Hi everyone…. This summer is going to be blog-lite, okay? I am taking too many classes for my own good as well as working on two pretty interesting projects that could turn into a venture soon; there’s probably little chance that I will get out of this summer unscathed from the wrath of Operations Management.
If all goes well, I will be updating you all on the world of Digitally Empowered Learning and Presentation Aids.
“The high-value decision-maker of the future—the one that
At design school, I get surveys all the time. I do some of them. Actually, I do a fair number of them if they are for a class or to help the school improve in some way. Surveys are a easy way to get quick quantitative information from a large sample size without doing user research.
Now, I just made a survey for the first time at ID, and unfortunately, I didn’t get many responses. Well, that kinda stinks. No reciprocity, people!!
What if there was a SNS called “Backscratch” that you could essentially telegraph to the community when you contribute something… Whether it’s an idea or a service, or a tip. It could be as little as filling out a survey, even. And when it comes your time to ask for a favor, people will feel more obligated to fill it out because their online reputation or “backscratch” score is visible, hanging on their doorstep. No one wants to have a horrendously negative score.
It’s kinda like the notion of a ratio or something similar on an IRC, P2P file sharing software, or Torrent tracker.
As a sidenote, I found out that the mysterious Arthur Gonzarelli, the form poster with absolutely no encouraging or constructive feedback whatsoever, was actually Gabriel Biller. Thanks Gabe 
Hi everyone, I am working on creating a prototype of something called the New Options Initiative at school, in concert with the Kellogg Foundation. I’d love to get your thoughts on a video mockup that we plan to show business leaders.
If you have just a few minutes, I’d love to get your thoughts on this.
Check out the full survey here, or tab through the following fields (For some reason the submit button isn’t showing in the iFrame. Wufoobug?)
For a country with a political climate like China, this is stunning:
Top markets for blogging –
China 70% of internet users write a blog, Philippines 66% and Mexico 60%
Happy Earth Day people.
In Kansas City, I used to volunteer at the Earth Walk in the Park and managed to drag Rich and Vinita out (I think that was the toughest feat of all, honestly). Last year, I went to the Earth Day cleanup at Humboldt Park, albeit briefly.
Sadly, this year I’ve regressed into doing nearly nothing because I am swamped with classes and work. Aye-Caramba.
Before there were social networks like the Facebook or CafeMom, people used real social networks to tell other people what products they liked to use.
American Express just launched a social network (or maybe foisted is a better term) that is for all card members that subscribe to the American Express credit card. (I’m sure many of you must have received the same email in your inbox today).
It’s called the “Members Know” network, and it’s based on the assumption that lots of people who are already card members of Amex will share some common bond and share recommendations/inspiration with each other. On the site, one can find local favorites (dining establishments), connections to travel experts (aka, travel agents), and “executive offers”.
So, ultimately, does it work to “superimpose” a social network service on a base of service subscribers?
I don’t think so. I remember when we were working on our Foodie Rating site almost three years ago now– As we anticipated exit strategies (could we be bought by Diner’s club? The Food network, though that’s not a social network? Any other network of subscribers?) Our preliminary research showed that this wouldn’t work. Creating a social network organically was much ’sticker’ when it came down to it, because it used real friends who were often also Foodies. It seems like everyone has an American Express card. And yet, in the real world, social groups often are as much about exclusivity as they are about inclusion.
In Amex’s defense, they have very little to use. Existing cardmembers may use the network, or they might ignore the email entirely. No harm, no foul. The only real risk they have is the site becoming a hub for money saving tips — causing far fewer dollars to be spent using an American Express card!
Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science by Charles Wheelan
Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
Origin of Wealth: Evolution, Complexity, and the Radical Remaking of Economics by Eric D. Beinhocker
Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software by Steven Johnson
The Emerging Markets Century: How a New Breed of World-Class Companies Is Overtaking the World by Antoine van Agtmael
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I am a graduate student at the Institute of Design in Chicago. This blog loosely covers design & innovation, new business development in emerging markets, social entrepreneurship, and varied personal life rants.
