Bookmarks
Sharing the resources Paul collects. Bookmarks can also be found at pinboard.in/u:unison
13 reasons why your brain craves infographics
Monday, June 17, 2013 · Topics: brain-fitness, infographics, neuroscience, visual-thinking, visualization
The use of visualized information has increased 400% in literature, 9900% on the internet, 142% in newspapers. Almost 50% of your brain is involved in visual processing. 70% of all your sensory receptors are in your eyes. We can get the sense of a visual scene in less than 1/10 of a second. · Go to 13 reasons why your brain craves infographics →
Turn it up: How the right amount of ambient noise increases creativity
Monday, June 17, 2013 · Topics: attention-deficit-disorder, creativity, productivity
From 99U; Finding the right space to do creative work can be difficult. Inside the office, there are constant interruptions, last-minute meetings, and an often unbearable amount of uncontrollable noise. On the other hand, locking yourself away in quiet isolation can sometimes be just as counterproductive (not to mention boring). For most creatives there is a “Goldilocks” zone of just the right amount of noise, but not too much. · Go to Turn it up: How the right amount of ambient noise increases creativity →
The big five orchestras no longer add up
Friday, June 14, 2013 · Topics: arts-management, arts-marketing, orchestras
From NY Times: A century or so ago, when classical music thrived in a nation of immigrants, orchestras were a powerful force, flagship institutions that helped to put American cities on the cultural map. And the Big Five, when it coalesced, helped, with its cumulative weight, to put American orchestras firmly on the international map. No other country could boast of such a constellation.
But this landscape has changed greatly over the last half-century, much as the country’s economic, demographic and cultural landscape has, and in many of the same ways. The economic fortunes of the flagship ensembles have changed with the fortunes of their cities. · Go to The big five orchestras no longer add up →
Defining my dyslexia
Friday, June 14, 2013 · Topics: personal-mastery, strengths
From NY Times: Blake Charlton started cataloging insults in the second grade. Notable put-downs heard outside his special-ed classroom included “dimwinky,” “retardochuckles” and “the meat in the sandwich of stupid.” The last of which, if you think about it, is a seriously impressive use of metaphor for a 7-year-old. Blake learned all the jokes about dyslexia, and told them to better effect than anyone else. Making fun of himself was his best defense. The other choices — hiding from his diagnosis or accepting himself as limited — didn’t appeal. · Go to Defining my dyslexia →
Beyond IQ: 5 ways to reframe success and smarts
Friday, June 14, 2013 · Topics: intelligence-quotient, strengths, success
From FastCompany: In his new book, Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined, Scott Barry Kaufman looks at several different kinds of personal attributes that contribute to success as an adult, many of which have nothing to do with IQ. Kaufman’s personal history illustrates this point, but so does a great deal of research and data that he collects. Studies show that even prodigies don’t always have sky-high IQs. · Go to Beyond IQ: 5 ways to reframe success and smarts →
How to design mental models that create a superior user experience
Thursday, June 13, 2013 · Topics: customer-experience, mental-models, user-experience
From The Daily Egg: Mental models give you a deep understanding of people’s motivations and thought processes along with the emotional and philosophical landscape in which they are operating. · Go to How to design mental models that create a superior user experience →
10 ways to approach design scientifically
Thursday, June 13, 2013 · Topics: design-theory, web-design
From 3.7 Designs: Desired outcomes are the cause of all design. With the commercial web, design primarily exists for two reasons. One, revenue generation and two, expense reduction. From the perspective of producing desired outcomes, it’s more effective to approach design like a science rather than an art form. Not all designs will perform equally. As a designer, your job is to intentionally create the best performing design within the constraints of the project. The only reliable way to do so is with a scientific approach. · Go to 10 ways to approach design scientifically →
No more techno-speak: Businesses must communicate like people do
Thursday, June 13, 2013 · Topics: customer-experience, writing
From Marketing Profs: The result of this evolution is that too many of our companies sound just like all the others — and our audiences are habituated to the words they’re reading. Stephen Denning, the best-selling author of The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling, says “a revolution in marketing thinking” is essential. One of the reasons he sites is the fact that audiences are increasingly skeptical about what they’re reading. Advertising has lost its credibility, and customers use the (uncontrolled-by-us) web to get information and solve problems. · Go to No more techno-speak: Businesses must communicate like people do →
