№ 16 | Beautiful Trouble Cards, Conversation Styles, Damaging Communication Patterns, Defensible Moats, and E-ink Playing Cards!

№ 16 | Beautiful Trouble Cards, Conversation Styles, Damaging Communication Patterns, Defensible Moats, and E-ink Playing Cards!

A social activism card deck?

A social activism card deck and game? (6 games, actually!) The Beautiful Trouble card deck is pitched as a collection of “key strategies and tactics that have inspired centuries of people-powered victories… now in a deck of 100+ cards that you can play!” I'm sold!

Beautiful Trouble: A Strategy Card Deck

“Interviewer or Volunteer?”

Does your conversation style veer toward that of an “Interviewer” or a “Volunteer?” Here's an interesting framework for thinking about conversation styles and roles we (hopefully) switch between.  Though after reading through this, there’s an implicit third role I’d add, that of the Researcher—one who leans into and digs deeper into what is said or suggested. Actually, I’d also add a fourth role: Catalyst. One who builds upon and transforms what is shared, leading to more a comfortable back and forth dialogue. 🤪

Speaking of conversations…

10 potentially damaging communication patterns...

I love John Cutlers visual thinking. This graphic representation of 10 potentially damaging communication patterns doesn’t disappoint.

[SRC]

Defensible moats

Defensible moats as part of a company strategy/business model are one of those ideas that both make sense, and have also been seriously disrupted by advances in technology.  For these reasons, I like this article on “The New Moats. Why Systems of Intelligence™ are the Next Defensible Business Model,” as it does a good job recounting the history and evolution of this idea, before leading you into what is, or might be, the new defensible moat for modern businesses.

E-ink playing cards

Yes, you read that right. Introducing Wyldcard—“Physical playing cards which can change!” So. Many. Possibilities. 😲+🤩

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№ 115 | Copyright: The Card Game, Design Thinking Canvas, The Learning Matrix, “Moving From SWOT to SO WHAT? Analysis”, Prosocial Design Network, Lenny’s World… Remixed!, and Violence as a Contagious Disease

№ 115 | Copyright: The Card Game, Design Thinking Canvas, The Learning Matrix, “Moving From SWOT to SO WHAT? Analysis”, Prosocial Design Network, Lenny’s World… Remixed!, and Violence as a Contagious Disease

I'm back again, with your regular roundup of ‘playful things to think with’ and think about! (Two days later than usual, but… other priorities!) Copyright: The Card Game Now this is how you design a learning card game! Take a confusing topic (in this case copyright law). Create

By Stephen P. Anderson
№ 114 | Platform Thinking Journey Cards, The Dictionary of Radical Alternatives, Learning Theory Map, “Let Them Have Your Way” Zine,  a Framework Mashup!, “There is No System 2”, Go for Goals, and Gutenberg Revisited

№ 114 | Platform Thinking Journey Cards, The Dictionary of Radical Alternatives, Learning Theory Map, “Let Them Have Your Way” Zine, a Framework Mashup!, “There is No System 2”, Go for Goals, and Gutenberg Revisited

Welcome to another curious roundup of ‘playful things to think with’ and think about! Platform Thinking Journey Cards Here’s a shout out to my friend Werner Puchert, who just dropped another one of his extensive card deck video reviews. This time, he’s looking at the Platform Thinking Journey

By Stephen P. Anderson
№ 112 | Teaching One Pagers, Sliderule Simulator, Board Game Icons, “Making, Hacking and Jamming”, FLARE, Relooted, Choosing a UX Research Method, and Deep Musings on our Human Relationship with AI

№ 112 | Teaching One Pagers, Sliderule Simulator, Board Game Icons, “Making, Hacking and Jamming”, FLARE, Relooted, Choosing a UX Research Method, and Deep Musings on our Human Relationship with AI

Welcome to another edition of the Thinking Things newsletter, your regular dose of playful things to think with, and think about. 🫵A couple of things: 1/ ♥️ ♠️ ♦️ ♣️ I’m exploring a special edition of thinking things focused on… 🥁 playing cards. Specifically, any activity that uses a standard deck of playing cards

By Stephen P. Anderson