Despite early-morning soupy fog, it turns out to be another gorgeous Monday. Here’s what we’ve got going on

• For one project, we’re working hard to both immerse ourselves in a new business area (interviewing experts, scanning the media, planning a walking tour) and charging ahead with project logistics (getting a recruiter lined up, finalizing a screener, setting up briefing meetings on fieldwork best practices, developing participant homework exercises, etc.).
• We’re looking at an innovative combinations of methods this week that we’ll be proposing to a prospective client. Wish us luck in landing the work!
• Last week we published Carla’s War Story. I’ve got a near-final draft for another in my inbox, and have been swapping email with some other folks finalizing their stories, so stay tuned for more.
• I’ll be leading a class on user research for the Industrial Design school at Academy of Art University this week.
• I’ve got a handful of lunch and coffee meetings this week to catch up with different folks, both local and visiting.
• What we’re consuming: underwater dogs, Izakaya Yuzuki, McSweeney’s Issue 41, pumpkins as many ways as possible.

Here’s the scoop for us this week

• Last week’s kickoff was most setting the stage for the project launch. Today we meet the entire team for a work session meant to build consensus, uncover existing hypotheses, and focus our investigation. It was a crucial if surprising moment in last Friday’s meeting when after a couple of months of scope and contract negotiations it became clear that our key project owners don’t have an exact specific focus for the user research and are looking to us to help focus that.
• Beyond that, we’ll be diving into writing a screener, interviewing remote stakeholders, and setting up conversations with experts and thought leaders who will inform the project.
• Last week produced three War Stories (from Elaine, Dennis and Debbie). We’d love yours, too!
• I’ve got a handful of lunch and coffee meetings this week to catch up with different folks, both local and visiting.
• Ten years gone: From October 2002 – a suspicion around DeLorean vs. Miata psychographics
• What we’re consuming: Neil Young Journeys, Looper, KONG Classic, Mitchell’s Caramel Praline ice cream.

It’s another week of gorgeous fall weather but with lots and lots and lots of coastal fog. Here’s our week

• Hail Ants! I came back into the office today after a great few days in Ottawa (the talks were very well received; the people were super engaged and had a lot of good thoughts and comments) to have Beth point out a whole lotta ants in the kitchen. A trip to the hardware store is imminent.
• We’re excited to kick off a new project on Friday and in the meantime are diving into an exhaustive briefing document the team put together for us.
• I’ll be spending another day this week focusing on edits for the book.
• I’ve got a War Story in hand to publish as soon as I can; a few more folks have told me they are working on theirs, and we had a great conversation this morning about a story that Beth is working on.
• Ten years gone: From October 2002 – Musical potty
• What we’re consuming: Suzy Q donuts, The Group of Seven, OneFortyThree – our project home (and stuff we make for it)

Hello, week, and happy Thanksgiving, Canada! This is our story for the next few days…

• The waiting is indeed the hardest part. We have an exciting new project that was supposed to start last week. We had hoped for this week. Now we’re looking at next week (at least that’s our assumption). We’re shifting our focus to other endeavors and are awaiting The Word so we can revise schedules for the next couple of months.
• Four presentations this week: Design research basics for the Wisconsin School of Business, Design Thinking for Business Class, improv and creativity at Carleton University, Muscles not Methods at Carleton University, and the closing keynote at UX Camp Ottawa, The Power of Bad Ideas. Whew.
• I’ve made some great progress on the next draft of the book, really enjoying the detailed questions and tweaks from the editors. And, we’ve got a finalized title: Interviewing Users: How to Uncover Compelling Insights!
• Ten years gone: From October 2002 – shuttle bus encounters, faucet innovations, cleaning a telemarketer list.
• What we’re consuming: Mozzeria, A Tree With Roots, Anki.

Happy Monday! It’s October in the Bay Area and so it’s the nicest day of the year! Here’s the scoopage.

• Awesome new team member! Say “Howdy” to Beth Toland!
• While it’s more complex than a single bullet-point can convey, our largest project is now abruptly wrapped up, ultimately done in by some daunting challenges our client encountered in setting up site visits.
• We’re waiting on the final contract to be signed before we kick off our newest project, in a totally new (to us) category. We expect this to launch Any Day Now!
• Last week’s WebVisions travel and a weekend project to finish up an editorial have meant very little progress in book chapter revising. Soon!
• We’ll be at tomorrow’s german design – shaping the future today event in San Francisco.
• Ten years gone: From October 2002 – Googlism, Steve hates CSI, translation fail.
• What we’re consuming: Songza, Philz, Allen Ruppersberg: No Time Left to Start Again.

Welcome to the beginning of another work week!

• I’m meeting with the editor and publisher today to talk about the book: we’re revisiting the title, and thinking about the foreward and that sort of stuff. Meanwhile, I’m hoping that somewhere I’ll find some time to dive into the editor feedback on the manuscript itself.
• We’re assembling the jury for the first phase of the IxD13 Student Design Challenge. We should get that assembled in the next week or so, but it’s looking great!
• I’m off to Chicago on Wednesday for my WebVisions presentation.
• Next week I’ll have an announcement about the Portigal team, so just some last-minute preparations to get that all ready to roll.
• What we’re consuming: Fizbo the Clown, The Melt, songs vs. performances

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It’s Monday and here’s the thoughts about the week.

• Having rescoped/rescheduled our largest project, we’re out for fieldwork this week. I’m flying to Boston today while Tamara flies to Wichita. Clients are joining us in those cities from Connecticut, Dallas, and Chicago. This is most activity we’ve had in the field on this project in a couple of months!.
• I’ve got the first few book chapters back from the editors. Desperately looking for time to plow through all the great comments and challenges.
• Today is supposedly the “any day” finally here for the IxD13 Student Design Challenge announcement. Of course, I’m traveling today, so…
• Two fun presentations this week, talking about improv with Shwab’s “Brain Circus” and about user research at General Assembly.
• Also trying to get stuff sorted out for upcoming presentations – next week Chicago and two weeks after that with three presentations in Ottawa!
• Ten years gone: From September 2002 – A tour operator from Myanmar likes to cowork with you.
• What we’re consuming: Leopold’s Gasthaus, Platinum Blonde, Cambridge’s foodie scene

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It’s the beginning of a new week and here’s the overview

• I got back from Australia late last week. Jetlag has been minimal but I certainly feel out of sorts from the time away. It was a really wonderful trip; look for pictures coming soon.
• No fieldwork this week, but a rescoping conversation is imminent since we’ve been on hold or semi-hold for about 2 months, waiting for hear about getting the interviews scheduled. Delays create anxieties and shift expectations, so I’m hoping a conversation will help us all realign.
• I’m dealing with the contract for a new project that should start in a few weeks. We’ve agreed on the plan and now need to get the documents finalized. The project is with a very creative and engaged team and deals with a topic we’ve thought about a lot (and devoted time in our workshops to exploring) but haven’t explored in a consulting situation before.
• Meetings galore: connecting with new contacts, reconnecting with folks who have changed jobs, discussing capabilities with prospective new clients, and on it goes. Assuming that good conversations are ahead.
• My editors have been working on my book manuscript for more than two months; in the next few days they’ll be passing their latest revision back to me – and telling me what my next steps are!
• I’ve been told that we should be able to announce the IxD13 Student Design Challenge any day. Of course, I’ve been told that a few times and continue to wait for whatever contractual stuff is going on behind-the-scenes to be resolved.
• Ten years gone: From September 2002 – This couldn’t possibly go wrong, School-uniform reverse trend.
• What we’re consuming: Tim Tams, Web Therapy, 99% Invisible.

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Here’s the news from a short week:

• I’m having a great time in Oz: Sydney, Brisbane, and now Melbourne. Lots of pictures so far.
• Tamara heads to Dallas to meet up with our clients for additional fieldwork.
• Ten years gone: From September 2002 – What is an etrog?, Sacagawea promotional fail.
• What we’re consuming: ACDC lane, James Squire Amber Ale, Cocktaoo Island Biennale.

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Just a quick update for the week:

• I’ve been in Sydney for the past few days, exploring, socializing, taking pictures and adjusting to the jet lag; tomorrow I head to Brisbane for my workshop at UX Australia. I’m looking forward to the Monday pub night where I’ll see a few local folks (and a few fellow travelers).
• Check out my SXSW proposal for The Power of Bad Ideas. It’d be a tremendous help for me if you’d vote yes and add your comments, too!
• Ten years gone: From August 2002 – a new story for SUV owners, kids and art.
• What we’re consuming: Spice I Am, Circular Quay, PIE.