Finds

№ 19 | A Placeless Taxonomy, Honest Task Management, 3 Reflection Questions, the SOON Funnel, and the Nuwa Pen

Stephen P. Anderson

Jan 13, 2023 — 2 min read

To Meet or Not to Meet

In the ongoing “should we have a meeting, or not?” debates, I found this article (visual) on “Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication” to be a really well-considered perspective, looking at WHY people gather, and what is more (or less) difficult to do asynchronously.

Task Management, Beyond Done

Hilarious. Painful True. “The Seven Dispositions of Task Management” is a short, critical look at what's really going on with those unfinished tasks. Where's the app that supports these options?! 😂

3 Reflection Questions

Apparently, ”People with high emotional intelligence ask these 3 questions to become more likable.” I love that all three of these are classic coaching questions, the kind that simply ask the other person to reflect, and fill in the space with more of their thoughts.

Speaking of coaching…

The SOON Funnel

Here's a(nother) simple coaching framework/acronym: SOON. This one comes via Andrea Mignolo who shared this on LinkedIn. Her summary:

Start having better coaching conversations at work using the SOON funnel:
1) Success: What do you hope to achieve? How will you know you've been successful?
2) Obstacles: What is stopping you? What is getting in your way?
3) Options: What have you tried so far? What else could you try? What is possible?
4) Next steps: What is the next small step you can take? What will you do with what you have learned?

Seems very similar to the GROW model (and the GPS framework). But, as with all of these things, a slight shift in language can be exactly what's needed!

The Pen of the Future?

I have a not-so-secret fascination with devices that bridge the analog and digital. The Nuwa Pen is an “IoT ballpen uses built-in cameras and sensors to convert all your notes into a digital format.” I like the idea of (eventually) being able to stick with my favorite rollerball refill. And, if this could—eventually—integrate with other tools that support drawing (ahem, Mural), yeah… 🤩 Here's a brief (90 seconds) CES demo.

№ 83 | Stop Project 2025 Comics, Future for All: A vision for 2048, eyeConnect Cards, The Rule Book, and the Effects of Geography on Voting

This edition of the newsletter comes a couple days later than usual, but for a wonderful reason—I spent 5 days last week playing board games with my friends at BGG Con. 🎲 🤩 Next issue will resume the normal Sunday schedule! 🥸Reminder: If you're participating in the Create A

№ 82 | Pebble Talk, The Mood Meter, 3 Styles of Play, A Convection Simulation, an Electoral College Simulation, and What If America Had 6 Political Parties?

📍In case you missed it… Throughout November, I’m hosting another Creative Challenge: Create A Real Life Character Sheet. About 15 people have signed up so far, and there’s space for a few more folks—you should join us! Pebble Talk Here’s a way to avoid awkward small

Creative Challenge #3: Create A Real Life Character Sheet

Welcome, new readers. From time to time, I organize “Creative Challenges,” that fit with the whole “playful things to think with” theme. Previously, there was a One Card Serious Game Challenge, followed by the Make a Zine Challenge. I hadn’t planned on doing another Creative Challenge until next year

№ 81 | Scientific Papers as Comic Strips, 52 Things About Cards, Thermodynamics Cards, Collaborative Place Futures Toolkit, and Why The Work is Never Just “The Work”

✉️Look for 2 extra special emails heading your way, later this week! 1/ The promised print-and-play Zombie Leadership cards. 2/ An announcement about our next Creative Challenge… Scientific Papers as Comic Strips Yes! Comics as things to think with. Here’s an interview with Kanaka Rajan, who uses “narrative illustrations