• I decided to make some changes to my tools, some of which I’ve relied on for more than 10 years. I had been using Notes in Outlook to jot down whatever and syncing them to iOS Notes. I was also using Outlook for my calendar, synced of course to my iPhone calendar, via Google Calendar. I was asked why and I couldn’t answer. So I am using just Google Calendar on the computer, synched to my iPhone. And I shifted to Evernote on both the computer and the phone, although I haven’t done more than move the notes over. I haven’t tried living with it, adding, editing, finding. I also had to say goodbye to Eudora, a long-obsolete email client. I’m planning on living with Gmail (which is where Portigal email comes into anyway) and seeing if that will work for me. But meanwhile I had to figure out how to get my 13 years of email into Gmail. Far too boring to go into here but it’s been a few days and I’m still syncing – e.g., uploading all this email to Gmail. Most terrifying is the realization that between Notes, emails and files on my computer, I’ve got tons of thoughts, articles, sketches for blog posts and other mental detritus that I’d like to go through, extract the bits worth saving and organize them. What set of rabbit holes I’ll be disappearing into!
• Check out our new War Story, The Hidden Persuader.
• I’m one of twenty folks who shared a best practice or tip in 20 Tips for Selling UX to Clients.
• I’ll be chatting about Interviewing Users with the Denver UX Book Club next week.
• Ten years gone: From October 2004 – Restless Leg Syndrome.
• What we’re consuming: Business Live-Action Role-Playing, Peasant’s War Panorama, cab sav, Temple of the Dog 8-bit, We Are The Best!, Ebba Grön.

• I got to Berlin last night, after a successful and enjoyable experience at the EuroIA in Brussels. My workshop went very well and the slides are here. I’m here to explore neighborhoods, take pictures of street art and architecture and funny signs, go to museums, and eat interesting food!
• Ten years gone: From September 2004 – Lapping up dollops of Japanese pudding shake, Gary Cole is a secret rock-star dad, Butt Rub Seafood & Barbeque Rubs and Seasonings.
• What we’re consuming: Leffe, Gaufre de Liège, chocolate, comics.

• I’m just in the office for today, finalizing my workshop for Saturday, finalizing logistics and packing and so on. Tomorrow I’m on a plane to Brussels.
• This week is EuroIA where I’ll be doing a workshop about synthesizing field data.
• Ten years gone: From September 2004 – Foreign grocery museum included in a teacher’s guide to Action Activities for International Business.
• What we’re consuming: Reaching my autistic son through Disney, Dread Zeppelin, Digital tools for design research, Every day Sunday, The German Doctor

• This week is about connecting with people to talk about what we’re working on, to talk about working together, to get and receive advice, to build up the network and to increase my connection with people I respect and enjoy.
• Next week I’ll at EuroIA in Brussels to do a workshop about synthesizing field data.
• Out on the town this week, I’ll be at Make Your Ideas Stick (sold out) tonight at Google SF. I know I’ll run into some local friends there.
• Ten years gone: From September 2004 – On lead guitar, Spidey.
• What we’re consuming: Only Loves Left Alive, Grampa and Grandmaster Flash, Star Trek in widescreen, talking to strangers, They Came Together

• 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.