Sendfull

As a Canadian living in the Bay Area, it was especially rewarding to lead a workshop for Alberta’s top scale-up companies at the InterGen Trail to Scale retreat last week. We explored strategies to structure, focus, and reframe customer learning goals, using tools from the Sendfull Customer Understanding Toolkit. These tools help teams make informed, high-impact decisions as they scale. Looking forward to staying connected and seeing where these innovative teams take their companies next! ?? ???? #InterGen #ScaleUp #Tech #Strategy #DesignResearch

??? Isn't it Ironic? What AI Design Can Learn from Decades of Human Factors Research The past 40+ years of human factors research show that automation doesn’t just replace human work - it reshapes it. This week’s episode explores key lessons from human factors research and their implications for AI design: 1?? The Ironies of Automation – Generative AI often makes simple tasks easier while making complex tasks harder, increasing cognitive load rather than reducing it. 2?? AI as a Collaborator – Rather than treating generative AI as a mere tool for efficiency, we need to design it as a collaborator that supports human expertise. 3?? Designing for Human-AI Coordination – Continuous feedback, clear explanations, and well-defined roles for AI that complement human decision-making are just a few of the ways we can design AI that enhances our work (and cognition!) ?? What’s one way AI has reshaped how you work? Let’s discuss in the comments. #AI #design #automation #cognition #strategy?

?? Toward AI That Thinks With Us, Not For Us As genAI becomes more integrated into our workflows, its impact on human cognition is becoming clearer - and not always for the better. Research shows that frequent genAI use can weaken critical thinking, increase over-reliance, and even hinder creativity. This week, founder Stefanie Hutka, PhD shares the latest research on how genAI is influencing how we think, reason, and learn. She offers three recommendations for designing AI that enhances, rather than erodes, human cognition: 1?? Design AI as a thinking partner, not an answer engine: Build AI tools that engage users, not just provide answers. 2?? Add guardrails in educational AI tools: Support independent judgment by gradually expanding AI interactions. 3?? Enhance learning with structured AI interaction: Use schema-based learning and interactive knowledge graphs to deepen understanding. ?? How can we design AI to augment, rather than replace, human thinking? share your thoughts in the comments. #AI #strategy #design #product #cognition

?? A Systems Thinking Primer Systems thinking helps us uncover the hidden forces behind behavior and actions, helping teams anticipate change and make stronger strategic decisions. This week, founder Stefanie Hutka, PhD shares five of her favorite resources to help you dive deeper into this powerful approach: 1?? Can Social Media Be Saved? (The Artefact Group) 2?? Thinking in Systems (Donella Meadows) 3?? Closing the Loop (Sheryl Cababa) 4?? Pace Layering (Stewart Brand) 5?? Kumu (Systems Mapping Tool) ?? Have a favorite systems resource? Share in the comments! #design #product #strategy #systems #careers

??? Expanding the Frame: Designing for Systems, Not Just Users ??? What is systems thinking, why does it matter in design, and how can we apply it? In today’s newsletter, we dive into these questions and explore the Iceberg Model - a powerful tool for uncovering the deeper structures and mental models that drive surface-level events. Key takeaways: 1?? Technology Shapes Systems, Not Just “Users” 2?? Short-Term Fixes Undermine Long-Term Resilience 3?? Systems Thinking Strengthens Strategy ?? How have you used the Iceberg Model? Share in the comments! #design #ux #product #AI #careers

“I visualize a time when we will be to robots what dogs are to humans, and I'm rooting for the machines.”?- Claude Shannon, Father of Information Theory Is Shannon’s potential future a desirable one? What might it look like? How can we design technology that harnesses the power of “the machines” while preserving our human agency? These are a few of the questions we’ll be tackling in Designing Future Systems, my new graduate course at UC Berkeley School of Information, which launched yesterday! Check out this post to learn more about the “why” behind the course: https://lnkd.in/gGrz7CRS #design #product #ux #strategy #ai

?? Three Design Themes to Watch in 2025 ??? Welcome back to the Sendfull newsletter! In our first episode of 2025, founder Stefanie Hutka, PhD shares three design themes to watch in 2025: 1?? AI Agents Amplify the Tension Between Augmenting versus Replacing Human Capabilities 2?? Product Teams Sharpen AI’s Value Proposition 3?? Advances in Physical AI Pose New Human-Computer Interaction Challenges (and Opportunities) ?? These trends underscore the critical role of design in creating human-centric technologies, driving clear user value, and redefining interaction paradigms. How can design practitioners lead? Adopt AI as a design material, practice systems thinking, and embrace proactive collaboration with technology. ??? What themes are you watching in 2025? Share in the comments! #design #ux #product #AI #careers

"GenAI urgently needs ethnography to build solutions that think with us, rather than for us," argues Stefanie Hutka, PhD in an EPIC2024 paper that presents a new framework and toolkit for designing generative AI technologies that address their complex, emergent qualities and unique problem-solution space. Read the paper for free and become an EPIC member to watch EPIC2024 conference video at your leisure: https://lnkd.in/g6SS62MR #EPIC2024 #epiconference #ethnography #genai #ai

??2024 Reflections and Takeaways, By Design?? ??? In this week's newsletter - the final one of the year - we share the 2024 reflections and takeaways of Sendfull founder Stefanie Hutka, PhD: 1?? AI Needs a New Design Playbook: AI is unlocking new problem spaces at an unprecedented pace, requiring new frameworks to help teams align user needs with AI’s evolving potential. 2?? Systems Thinking is Non-Negotiable: Designing without it risks unintended consequences, especially when it comes to AI. 3?? Go Hands-on to Build AI Intuition: Structured experimentation deepens our understanding of AI's capabilities and limitations, and helps us identify use cases where the technology can address real-world problems. 4?? Write Something, Regularly: Writing on a regular cadence sharpens thinking, helps enable connections, and amplifies impact. 5?? Cross-Pollinate Across Career Stages and Industries: Engaging across disciplines and career phases fosters fresh insights and growth. ? We'll be back with more episodes in mid-January, exploring key themes to watch for in 2025. Wishing everyone a restful holiday season and an inspiring start to the new year! #design #product #ux #ai #careers

?? Congratulations to all of my students who just wrapped the Intro to UX Design graduate course at UC Berkeley School of Information! ?? This week, eleven teams showcased their final milestone projects: case studies of their journey in crafting 0-to-1 design solutions deeply rooted in user needs. In just over three months, they tackled needfinding, iterative prototyping, and evaluation, honed their skills in giving and receiving constructive feedback during crit, and elevated their storytelling craft. I’m so impressed by what you’ve achieved, and can’t wait to see what you’ll do next! ?? Thank you again to our guest speakers this semester: Ahmed Riaz, Molly Bloom, PhD, Meeree Yai, Jason Kwok, and Sun Dai - we appreciate you sharing your experience and time with us. Bob Tianqi Wei, thank you for being a wonderful reader for our class. ? Looking forward to returning to campus in January to teach my new course, Designing Future Systems. In the meantime, let's celebrate these amazing students! #design #ux #berkeley #careers #product