Finds

№ 6 | A Climate Change Board Game, a Framework for Better Surveys, AI Generated Video Summaries, The Wall Test, and a Classic Talk on Dynamic Systems

Stephen P. Anderson

23 Sep 2022 — 2 min read

A game to end climate change?

Last week I shared a text-based RPG about refugees. This week, it’s a “cooperative board-game about stopping climate change, from the creator of Pandemic.” Daybreak was an instant back for me.

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A framework for better surveys?

This one is new to me, but seems useful for thinking about the intent of different survey questions:

Tourangeau’s 4-stage model helps you design better survey questions:

1. Comprehension (words and meaning)
2. Retrieval (searching memory, feelings, thoughts, sources)
3. Judgement (checking suitability and making adjustments)
4. Answering (the act of providing an answer)

Via Lennart Nacke

GPT-3 powered video summarization

In this edition of AIs doing interesting things… This. Looks. Amazing. Promising. Summarize.tech uses “GPT-3 to give you a high-quality written summary of a YouTube video, and will link to the relevant timestamps in the video so you can watch the interesting parts yourself.”

The Wall Test

The “Wall Test” is an “entertaining way to explore how people face and address adversity.” And while it’s firmly in the pseudo-science category, it might make a good icebreaker or warmup activity in a workshop…? Reminds me of something I wrote ages ago, about personalities and how people behave at a crosswalk “STOP” signal when there are no cars around…

A brilliant lecture from 1973

You may have seen visuals like the ones below illustrating the increasing complexity of communication within large teams:

Well… it turns out these visuals have their origins (?) in an essay/lecture from 1973—and the lecture is pure gold! It’s not about team size, directly, but dynamic systems, and… society. I’d argue the themes that Stafford Beer explores then in “Designing Freedom” are even more relevant nearly 50 years later. File this under classic wisdom, and “how have I never read this before?” [H/T Erika Flowers]

№ 85 | Wardley Mapping, “Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?”, Project Zero’s Thinking Routine Toolbox, Art Therapy Card Deck, The 100-Year Lab, and Seeds of Renewal

This will be the last newsletter until next year. I normally publish Thinking Things every two weeks, which means the next issue would fall on December 29th, except—I’m going to take off some time off over the holidays🎄. Next issue will go out (checking the calendar) Jan 12th.

№ 84 | The StoryTelling Leader, Content Patterns, Defining Transdisciplinary Research, the Serious Games Idea Deck, the Map of Board Games, and Andrew Garfield and Elmo on Grief

The StoryTelling Leader I recently started following David Hutchens on LinkedIn. As it turns out… I already I own two of his books (Circle of the 9 Muses and Outlearning the Wolves) and his card deck (below) 🤪. Anyway, when it comes to narratives—specifically leadership stories—he knows his stuff!

№ 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