• It’s fantastic to have this week and next week without any travel.
• Beyond just a general gathering of wits, I’m focused on laying the groundwork for a new program, details to be revealed down the road. As well, I’m doing networking meetings and phone calls with colleagues and conversations with prospective clients, laying groundwork for the short- and medium-term.
• Also coming up in a couple of weeks, I’m doing a workshop about synthesizing field data at EuroIA in Brussels (to be followed by a fun side trip to Berlin).
• Ten years gone: From September 2004 – Cream puff heaven.
• What we’re consuming: PizzaHacker, the life cycle of a catchphrase, Go For Sisters, Agony Wagon.

• I’m sitting in the airport lounge, waiting for my flight from Sydney back to San Francisco. It’s Tuesday here, and a holiday Monday in the US. I left my AirBnB in Hobart at 4:00 am to get a flight to Melbourne and then to Sydney. I’ll be spending a good couple of days just trying t recover from a wonderful trip – a great conference with a successful workshop on mindfulness and a well-received talk about the War Stories. A recording is coming soon.
• One last reminder/request for comments (and votes) here for my proposed War Stories talk at SXSW.
• This weekend, I’m doing a full-day workshop on user research at UX-STRAT in Boulder.
• Ten years gone: From September 2004 – Why not adopt a Wild Horse or Burro?.
• What we’re consuming: Picklemouse Corner, Lincoln’s Rock, Little Rivers Dark Lager, Museum of Old and New Art, hot chocolate, Julius Popp’s Bit.fall.

I can see my house from here!

• I’m en route to Sydney for UX Australia. I’m very excited to be speaking about presence and mindfulness in my workshop The Designer is Present, and War Stories in my talk Epic Fail. The country is lovely, the people are excellent and the breakfasts are superb. I’ll be taking a day trip to the gorgeous Blue Mountains and then visiting Hobart in Tasmania very briefly, before heading home early next week.
• Last week was Seattle, with Dan Szuc, where we did a workshop and a talk with IxDA Seattle. I spoke about soft skills and my slides are here.
• Please comment (and vote) here for my proposed War Stories talk at SXSW.
• After Australia, I’m doing a full-day workshop on user research at UX-STRAT in Boulder and a half-day workshop about synthesizing field data at EuroIA in Brussels. Spread the word as there is still room in both workshops.
• Ten years gone: From August 2004 – SF discovers Nanaimo Bars, Verizon adds fees to see your bill, Team America and Thunderbirds.
• What we’re consuming: dim sum, a big-ass warm cookie, Park Chalet, Austin Powers.

I’m taking today off to hang with my family visiting from Vancouver. But here’s the story for this week

• Tomorrow I’m flying up to Seattle. I go from the airport directly to co-host a workshop with Dan Szuc and then share the stage with him for a talk the next night. The workshop is waitlisted but there may still be room for the talk. Details here. I’ll also have the chance to meet up with other friends and colleagues in town, and maybe grab a donut or two.
• I’ll be making my first appearance on AM radio in decades, as part of Tuesday #TechHour, along with the folks from Fluxible. I’ll be talking about UX and interviewing users.
• I’ve proposed a talk at SXSW about the War Stories (a talk I’ve given at CHIFOO and coming up at UX Australia). It’d be great if you could VOTE for it! Please!
• This weekend I’m leaving for Sydney for UX Australia, where I’ll be leading The Designer is Present workshop and as I mentioned above, doing a presentation about the War Stories.
• Also coming up in a few weeks, I’m doing a full-day workshop on user research at UX-STRAT in Boulder and a half-day workshop about synthesizing field data at EuroIA in Brussels (to be followed by a side trip to Berlin, just for fun).
• Ten years gone: From August 2004 – Exorcist: The Beginning, The Hairiest Man in All of China.
• What we’re consuming: Paul Rand, Saul Bass, Happy Taco, Klean Kanteen, Lemos Farm.

Just another manic Monday!

• I had hoped that I would know about this quick project last Monday but it took til mid-week til we actually were able to move forward. It’s a quick-moving project but it’s also a lot of chaos. As of last week I was going to New York tomorrow and working with a local partner. As of this AM I’m spending the week in LA. As of a little later this AM I am spending most of the week in the Bay Area. Very interesting challenge getting participants, getting clients to go in the field, figuring out where the field will be and what we’ll be doing as well as working through procurement departments and all that. It’s not the most relaxing process but I’m impressed with the amount of wangling my client lead is doing to make this go smoothly.
• As soon as this project wraps up, I’m off to Seattle for a a workshop and a talk (both in collaboration with Dan Szuc). Sign up, local folks!
• I’m so excited for The Designer is Present workshop at UX Australia. I’ll also be doing a presentation about the War Stories.
• In September, I’m doing a full-day workshop on user research at UX-STRAT in Boulder and a half-day workshop about synthesizing field data at EuroIA in Brussels.
• In case you missed it, four blog posts from last week: What we eat and what we trash, Smart stuff that seems dumb, Contextual research from a bygone era, Don’t put your garbage here! Please!
• Ten years gone: From August 2004 – Queen’s music OK’d in conservative Iran, Ofoto Terms of Service.
• What we’re consuming: vanilla rhubarb compote, Pakwan, gruit, O-CEDAR Twitter support, Alice’s Restaurant, Tafoni sandstone.

Hello y’all!

• I kicked off the week sharing my strategic analysis and recommendations with my client. It was a short meeting, mostly with time for me to run through what I had to say, but their team leader gave a nice acknowledgement at the end that they need time to process, at the same time addressing how this type of input can be uncomfortable. She really took ownership of that reaction and gave permission to the rest of the team to feel that way. I think that’s healthy and I’m eager for their questions and challenges when we speak again soon.
• Just announced: Two events in Seattle this August. Dan Szuc and I are doing a small workshop about Healthy and Creative Work Environments and then a presentation the next night, Soft Skills Are Hard: A Journey To Healthier Work.
• UX-STRAT has published a brief interview with me in advance of September’s full-day workshop on Immersive Field Techniques.
• I’ll be listening to Chris Pacione, co-author of the book Innovating for People, speaking online about Innovation Tools: Reframing the Problem on Wednesday.
• Ten years gone: From July 2004 – My cool-hunting moment, Terrible survey from HBO for Entourage viewers, The box doodle project.
• What we’re consuming: Little Lucca, Monty Python, Scoop, nopales, Where Danger Lives.

Good Monday morning to all!

• I’m waiting on some feedback from my client team and will be working towards the next iteration of our recommendations for them in shifting their organization towards embracing user needs.
• There will be a good chunk of inward focus this week, trying to look at the business of Portigal Consulting and its offerings and target customers. This process is always running at some level, but it’s probably the right time to get more specific.
• I’m looking forward to seeing folks who sign up for my full-day workshop on Immersive Field Techniques at UX-STRAT in Boulder or my workshop The Designer is Present at UX Australia.
• Last week was a busy week for blog posts. Check out Ugly Yet Yummy, Take pictures (of food that) lasts longer, Kayfabe and narrative frameworks as well as David’s War Story: Let it Bleed.
• Ten years gone: From July 2004 – Loews says fat slobs are messy – but please buy more of our food, NOTAG license plate not so clever after all, Yo, Robot.
• What we’re consuming: Watermark, Fred’s First FedEx, Gialina, Jodorowsky’s Dune.

Hello, summer!

• We have had great discussions so far with our main client as we’ve been reviewing and refining their strategic plan for growth and innovation. I’ll be working over the next couple of weeks to finalize this.
• I will be leading a full-day workshop on Immersive Field Techniques at UX-STRAT in Boulder in September.
• Going to UX Australia? You should register now for my workshop The Designer is Present. This will be the first time doing this workshop, since we debuted it at Fluxible in 2013.
• Last week we published Ari’s War Story. More coming this week, the first later today.
• Grant Carmichael posted a great set of photos from my workshop at IxDA Grand Rapids.
• Out on the town this week, I’ll be at the Ammunition anniversary party on Thursday night.
• Elsewhere, I wish I could make it to Philly this Thursday to see Jessica Ivins talk about Beyond Pink & Blue: Gender, User Behavior & the Design Process or Atlanta on Thursday to see Jenn Downs speak about preparation and confidence in user research.
• Ten years gone: From July 2004 – FreshMeat column reporting on the Licensing tradeshow, Creepy words-on-your-face Best Buy ad, Angry Boy beverage.
• What we’re consuming: Hakata ramen, Yossi, Allegra, Californication.

I’ve been on the road for the last four weeks and am pretty happy to be around for the next few weeks.

• Last week with the Grand Rapids IxDA was great. We had a really exciting workshop about developing soft skills. You can see the slides here and the video here (it starts around 30:00).
• I’m wrapping up the first draft of a strategic plan for a client, looking at how they can incorporate insights into their next iteration of their offerings.
• I’m looking for some spare cycles to go through a few War Stories that have come in recently. Keep your eyes open and let me know if you have your own story to share!
• Ten years gone: From June 2004 – $300 toasters.
• What we’re consuming: The Master, MadCap Coffee, Grand Rapids Brewing Company, onion-rings-on-a-stick.

Greetings from the road!

• I’m in Western Michigan today and tomorrow visiting family, and then doing an event with the Grand Rapids IxDA: Soft Skills are Hard. I previewed the event in Brooklyn last week and it went very well. I think there’s actually a whole series of workshops here, including something more like a half-day.
• Out on the town this week, I signed up for a breakfast gathering way over in Silicon Valley (well, early in the morning it will seem like “way over”) to meet with other user research folks.
• Ten years gone: From June 2004 – Reality TV as a participatory medium, War criminal advertising, photos from the Licensing Show.
• What we’re consuming: Sigmar Polke, Box-pressed sushi, A Subtlety, Swoon: Submerged Motherlands, Grimaldi’s.

Well a good day to you all! I’ve been home for about a week and now it’s time to hit the road again!

• I’m flying to NYC tomorrow afternoon to meet with prospective clients and attend the Core77 conference. Hope to see folks there!
• While I’m in town, I’ll be doing an event with Brooklyn UX – Soft Skills for Design and Innovation. There are just a few tickets remaining.
• From New York, I’ll head to western Michigan for an event the following week: Soft Skills are Hard, June 24th in Grand Rapids.
• UX Magazine has published the latest QuickPanel where I’m discussing voice user-interfaces with Aaron Gustafson and Whitney Quesenbery.
• Last week, we published Carol’s War Story, Driving Force. Check it out!
• A nice writeup from last week’s War Stories event in Portland is here.
• I’ve got another almost-finished story in the pipeline that we’re hoping to get posted sometime soon.
• Ten years gone: From June 2004 – Akihabara geek taxonomy, Santana live.
• What we’re consuming: Alden & Harlow, Tim’s Vermeer, The Dark Knight Rises.

Happy Monday from the road.

• Today and tomorrow I’m in Cambridge meeting with stakeholders. I’ve really enjoyed my initial conversations with this group and imagine I’ll be learning a huge amount about their objectives and their cultural and technical barriers.
• There are still tickets for our June 20th in Brooklyn. It’s going to be an interactive session about Soft Skills for Design and Innovation. Come on down!
• June 24th in Grand Rapids, the IxDA chapter will be hosting me for a very similar session (with a slightly catchier title): Soft Skills are Hard. Looking forward to it!
• Coming later this week is another War Story, now in near-final draft form. If you’ve got a story you’d like to share, please let me know!
• Ten years gone: From June 2004 – The truth about toast, Yahoo’s storage error (also here).
• What we’re consuming: Multnomah Falls, Cocodonuts, Tasty n Alder, Powell’s City of Books, The Americans.

It’s June! For me, June is travel month…

• This week I’m headed to Portland. I’ll be speaking at CHIFOO about The War Stories project and taking some time to hang out and, well, eat a lot of donuts. Coming up, Boston, Brooklyn, Grand Rapids.
• I’ll be getting things set up for two days on-site with a client next week (in Boston) trying to understand their strategic objectives in order to build a research and insights plan for them.
• June 20th in Brooklyn, I’ll be leading a fun interactive session about Soft Skills for Design and Innovation. Sign up now!
• Ten years gone: From June 2004 – The miracle of Älmhult, Pepto-Dance, Dylan gets honorary doctorate, Pizza Jewelry.
• What we’re consuming: Lois the Pie Queen, Kallax, old maps, George Plimpton, Music from the Big House.

Hello to a short week.

• This week is all about the planning. Talks in Portland (CHIFOO is next week), Brooklyn (announcement imminent) and Grand Rapids (ditto). Also working on new plans and schemes for talks and workshops in Denver, London (hopefully), and Buenos Aires.
• I’ve also kicked off a short project to build a longer-range plan for a client’s re-envisioning strategy. Jargon-y but fun! I’ll be headed to Boston in early June to dig into that work in earnest, so now I’m just setting the stage for that.
• Did you see last week’s War Stories from Rachel, Doug and Jon? Did you notice that they all are based in Portland??!!!
• We’re exploring some new marketing to support Interviewing Users.
• Also slated for for this week is introductions to new (prospective) clients, developing a work plan for a team I just met with and some exploratory conversations about collaborations with a colleague I admire immensely.
• Ten years gone: From May 2004 – Asking questions, Slot machine UX, The More The Merrier published at Core77, Loft subdivisions.
• What we’re consuming: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Chubby Noodle, North Beach history, Rogue beer, Facebook Privacy Dinosaur, Frick wine, David Lynch’s Return of the Jedi.

Greetings.

• I’m hoping to put the wraps on my talk about War Stories (coming up at CHIFOO next month) today and tomorrow.
• One of the clients I’ve been coaching is presenting their findings to their executive team on Tuesday and then on Thursday I’m going to lead a workshop where we’ll translate their findings into a diverse set of business activities, and then prioritize them into their next steps.
• Have you registered for my workshop on synthesizing user research at EuroIA?
• Have you signed up for my workshop exploring mindfulness and presence at UX Australia?
• And a reminder that I’ll be looking for any internal training gigs near Brussels and Sydney later this year.
• Ten years gone: From May 2004 – That freaky Ball Park Franks “girthy” ad, Google “serves up” some awkward ads for a story about infected barbecue..
• What we’re consuming: The White Diamond, Cafe Gibraltar, Star Wars Burlesque, canine acupuncture, Nash the Slash.