Souls & Machines: Designing the Future of Content

Presented at Generate, NYC

Not too long ago, it seemed like big data and collaborative filtering were going to solve our desires for discovery and inspiration. At the same time, platforms dedicated to new methods of self expression – music, writing, video etc. – have matured, and their new forms of content have become mainstays of our culture.

Today, content companies are adapting to become digital products, and tech companies are learning to make content. How does a product designer navigate this changing landscape? What are the answers to questions like “humans vs. computers”; “pro vs. user-generated content”; and “opinion vs. democracy”? This and more will be answered through case studies, experiments and of course, stories. Come to learn, stay for the fun :)

Transcript

1. Hannah Donovan, @Han SOULS & 
 MACHINES Designing the Future of Content
2. HELLO! I’M @HAN I’M A FUN TIGER.
3. HELLO! I’M @HAN I’M A FUN TIGER.
4. HELLO! I’M @HAN I’M A FUN TIGER.
5. PRINCE
6. I DESIGN FOR DESIRES NOT NEEDS. That’s okay.
7. I DESIGN FOR DESIRES NOT NEEDS. That’s okay.
9. MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS SELF EXPRESSION SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
12. London, 2008 Photo by themostinept on Flickr
13. London, 2008 Photo by themostinept on Flickr
14. Content without context is meaningless.
15. Content without connection isn’t relevant.
16. Content without perspective has no feeling.
19. Users generating their content are recreating the internet.
 Meeker Report, 2015
21. ACCESS DISCOVERY 1998–2008 2008+
22. I want this thing (now) Search On-demand DESIRE VOID
23. I want this thing (now) Search On-demand DESIRE VOID
24. I want this thing (now) Search On-demand I want something…? Browse Recommendation DESIRE VOID
25. I want this thing (now) Search On-demand I want something…? Browse Recommendation DESIRE VOID
26. When I know exactly what I want, I already have context conenction perspective
27. When I don’t know what I want, what I need is context conenction perspective
28. KNOWING WHAT WE WANT IS HARD.
29. OFFERING PEOPLE SOMETHING THEY MIGHT DESIRE REQUIRES CONTEXT, CONNECTION, PERSPECITVE.
31. 2012 2013
32. 2012 2013 2014
33. HUMANS CONNECT US IN WAYS COMPUTERS CAN’T. COMPUTERS CONNECT US IN WAYS HUMANS CAN’T.
35. 39 ALBUMS
36. CONTEXT
37. Makes content meaningful.
38. On it’s own, [content] is pretty dumb, until some smart design system grabs it and displays it in the right context
 
 Mark Boulton
40. MUSIC IS MESSY
41. Original 1. Corrected levels 2. Film grain added
42. Original 1. Corrected levels 2. Film grain added
43. Original 1. Corrected levels 2. Film grain added
44. Original 1. Corrected levels 2. Film grain added
45. Original 1. Corrected levels 2. Film grain added
46. Original 1. Corrected levels 2. Film grain added 28% 34% 40% 46% 52% Oct 2012 Nov Dec Jan 2013 Feb Mar Apr May Jams with written descriptions CO N TEXT: W O RD S, A RT
47. Photo by Christine, cestchristine.com
48. Photo by Christine, cestchristine.com
49. Photo by Christine, cestchristine.com
50. Photo by Christine, cestchristine.com
51. Photo by Christine, cestchristine.com CO N TEXT: TIM E, PLA C E
52. NO BASSLINE
53. CONNECTION
54. Makes content relevant.
55. The quality of the connections is the key to quality per se. Charles Eames
58. CO N N EC TIO N : FA M ILIA RITY
59. THE BEST MUSIC RECOMMENDATIONS COME FROM FRIENDS
60. CO N N EC TIO N : TIM E
61. CO N N EC TIO N : PLA C E
62. EVERY INSTRUMENT
63. PERSPECTIVE
64. Gives content feeling.
65. Humans are human because they have a perspective: they care about things. One might call it our ability to give a damn. And it is this quality that allows us to determine what matters and where we stand. A computer can’t do that. The Moment of Clarity
66. COMPUTERS CAN’T GIVE A DAMN.
67. PERSPEC TIV E: STO RY
68. PERSPEC TIV E: ETH O S
71. PERSPEC TIV E: Q U ESTIO N A BLE
72. This experience lacked context, connection and perspective.
74. Some people (they are wrong) say design is about solving problems. Obviously designers do solve problems, but then so do dentists. Design is about cultural invention.
 
 Jack Schulze Photo by Timo Arnall
76. “Culture represents a synthesis, a putting together of things…so completely, that the combination has an individuality of its own. It may be only an amalgam; it is better if it be a chemical combination. Culture does not exist in the form of powder, a mere mass of incoherent particles.” – Owen D Young
77. culture
78. WITH EVERYTHING WE MAKE, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT REACTION
79. Content Strategy for Mobile Karen McGrane Content Strategy for the Web Kristina Halvorson Internet Trends 2015 Mary Meeker – kpcb.com/internet-trends Six Questions from Kicker Jack Schulze – j.mp/6QsJackSchulze The Elements of Content Strategy Erin Kissane The Moment of Clarity: Using the Human Sciences to Solve Your Toughest Business Problems Christian Madsbjerg & Mikkel B. Rasmussen REFERENCES & READING