of VR/AR as a true player, although we’re quite far to call it a reality. A moment, especially these last months of 2016 where AI and bots are becoming more visible and will continue its expansion during 2017. I guess (never sure…) it’ll be the main topic this new year, the rise of AI.
2017 looks it’ll be very interesting and I’m more than ready to welcome it with arms wide open.
The Brain Dance: Week 51–52
December 19–31, 2016
Recommended book of the week
“Whiplash: How to Survive Our Faster Future”.
by Joi Ito & Jeff Howe .
2016. Grand Central Publishing. 320 Pages.
Rating: 5/5
I really enjoyed this vision of the future from Joi Ito, Director of the MIT Media Lab and Jeff Howe. Not focused on visions of dystopian futures to come but on down to earth points of view regarding what’s coming next and how to deal with it based on 9 principles.
- Emergence over Authority
- Pull over Push
- Compasses over Maps
- Risk over Safety
- Disobedience over Compliance
- Practice over Theory
- Diversity over Ability
- Resilience over Strength
- Systems over Objects
Nine chapters that describe different ways of approaching problem solving and how not following the obvious, logic or what is expected delivers good results. If we want to embrace the near future properly we should be open to challenge what it’s established; use resources when we need them to optimize outputs; try to find new paths instead of following what is the obvious route; embrace risk over what is the norm to help the future to evolve (nothing will change if we do the same); don’t follow the rules, don’t be afraid of failure and never stop walking; be open to embrace different disciplines and points of view over what’s obvious, the power of different approaches to solve problems; Be adaptable and embrace change in this organic changing world; And embrace ethics and responsibility on the impact of new technologies.
One of the reads of the year. Highly recommended.
Article Recommendations
Design
The Atomization of Your Brand Experience
Interesting article from R/GA on the atomization of the brand experience. Understanding the touchpoints, all communication parts, user journeys, patterns, etc is key nowadays to deliver the optimal brand experience.
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Launch It, by Shane Mielke
Shane Mielke is one of those designers one have to respect deeply. I remember discovering him long time ago when he was part of probably the first web design company everybody admired back in the early 00’s, 2Advanced. Shane just published a book with some good pieces of advice and what he learned all these years as Designer, Developer and Creative Director. Get a copy now, you won’t regret.
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Design Critique — The Booking way
I like to read how other companies work, it’s always insightful and gives me ideas to apply at work. A few weeks ago it was Facebook, this time is Booking.com explaining their design critique process.
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Designers: 2017 Is The Year To Find Your Purpose
One of those articles that tries to make designers aware of their real purpose in life. I don’t think our goal is to change the world, we’re not that special, but I do think we have tools, talent and responsibility to at least take part on making a better world.
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Design Systems in 2016 and how to make your own
All what you need to know to make your own design system. Examples, articles, guidelines… plenty on interesting useful resources.
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The Best And Worst User Interfaces Of 2016
And here we go with some lists… the first one a review of the worst and the best of 2016 regarding User Interfaces.
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What to Expect for Experience Design in 2017
Some predictions on UX for 2017 by R/GA, conversational interfaces, VR…
Technology
All your code are belong to us
Very interesting article from my colleague at Stinkdigital, Arnaud Tanielian about how video games helped him to be the badass developer he is.
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Alphabet’s new self-driving minivans will be on public roads in 2017
I look forward to 2017, it seems it’s going to be a pretty exciting year, something like the year of the before and after. I remember not too long ago having conversations with some friends about self-driving cars and the result of that conversation was a “no way man”,… only a few months later everything changed completely.
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The Future of Driving Is Now a Gold Rush
This article is a great one regarding this visible change that is coming on the driving industry and how technology is putting everything upside down.
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Watch a Tesla predict a car crash 2 vehicles ahead
And for those who doubt about safety on Self-driving cars…
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Superflex’s robot suit is meant to help mobilize aging populations
This are great news. I’m reading a lot of dystopian views of the future where technology will eat us alive but it’s all about a responsible and humanistic use of it what really brings excitement on what’s to come in the near future.
This article is about wearable tech that will help old people or people with problems with mobility to have a better life.
Artificial Intelligence
The AI Takeover Is Coming. Let’s Embrace It
A positive view on the new era of AI we are —apparently— welcoming. It doesn’t seem wrong to embrace AI after reading this.
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The state of artificial intelligence in 5 charts
Interesting article to see the current state-of-the-art on AI through 5 charts.
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The Economics Underlying Chatbot Mania
Some thoughts on this rise of AI and Chatbots we’re experiencing lately.
Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality Needs to Be Social to Succeed
I was waiting for an article like this about VR. The pattern is always the same when people get immersed on some type of VR experience, always highlighting how unique or real it was, but always is a private experience. It’s kind of you’re there by your own. It’s when we overcome that, what I consider, limitation of the self immersion and we embrace Social VR when this area will get the definitive boost to success.
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Four Months of Virtual Reality — Instrument
Instrument’s point of view on Virtual Reality. Always interesting to read something coming from them.
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What the coming educational VR revolution teaches us about the tech’s future
Education is, without any doubt, one of the fields where VR can find one of the richest places to develop. This article describes what can come next. Pretty insightful.
Advertising
The Philosophy of Advertising: Strategist Faris Yakob Talks Shop with Use All Five
An interview with Faris Yakob, where as always coming from him, there are a few good points on advertising, technology, data and the current situation of the industry.
Productivity
Your Ultimate Guide For Waking Up Early
Waking up early… that impossible task. It’s pretty much proven all the benefits of embracing the 5AM call to start the day, but hell yeah, it’s hard…
This is an article with a few recommendations.
