• What digital UX can learn from the physical media revival
    uxdesign.cc
    Vinyl, CDs and cassettes are back. What does it mean for designers?Sony Walkman WM-2011. Photo by FlorianSchmetzPhysical media has made a comeback. Sortof.While the masses are hardly abandoning streaming giants like Spotify and Netflix, something real is happening with the archaic formats they supposedly left behind forgood.And there are lessons to take away for anyone working in digitalUX.Whats happeningandwhy?Vinyl has experienced a sustained resurgence recently, with record sales steadily rising each year. Last year CD sales increased year-on-year for the first time since their peak in 2001. This year, theres been huge growth in sales of cassette tapes. Some people are even returning to DVDs. Maybe next year well start seeing signs of a revival for VHS or LaserDisc.Vinyl sales 20162023. Source:LuminateIts tempting to come up with one simple explanation for this data. But like most things, its more complicated than that. Here are a few nuances driving thistrend:Nostalgia: Aging Millennials and Gen Xers revisiting the tech of their youth, rediscovering memories and breathing new life into their CD or cassette collections.Practicality: Streaming services and their content are becoming increasingly fragmented and ephemeral. In response, more people are buying physical media so they physically own their music and movies (and it cant suddenly disappear).Culture: Retro music aesthetic and vibes are officially cool, thanks to pop culture phenomena such as Stranger Things and Guardians of the Galaxy. Stars like Taylor Swift are also putting out huge amounts of vinyl, CDs and tapes for fanbases who want to collect everything.Interesting sidenote: 50% of people buying vinyl dont even own a record player. But before rolling your eyes, consider if youd do the same about a sci-fi geek that collects mint-in-box toys with no intention of every playing withthem.While all these factors help explain this mini revival of physical media, the one that matters from a design perspective is the user experience of interacting with these archaic technologies.The UX of physicalmediaPhysical media and devices have texture. Weight. They have sensory controls, like clicky buttons, snappy lids, twisty dials and smooth sliders. You can see and hear the technology working: it crackles, hisses and spins in a viscerally satisfying way. It also has quirks and imperfections, which somehow makes it feel more human. Finally, it forces us to slow down, grounding us in the present with its format limitations and feature constraints. There are no software updates. No apps. No distractions.Cassettes are a tactile experience. Photo by cottonbro studioMaybe this appeal is accentuated by the relentless pace of technological development, specifically AI.In a world thats changing so fast, that feels so fleeting and full of existential considerations, perhaps were drawn to experiences that are tactile, unchanging and easy to understand.And in a media landscape thats become complex, opaque and driven by algorithms, the simplicity of choosing something from a limited physical music collection and going through the ritual of playing it is comforting.We should also consider the physical devices we play these formats on, which can be beautifully designed objects in their own right. Consider the aesthetic of either a vintage or sleek modern record player; products that both perform functional utility, but can also be displayed on a shelf as an object to be appreciated.Record players can create a vibe. Photo by Alice KotlyarenkThe drawbacks of digitalmediaIn contrast to physical counterparts, digital media products and services are all about convenience, speed and technical quality. In many ways, this is a good thing: weve designed a world where accessing media is quicker, easier and more reliable.But it also means weve started missing out on all the pleasures and benefits of old school physical media and devices. And thats because our tools and technology have trended towards flat screens and homogenised interactions.The obvious example is the smartphone, which has consolidated countless tools (camera, calculator, notepad, music player, etc) into a single device. While this is obviously convenient, its created a ubiquitous interface where every interaction and all intent is expressed through the same scrolling, swiping, pinching andtapping.Emerging technologies are taking it a step further to become even less tactile: AI, VR/AR, voice user interfaces (VUI) and brain-computer interfaces (BCI) promise a future that requires only gestures, speech or simply thought to interact with the world. While this brings ever increasing speed and convenienceas well as empowering users with disabilitiesit takes us even further away from the textures and pleasures of physicaldevices.And then theres the issue of unlimited choice and instant gratification.Today, we can consume everything, everywhere, anytime, immediately. But this can make media feel less valuable. More disposable.And unlike physical media, where skipping tracks and changing albums are more difficult, theres no need to stick with anything. As such, we miss out on stuff we might enjoy. And Gen Z seem to have figured this out better than any of us, because theyve been leading the revival of physical media more than any other generation.So what can digital UX learn fromthis?Firstly, we need to talk about the trap to avoid: simply making your interface look a bit like physical controls. Theres a reason why UI trends like neumorphism (new skeuomorphism) have never really taken off: it coveys the semblance of physical controls while not feeling or behaving like them. The allusion to depth and texture creates a disconnect between what we see, expect and experience; an uncanny UIvalley.Neumorphism hasnt taken off. Image by JustinmindInstead, designers should go deeper than interface aesthetics to consider what psychological needs physical media meets that digital products dont(yet).Here are some suggestions1. Reduce choice and embrace constraintsHaving access to practically all the films, TV series and music ever made sounds like a good thing. But counterintuitively, the more options we have, the less satisfied we feel with our decision. This is a concept called the paradox ofchoice.Choice paradox occurs because having too many choices requires more time and cognitive effort, leading to decision fatigue and increased regret over ourchoices.The classic example of choice paradox is the jam experiment, which showed people were more likely to make a purchase when presented with fewer options. While these sorts of studies and behavioural psychology nuggets have hidden nuances, they do suggest a problem with media streaming: we have too muchchoice.The classic jam experiment. Source: ModelThinkersThe human race has probably collectively wasted whole lifetimes stuck in a loop scrolling through movie categories and song playlists. This abundance of choice causes mass indecision, as we know if we keep searching we might find something better from the bottomless bucket ofcontent.So whats the solution? Well, using physical media as our inspiration one option is to reduce the abundance of choice for users, e.g. fewer categories, fewer playlists. This could be complemented by adding constraints to the user interface. For example, making it harder to skip a track, abandon an album or even monthly limits on albums to listen to or save in yourlibrary.Im fully aware how thissounds.Why would anyone take away user control and enforce arbitrary restrictions? Wont that lead to subscribers jumping ship to a competitor who gives them everything theywant?But what if it actuallyworks?What if less is more, and these changes actually improve the UX? Instead of flitting from one thing to another, users might prefer enjoying media within constraints, and being more present in the experience. Rather than this experience being the default, it could be offered as a different subscription tier or simply a settings opt-in for those who want to tryit.2. Less personalisation; more customisationPersonalisation sounds great in theory: algorithms learn what you like, then give you more ofit.But in reality, personalisation works against us, reinforcing our tastes by constantly spoon-feeding us more of the same. Its like going to a restaurant where the menu is based solely on what you previously ordered there. Sure, you can go off menu to find something a bit different, but youre working against how the experience has been designed.And this design didnt come about by accident. Its intentional.Media streaming platforms want to push content youll probably like to stop you leaving. So they overwhelm us with personalisation, engineering passive consumption that traps us in a loop of the same artists andgenres.This is all a bit like a marriage of convenience we wearily accept so we can still do what we wantplay music, films and seriesonline.But what many of us need is to arrange our streaming experience the same way we would with physical media collections, devices and accessories. I dont just mean organising an app library, but allowing users to customise UI layouts and categories. For example, instead of seeing endless automated playlists, we might like to organise our app home screen to show trending albums, or simply the latest releases by artists wefollow.A bad Spotify user journey. Image byauthorThe screenshots above show that to find a simple list of new music by artists you follow on Spotify you have to exit the main interface and go into this odd Whats new screen. Why cant users configure their home screen to see this? Its like Spotify doesnt want you to make active choices, just passively consume the first generated playlist they put in front ofyou.As with the previous suggestion about choice and constraints, customising your layout would be an opt-in thing rather than every user being tasked with the mental load of configuring your ownUI.Perhaps we might also want the interface to have more of a human touch, and see recommendations by real people with something to say about it. Which leads meto3. More human curation and recommendationsFinding new shows or music to enjoy on streaming services is an isolating experience. Its just us and the algorithm. While its perfectly possible to search, navigate and find things to consume, its all very impersonal. Its like the interface is saying heres the content, take it or leaveit.Of course, theres no way to replicate real-world word-of-mouth recommendations or music shop suggestions which create human connection and a sense of like-minded community, isthere?Well, maybe thereis.Years ago the UK book chain Waterstones started adding personal notes written by staff for selected books. It added a real human touch, and even inspired customers to cheekily start adding their own hand-written notes. With a simple change, the shopping experience felt more like being part of a community ofreaders.Waterstones staff notes. Source:RedditThe suggestion here is that streaming platforms add or increase the level of human curation and recommendations to their services.What would this look like in practice? Well, for a start there should be more human-created playlists and fewer generated byand featuringAI.There should be a greater sense of humans curating the best content to watch or listen to, rather than users feeling powerless and at the mercy of algorithms.At a granular level, this would involve staff notes on albums, playlists, TV series and films. Not just an Editor picks featured list, but actual human commentary similar to the Waterstones notes. Users could get involved tooperhaps there could be a system for them to submit personalised recommendations for their favourite albums ormovies.All of this would make discovering new content feel like a human, communal experience rather than a battle against technology to find something different.4. Get creative with retro emulationsWait, didnt I say dont imitate retro tech aesthetics?Yes, Idid.But Im not talking about controls, but the experience of the playbackwhat we can do to evoke the feel of enjoying media on physicalformats.Heres one example: in addition to users being able to toggle between audio and music video modes when streaming a song, allow them to switch to a cassette playing view that transformations their screen into a vintageWalkman.If Spotify emulated the Sony Walkman WM-24. Image byauthor.Users could choose their Walkman style from pre-set options, or create their own (possibly using generative AI). They could even opt to emulate the sound of a cassette, e.g. some gentlehiss.The visuals, sound effects and constraints could combine to create an immersive experience that encourages users to be present and minimises distractions.Similarly, video streaming services could offer the option of an immersive VHS player mode, which changes the aspect ratio and adds a grainy tape filter. Skipping through the video could emulate video tape fast forward. Live video could include the red record dot flashing and a date in a retro digital typeface. You get theidea.These are just random ideas, which Im sure you could improve through some iterative, collaborative, user-centred design. But the point is to give some users the option of emulating fun aspects of physicalmedia.SummaryOk, heres a summary of what UX designers could take from physical media to make digital streaming feel more human, more communal and more satisfying:Reduce choicedecreasing cognitive load, decision fatigue and userregret.Add constraintsmaking it harder to skip through or abandon content, grounding users in the present and appreciating what wed otherwise miss.Less personalisationthis traps us in a loop of repeated behaviour, avoids challenging us and limits discovery of different content.More customisationletting users configure and organise their streaming interface the way theyd have control over their physicalmedia.Increase curationadding more humanity and community to the experience of exploring and enjoyingmedia.Retro emulationsallowing people without physical media the chance to enjoy the vibes of playing a cassette or videotape.In some ways a lot of this is just better application of existing UX principles and heuristics, like minimalist design, constraints and user control. But its also a way to rethink some of those principles. For example, user control shouldnt just be about being able to do more with an interface, but choosing to doless.ConclusionThe lazy reaction to the physical media revival is to dismiss it; hand-wave it away as a small-scale and short-lived trend. After all, there are good reasons people abandoned these formats for MP3 players and then online streaming. And even now unit sales of vinyl, CDs and cassettes are a tiny fraction of their respective heydays.But I think thats amistake.Theres a lot digital UX can learn from why people are increasingly engaging with supposedly obsolete physical media. Theres something about interacting with limited physical objects that scratches a psychological itch, and in our modern world their constraints become the USP, and remind us what we trade off for speed and convenience.Im not proposing a full-on nerfing of media streaming. But perhaps by reflecting on what we appreciate about physical media, designers could improve the UX to scratch those itches digitally. And theres probably a balance that can be foundbetween:default features (enhanced human curation/user submissions)opt-in features (user customisation, reduced choice, constraints, retro emulations, etc).While this article feels like its only aimed at those working for huge streaming platforms, there are surely lessons all UX designers take from this, e.g. scaling back personalisation, or re-thinking how to implement constraints to improveUX.As for the streaming giants themselves, its possible theyll decide to do nothing. Because they think they dont need to. Were already using these services, and we have very few like-for-like alternatives. So why try harder? Why invest in more designers/curators, and more user-centred design?Well, all I can say is if they do take that attitude, they shouldnt be surprised if people increasingly shun enshittified digital services and spend more time playing records and CDs, making actual mixtapes and maybe even resurrecting the once mighty DVDboxset.The choice istheirs.What digital UX can learn from the physical media revival was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
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  • The Best TV Deals Right Now
    lifehacker.com
    We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage?Take these stepsfor better search results, includingadding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news.Getting the right TV is an art. You need to know whether you need a QLED or OLED in your living room, or perhaps you're just looking for a budget LED to stick in a basement to keep up with your shows while doing some work. Regardless of what you get, getting a TV at a bargain is a win we all need. I've rounded up the best TV deals I could find, whether you need a high-end TV, a mid-tier TV, or something more affordable.Best budget TV dealsRoku is maybe one of the best brands to buy a TV for cheap right now. The Roku 75" Class Plus Series QLED TV is 4K, supports Dolby Vision, has a 60Hz refresh rate, and comes with Roku's snappy operating system built in. You can get this massive TV for $499.99 (originally $899.99), the lowest price I've seen it. Roku - 75" Class Plus Series QLED 4K Smart RokuTV $499.99 at Best Buy $899.99 Save $400.00 Get Deal Get Deal $499.99 at Best Buy $899.99 Save $400.00 Another budget TV deal:TCL 75-Inch Class QM6K Series $799.99 (originally $999.99): I've been lucky enough to test TCL's new QM6K QLED TV firsthand for a couple of months. It's hard to believe it's considered a budget TV, considering how good it is. Best mid-tier TV dealsRight now, the 65-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch QM7K are marked down 40%, bringing their prices down to $897.99, $1,197.99, and $1,499.99, respectively. All of them are at the lowest prices they have ever been, according to price-tracking tools. The highlights for these include a bright panel (great for sunlit rooms), plus deep blacks and almost no light bloom, giving it that premium picture quality. Gamers will appreciate the 144 Hz native refresh rate and 288 Hz support panel with VRR and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, making it a smooth viewing experience. Since it's a Google TV, it has hands-free Google Assistant and Google Cast, which makes streaming almost anything from your phone or computer a breeze. It can also do the same for iPhones with AirPlay. If you're a color stickler, you might notice that the colors run a little warmer out of the box, according to PCMag's "excellent" review, but that's something you can edit easily in the picture settings. TCL 85-Inch Class QM7K Series QD-Mini LED 4K UHD Google Smart TV QLED, 144hz, 288hz Gaming Rate, Anti-Reflective Screen, Bang & Olufsen Audio, Atmos (85QM7K, 2025) $1,499.99 at Amazon $2,499.99 Save $1,000.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,499.99 at Amazon $2,499.99 Save $1,000.00 Other mid-tier TV deals:If you're looking for a truly massive TV, consider the Hisense 98" Class QD5, a QLED TV currently going for $1,497.99 (originally $2,298), the lowest price since its release earlier this year. It has my favorite OS, Google TV, which lets you cast your phone or computer seamlessly. It also has a native 144Hz refresh rate with AMD FreeSync Premium, so gaming will be smooth. The Dolby Vision Atmos and HDR 10+ support will make movie nights pop.The Sony BRAVIA 5 is the mid-tier TV from Sony's 2025 LED TV lineup, with a decent amount of dimming zones and the Mini LED backlight technology that makes it look crisp and bright. It comes with Google TV OS, supports Dolby Vision, and has good brightness on SDR content; just be careful with glare from reflections, since it'll make viewing a challenge. You can get the 65-inch version for $1,198 (originally $1,499.99).Best high-end TV dealsSamsung's The Frame TV has a Pro version, with a 4K Mini LED screen for greater contrast and brightness. The connector box is completely wireless, so the only TV cable you'll need to worry about is the power cord, which fits flush behind the TV mount. You can get the Samsung 65-Inch The Frame Pro TV for $1,798 at Amazon(was $2,198), the lowest price it has been. The specs inside are solid, but the main draw is its matte screen that can be framed with bezels to make it look like a large painting when its not in use. Samsung 65-Inch Class The Frame Pro NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor, Art Mode, Samsung Vision AI, Alexa Built-in $1,797.99 at Amazon $2,197.99 Save $400.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,797.99 at Amazon $2,197.99 Save $400.00 Other high-end TV deals:Hisense 100" Class U8 Mini-LED ULED 4K UHD Google Smart TV $3,539.96 (originally $6,999.99): The Hisense U8QG was released in April of this year. It's a solid, well-rounded TV that will work great in bright rooms and excels for watching sports, playing video games, and movies. The brightness, black levels, and colors are its most impressive specs. LG C5 55-inch $1,396.99 (originally $1,799.99): For those looking to splurge on an OLED TV, the 55-inch LG C5 is a great choice; the 65-inch model is also discounted, to $1,496.99 (originally $2,696.99). This OLED came out this year and it's impressive to already see it with such a steep discount. It has excellent image quality like you'd expect from any OLED, has great gaming specs, and the contrast looks great even in bright rooms, according to CNET's review. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack) $699.99 (List Price $1,099.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Roku Streaming Stick Plus $29.00 (List Price $39.99) Sonos Era 300 Black - Wireless $359.00 (List Price $449.00) Deals are selected by our commerce team
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  • The Ivalice Chronicles team had to remake the original Final Fantasy Tactics' source code from scratch
    www.engadget.com
    The Square Enix team behind Final Fantasy Tactics The Ivalice Chronicles didn't just remaster the iconic strategy RPG, they had to go through the trouble of remaking the source code from scratch, according to Bloomberg. In an interview with Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, the game's director Kazutoyo Maehiro explained the arduous process of designing The Ivalice Chronicles, which is set to release at the end of the month.When getting to work on the remake, Maehiro and his team discovered they had to rebuild the source code from the ground up since it was lost thanks to the industry's unstandardized practices in the '90s, according to Bloomberg. When translating Final Fantasy Tactics from Japanese to English for the global release, the company would overwrite the original Japanese version's code. For Maehiro, that meant the team had to undertake a ground-up overhaul and recreate the source code by playing the original game that released in 1997, consulting the game's master disc and looking at the 2011 version called Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, according to Bloomberg. Maehiro also said during a PAX West 2025 panel that the team gleaned a lot of lost info from fan-made databases.Revealing more of the behind-the-scenes decisions for The Ivalice Chronicles, Maehiro told Bloomberg about the debate surrounding Count Cidolfus Orlandeau. Better known as Cid, and appropriately nicknamed Thunder God Cid, this overtuned character joins you later in the game, but many fans complained about him being overpowered. Instead of nerfing Cid, Maehiro told Bloomberg that keeping this character's power level the same would better represent the storyline since "his role in the story is being that very powerful character who joins your party." To quell any concerns of Cid being too broken, Maehiro told Bloomberg that the team decided to buff the other characters to even things out. Looking ahead, Maehiro also hinted at exploring sequels for the Final Fantasy Tactics franchise or even brand new games in the strategy RPG genre, given that The Ivalice Chronicles does well, according to Bloomberg.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-ivalice-chronicles-team-had-to-remake-the-original-final-fantasy-tactics-source-code-from-scratch-190253342.html?src=rss
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  • One of the most ambitious Chinese mini PC vendors has paired a Ryzen 9800X3D CPU with a Pro RTX 5000 Ada MXM GPU - and the results are mindblowing
    www.techradar.com
    FEVMs FA65G mini PC combines a Ryzen 9800X3D CPU and RTX 4080 MXM GPU inside a 2.5-liter Mac Studio-inspired chassis.
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  • Are you ready to dive into the future of filmmaking?

    Check out our latest video, "Experiment with AI Filmmaking"! We challenge you to give yourself just one hour to see what you can create. Imagine an enchanting AI fairy tale set in a world where abundance is the norm and magic is real.

    This video will spark your creativity and show you the incredible possibilities AI brings to storytelling. I was blown away by the ideas we explored and can't wait for you to experience it too!

    Watch it now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXVI7i5z5Bw

    #AIFilmmaking #CreativeJourney #FutureOfStorytelling #FilmMagic #Inspiration
    🚀 Are you ready to dive into the future of filmmaking? 🎬 Check out our latest video, "Experiment with AI Filmmaking"! We challenge you to give yourself just one hour to see what you can create. Imagine an enchanting AI fairy tale set in a world where abundance is the norm and magic is real. ✨ This video will spark your creativity and show you the incredible possibilities AI brings to storytelling. I was blown away by the ideas we explored and can't wait for you to experience it too! Watch it now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXVI7i5z5Bw #AIFilmmaking #CreativeJourney #FutureOfStorytelling #FilmMagic #Inspiration
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  • Roblox announces short-video, AI features amid child safety concerns
    www.cnbc.com
    Roblox on Friday announced new short-video and AI features that come amid increasing lawmaker scrutiny into how the company protects children on its platform.
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  • Andor and The Penguin win VFX Emmys
    beforesandafters.com
    Results straight from the Creative Arts Emmys.Congratulations to the VFX teams behind s2 of Andor and s1 of The Penguin for their wins in the two Emmy visual effects categories. Here are the winners, below. Congratulations to all the nominees! Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or a MovieAndorMohen Leo, Visual Effects SupervisorTJ Falls, Visual Effects ProducerLuke Murphy, Special Effects SupervisorNeal Scanlan, Special Creature Effects byScott Pritchard, ILM Visual Effects SupervisorJoseph Kasparian, Hybride Visual Effects SupervisorSue Rowe, Scanline Visual Effects SupervisorPaolo DArco, In-House VFX SupervisorJean-Clment Soret, Digital ColouristFind full coverage of Andor s2 in a full issue of befores & afters magazine.Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Single EpisodeThe Penguin Bliss Johnny Han, Overall VFX SupervisorMichelle Rose, Overall VFX ProducerAlexandre Prodhomme, On-Set VFX SupervisorErin Sullivan, VFX EditorGoran Pavles, Vendor VFX SupervisorEmanuel Fuchs, Vendor VFX SupervisorEd Bruce, Vendor VFX SupervisorNathaniel Larouche, Vendor VFX SupervisorAdrien Saint Girons, Vendor VFX SupervisorFind full coverage of The Penguin in a full issue of befores & afters magazine.The post Andor and The Penguin win VFX Emmys appeared first on befores & afters.
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  • [Event] Join us for Selftember!
    blog.cara.app
    About the EventHi everyone! Our September challenge is here, and this month, its all about practicing basics and self-improvement!Have you ever had ideas or motifs youve wanted to try, but never found the right moment to incorporate into your pieces? Take this chance to practice some simple but impactful foundational elements for fun! The pieces can be as small in scope as you want. Lets try incorporating some design elements and principles and review our work. How It WorksThe Selftember challenge consists of two parts: Part 1: One piece a day, work with basics by incorporating design elements and principles with things you like, and round it off with some studies.Part 2: One final piece. Choose to rework an old piece, or do something new, by including Part 1 elements you practiced. *Part 2 Notes: Day 21: Then & Now - Share an old piece you want to rework for the second part of the challenge. Talk about the original inspiration, what you did right, what you have learned since then, and what you would do differently now. If you have created similar pieces since, show us a comparison side by side, and share what you want to try next or improve.Day 30: Share - Post the final completed piece, as well as your thoughts, learnings, and discoveries from this challenge! *Bonus: Upon completion, put your pieces together into a calendar chart to see your progress over the month! How to Join #Selftember2025 1. Participate by posting new work youve made by following the Cara Selftember list 2. Mention #selftember2025 in the description when posting!*If you want to participate but dont have time to create new work, you can also join with old pieces that fit the days theme and share a thoughtful self-critique or interesting learnings on the specific topic. For example: discuss positives and weaknesses of the piece, what you have learned since, and what you want to improve on or try in the future. If you work in different mediums, this could be a great way for others to learn more about your domain! Cara Theme ListRegardless of your medium or genre of work, be it illustration, sculpting, photography, animation, typography, or graphic design, we encourage you to try it out and join in the fun. You can make the scope very small and simple. Maybe its just photos with compositions taken with your phone, maybe its designs for your OCs. Ultimately, we hope you have fun! We are excited to see everyones experience and discussions. Simple Reading & References:Examples on @zemotions post https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_principleshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_elementshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composition_(visual_arts)https://delviewmedia.weebly.com/elements--principles-of-art--design.htmlhttps://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/design As usual, we hope you enjoy, and have fun! - The Cara Teamcara.app | twitter | instagram | buy cara a coffee
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  • 5 things I learned about leadership as I grew my multimillion dollar business
    www.fastcompany.com
    As is the case for many founders, my journey began as a one-person show. I started Digital Voices, an influencer marketing agency that helps brands grow by pairing them with creators across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. With just a shoestring budget of $300 and a background in digital strategy, I launched the company with more ambition than certainty. Afterlong hours coupled with hustle and self-doubtit has now evolved into a multimillion-80-person operation spanning the globe.Here are five lessons about leadership I learned along the way.1. Get comfortable with constant changeLeadership today is defined by constant fluctuation. On a Monday, youre making long-term strategic decisions aimed at future-proofing the business. The next day, youre brainstorming creative ideas for a client campaign. All of this comes as you attempt to balance the businesss progress against your own personal journey. And thats before you even get to the impact that your actions or a throwaway comment have on your wider team.In order to grow, your business should be constantly changing. For example, weve built new technology that has completely changed peoples day-to-day work, changed roles, titles, teams, opened offices in the United States, and built a team in Costa Rica.One of my favorite business adages is, If your company doesnt feel like an entirely new business every 18 months, youre not scaling. Youre stagnating.This puts immense pressure on every leader. That relentless tension means that for real progress, you always have to feel out of your comfort zone.You need to spin multiple plateschecking that the aspects of the business you used to run are going smoothly, while feeling like a beginner at whatever obstacle youre throwing yourself at next.2. Vulnerability is keyIve never met a leader whos gone their entire career without making mistakes. Neither have you. The perfect leader doesnt exist.It doesnt matter how many books youve read, coaches youve had, how much time or money youve invested in self-development, making mistakes is part of this game. The proximity to failure keeps most entrepreneurs motivated.The polished, superhero, all about the grind, idealized image of entrepreneurship is dead. People want to see the honest version of your struggles and humanity. Sharing your mistakes publicly isnt a sign of weakness; its an avenue towards building trust with your customers and employees.Try to resist the urge to receive every piece of negative feedback on your backfoot. Very rarely is it a personal attack or a character assassination. Think about it this way: Giving negative feedback and offering solutions is hard. It means your employees care enough to think about how your business can be better. Also, no one likes conflict or enjoys having hard conversations. They are risking discomfortand at times even their jobto give you insights.3. Hire for fitThe culture versus credentials debate: Weve all heard it, some of us have lived it.The truth is that the perfect on paper candidate will always turn your head. According to their resume, theyve got all the relevant experience, the certifications and qualifications, the recommendations For all intents and purposes, theyre a shoo-in.And yet we should all recognize by now that credentials are only part of the puzzlea vital ingredient certainly, but not the whole pie. You need people who thrive in the uncertainty of a scale-up environment and who believe in what youre striving for and genuinely want to help drive your business forward. Not everyone will be capable of that level of engagement, or even want it. So dont let a resume with big brand names mask the fact that someone isnt the right fit from a culture perspective. Spend the time and hire slow. And then keep the trust of your team by firing fast if they arent the right fit.4. Stay true to your valuesBe clear on what your cultural non-negotiables are in the business. Write yours down. Inform your team as they need to know what lens they should view decisions through.There will be times when protecting your bottom line will clash with your businesss purpose. Principles will cost you money. Ive been offered multiple seven-figure sums to market gambling or weight-loss brands. And while the business could have used that money, we turned it down.Why? Because were accountable to the businessand not just commercially, but culturally, too. Which means you need to be confident that the experience, grit, skills and team that got you this far, will continue to propel you forward.Im not saying dont edit your approach. Im saying be careful with the tweaks that cost you your principles and culture. Those decisions are nearly impossible to roll back.5. Empower your employeesToo many founders lean toward helicopter leadership. Its like the business version of helicopter parenting, a term used to describe the sort of parents who constantly hover round their kids, micromanaging every experience. While the business might have once been your baby, you cannot spin all the plates across all teams. For one, its not sustainable. For two, your employees will despise you for it.You need to create an environment where people are not afraid to put their hands up if something is going wrong. They need to trust that youll jump in and help them solve the problem, rather than play the blame game. Hard on the problem, easy on the person.This isnt about maintaining total control, its about achieving clarity and trust. The most impactful founders move beyond acting as a boss, and start acting as conductorsbringing out the best in their team for the collective benefit of everyone.
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  • Core77 Weekly Roundup (9-2-25 to 9-5-25)
    www.core77.com
    Here's what we looked at this week:Pizza cutters, from underdesigned to overdesigned. Dutch engineers move massive historic Swedish church three miles away.Elegant solution to a tricky problem: A scale for wild birds.Motorsports mayhem: The Rockford Speedway Figure 8 Trailer Race.Industrial designer Michael Mahle develops unusual wooden connectors for flatpack furniture.Industrial designer Thomas Bentzen'sSketch Toolbox.The return of an industrial, minimalist 20th-century lamp: Astep revives the Model 262, by Gino Sarfatti.Industrial Design student work: Barko, by Denise Merlette of ECAL, finds a use for bark in furniture.Strange furniture design history: A sex scandal, and a sweet update to Arne Jacobsen's No. 7 chair.Kinkfab's sexy air conditioning vents.Rise + Shine, by industrial designer Dan McMahon, is a pneumatically-height-adjustable candleholder. It's a modern-day update to an actual series of objects that existed in the 19th century.RIVR's Swiss application for robot dogs: Delivering mail and meals.Space-saving design tricks in a tiny Parisian apartment, by architecture firm Beth X Episteme.Industrial designer Csar Moncaut's Pop-Up Lamp is a low-tech take on color-changing lighting.Industrial design case study: Sprout Studios designs the Viken Raven, a magic handheld x-ray machine for law enforcement.
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