Side projects shared by Anushka, Julian, and Karis in the Office Hours Side Projects Edition N°267. Anushka explores sketchnoting, Julian introduces Vibewriter for creative writing, and Karis presents a futuristic narrative set in Gabon. Sketchnoting revolutionizes note-taking by transforming complex concepts into intuitive visuals, enhancing futures thinking and systems design. Vibewriter stimulates rapid, improvisational writing, making the process feel like a game. Karis's narrative blends African culture with futuristic tech as she prepares to pitch for a film project.

A short response to the New Yorker article "Can A.I. Writing Be More Than a Gimmick?" by Anna Wiener, which explores the implications of A.I. in writing and creativity. Reflecting on the question of A.I. and writing, I wanted to create a software artifact(s) that experimented with the idea of A.I. as a muse rather than a tool that would do the writing for me. I think A.I. can be a useful partner in the creative process, not taking over the writing, but acting like a mellow muse. The alternative to thinkig of writing as drudgery in the case of creative expression is to think of it more like a coach or perhaps a lowkey collaborative partner. One of these software experiments/prototypes is the Vibewriter project, which is a speculative design fiction that serves as an exercise tool for writers to bulk up their brain muscles for creative writing and explore how a generative A.I. muse can be a...

Over 10 years ago I did what everyone said I shouldn't. I created a hardware startup. “Dude. Don't do it. Hardware is hard!” But, I did it. Maybe it's because I went to Montessori School and was instilled with a different set of decision making muscles. It was hard, no doubt. They were not wrong about that. But I got it done. Built a product — something beautiful and functional that people actually wanted. It was a journey filled with challenges, learning, and growth. I joked that CEO stood for “Chief Everything Officer” because I did everything. I was the product designer, the industrial designer, the software designer, the interaction designer, the UX designer, the filmer, the brand guy, the service & support guy, the marketing guy, the advertising guy, shipping & receiving dept., the UI designer, the design researcher, the design strategist, and the design thinker. And to bookend this experience, I finally printed this book — two volumes!...

I read with interest the article in The New Yorker by Hua Hsu, "What Happens After A.I. Destroys College Writing?". What was most sort of..disconcerting, I suppose about the article was how flippant the students were as regards their disdain for the process of writing, and how they were using AI to generate their essays, papers, and other assignments. It was as if they were just going through the motions of college, but not really engaging with the material or the process of learning. But, maybe this is their moment to define the world they will enter after college. Maybe they are just being practical, and using the tools available to them to get through the system. I don't know. But it got me thinking about the designed functional fiction projects I've been working on — particularly Ghostwriter and Vibewriter, both of which are studies, observations and reflections on what writing might become in some habitable AI future in which...

Vibewriter is a web app I created as part of my AI Designed Fictions Research Studio, where I make artifacts from the futures of AI I imagine, rather than the ones that are being built by the tech industry. Vibewriter is a writing tool that is more like kettle bells for the brain — a ludic exercise that amplifies the act of writing over the end goal of finishing an essay or synthesizing ideas. (That's more the province of Ghostwriter, which is a more robust, generative, collaborative writing muse.) Vibewriter is a writing exercise or ritual in the shape of a timed game that uses the kind of literary genres you used to find in the Dewey Decimal system card catalog or your local independent book shop: Detective, Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy— it's mean to that helps you write in different genres, like a Hardboiled Detective Novel, or a Romance Novel, or a Science Fiction Novel. It’s like a writing...

In this edition of Office Hours Side Projects, we explore innovative projects from our community members. From 3D printing advancements to AI-driven tools, the discussions are rich with insights and creativity. Presentations of Side Projects by Ben, Eduardo, and Sabrina spark engaging conversations about the future of design, technology, and leadership. Ben's 2.5D to 3D conversion project showcases the potential of AI in creative processes, while Eduardo's Toaster app offers a fresh take on note-taking and organization. Sabrina's leadership card game encourages innovative thinking and collaboration.

A conversation with Outgoing — Dell and Brett, the duo behind the studio called Outgoing, situated somewhere in Gowanus, Brooklyn. They are a design studio that creates objects and spaces that are both functional and beautiful, with a focus on sustainability and craftsmanship and the opinions of a particular feline that roams about their studio. Their work spans various mediums, including furniture, lighting, and installations. If you look at their work, you can sense that it is driven by a playful, collaborative, and generative approach to craft and making. Like most of these conversation I get to have, its a ranging discussion. You'll get some insights into their approach, the sorts of artifacts they create — including sculptures, furniture, and music.

“At the heart of the EFM is a mundane scenic event: watching TV.” Here's that paper by Paul Coulton, et.al. that describes how a fictional, AI-driven “smart media” experience was staged inside a mobile living room (a retrofitted tear-drop caravan), where participants engaged with what appeared to be an intelligent TV system that was configured to adapt in real time to their behavior. But actually, the entire experience was carefully orchestrated using the "Wizard of Oz" type setup. They did this to simulate an AI-driven environment and then observe how people react when the basic norms of familiar and mundane activities, like watching TV, are subtly disrupted.

A few months ago I did a trial of the Limitless AI device. The “services” provides next-day recommendations on how you can improve yourself, your life, your interactions and so forth. It also overheard me watching the movie Step Brothers — and had lots to say about that!