Anna Dahlström
@annadahlstrom.bsky.social
UX designer and author of Storytelling in Design.
Some reflections this morning around adding delight into products and services open.substack.com/pub/annadahl...?
November 20, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Some reflections this morning around adding delight into products and services open.substack.com/pub/annadahl...?
As a freelancer, you come into new companies, new teams, new clients, and new domains. As a way to quickly get my head around a brief, communicate what I can bring, and suggest what I do and we do together as a team, I started storyboarding the work. annadahlstrom.substack.com/p/how-storyb...
How Storyboarding Has Helped Me As A Freelancer
Why I developed a method for storyboarding presentations and other deliverables and how I apply it to my work.
annadahlstrom.substack.com
October 31, 2025 at 11:51 AM
As a freelancer, you come into new companies, new teams, new clients, and new domains. As a way to quickly get my head around a brief, communicate what I can bring, and suggest what I do and we do together as a team, I started storyboarding the work. annadahlstrom.substack.com/p/how-storyb...
"...using Playmobil as a design tool? that sounds like everything except work."
Love this from uxdesign.cc/experience-m...
🎩 tip @jmspool.bsky.social
Love this from uxdesign.cc/experience-m...
🎩 tip @jmspool.bsky.social
Experience mapping with Playmobil: filling the gap between the digital and physical space
A few days ago I used my old Playmobil to map an experience that crosses the digital and physical space.
uxdesign.cc
October 15, 2025 at 7:33 PM
"...using Playmobil as a design tool? that sounds like everything except work."
Love this from uxdesign.cc/experience-m...
🎩 tip @jmspool.bsky.social
Love this from uxdesign.cc/experience-m...
🎩 tip @jmspool.bsky.social
"There’s no opt-out: If you don’t want your chatbot conversations influencing your ads, the only option is not to use Meta AI at all."
Meta describes this natural progression, yet it's based on what is potentially the most private conversations people will have.
fortune.com/2025/10/02/m...
Meta describes this natural progression, yet it's based on what is potentially the most private conversations people will have.
fortune.com/2025/10/02/m...
Meta just tied your private AI chats to its ad business. The next step? Designing bots that keep you talking, expert says | Fortune
Linguist and AI critic Emily Bender says the shift could incentivize Meta to design its AI to prod users into even more conversations.
fortune.com
October 3, 2025 at 12:54 PM
"There’s no opt-out: If you don’t want your chatbot conversations influencing your ads, the only option is not to use Meta AI at all."
Meta describes this natural progression, yet it's based on what is potentially the most private conversations people will have.
fortune.com/2025/10/02/m...
Meta describes this natural progression, yet it's based on what is potentially the most private conversations people will have.
fortune.com/2025/10/02/m...
When going through the transcript of tomorrow’s UX Fika podcast episode, ChatGPT is captured as ‘Chatty Petty’ and that may just be what I call it from now on
September 29, 2025 at 12:51 PM
When going through the transcript of tomorrow’s UX Fika podcast episode, ChatGPT is captured as ‘Chatty Petty’ and that may just be what I call it from now on
Here's a little post I just shared over on Substack around what the book Monkey Puzzle can teach us about the importance of creating a shared understanding. Also shared as images below 🐒 🦋
open.substack.com/pub/annadahl...
open.substack.com/pub/annadahl...
Why Creating A Shared Understanding Is So Important
What a kids book can teach about the importance of starting from a shared understanding and six actionable steps to take for your next meeting or presentation.
open.substack.com
September 23, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Here's a little post I just shared over on Substack around what the book Monkey Puzzle can teach us about the importance of creating a shared understanding. Also shared as images below 🐒 🦋
open.substack.com/pub/annadahl...
open.substack.com/pub/annadahl...
Off to work with a client for the day. Won’t be home before bedtime. Saw eldest before leaving, she was in tears. Didn’t wake up youngest as then she’d be in tears too. Travel post kids, and with fairly small kids, hit differently.
September 23, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Off to work with a client for the day. Won’t be home before bedtime. Saw eldest before leaving, she was in tears. Didn’t wake up youngest as then she’d be in tears too. Travel post kids, and with fairly small kids, hit differently.
Nike's re-introduction of the "Just Do It" slogan to today's generation through the "Why do it?" campaign, came up in a LinkedIn post today. I'd not seen it but I really like it.
We need more focus on the why, daring to try, and believing that you can. That we can.
about.nike.com/en/newsroom/...
We need more focus on the why, daring to try, and believing that you can. That we can.
about.nike.com/en/newsroom/...
Nike Reintroduces “Just Do It” to Today’s Generation with “Why Do It?” Campaign — NIKE, Inc.
After nearly four decades of inspiring athletes to reach their dreams through “Just Do It,” Nike is reintroducing the iconic rallying cry to a new generation with the launch of its latest campaign, &q...
about.nike.com
September 22, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Nike's re-introduction of the "Just Do It" slogan to today's generation through the "Why do it?" campaign, came up in a LinkedIn post today. I'd not seen it but I really like it.
We need more focus on the why, daring to try, and believing that you can. That we can.
about.nike.com/en/newsroom/...
We need more focus on the why, daring to try, and believing that you can. That we can.
about.nike.com/en/newsroom/...
This is one of those conversations that make you stop and really think podcasts.apple.com/se/podcast/t...
I too think UBI is going to be needed in the future, and that AIs impact and the utopia that Mo talks about could be a possibility. As much as I love to work, there is so much more…
I too think UBI is going to be needed in the future, and that AIs impact and the utopia that Mo talks about could be a possibility. As much as I love to work, there is so much more…
Ex-Google Exec (Mo Gawdat) on AI: The Next 15 Years Will Be Hell Before We Get To Heaven… And Only These 5 Jobs Will Remain!
Poddavsnitt · The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett · 2025-08-04 · 2 tim 36 min
podcasts.apple.com
August 21, 2025 at 6:52 AM
This is one of those conversations that make you stop and really think podcasts.apple.com/se/podcast/t...
I too think UBI is going to be needed in the future, and that AIs impact and the utopia that Mo talks about could be a possibility. As much as I love to work, there is so much more…
I too think UBI is going to be needed in the future, and that AIs impact and the utopia that Mo talks about could be a possibility. As much as I love to work, there is so much more…
”If we give up as soon as one person says “it can’t be done” then we will never innovate or inspire.”
www.linkedin.com/pulse/stream...
www.linkedin.com/pulse/stream...
The Streaming Story I Never Told (Until Now)
The year was 2004, and I was working at Cutting Room Studios, Scandinavia’s leading mastering studios with long-standing relationships with what we called the Big Four: Universal Music Group, Sony BMG...
www.linkedin.com
July 9, 2025 at 7:49 PM
”If we give up as soon as one person says “it can’t be done” then we will never innovate or inspire.”
www.linkedin.com/pulse/stream...
www.linkedin.com/pulse/stream...
This:
"The companies that will win aren't just bolting AI onto their current offerings. They're asking fundamentally different questions: How does AI change our entire customer journey? What new business models become possible?"
"The companies that will win aren't just bolting AI onto their current offerings. They're asking fundamentally different questions: How does AI change our entire customer journey? What new business models become possible?"
Are you building AI features, or are you reimagining what's possible? | Melissa Perri
Are you building AI features, or are you reimagining what's possible? Last month I spoke to 140+ executives at the JMI Equity AI Product & Technology Roundtable, and this question kept coming up.…
www.linkedin.com
July 8, 2025 at 10:16 AM
This:
"The companies that will win aren't just bolting AI onto their current offerings. They're asking fundamentally different questions: How does AI change our entire customer journey? What new business models become possible?"
"The companies that will win aren't just bolting AI onto their current offerings. They're asking fundamentally different questions: How does AI change our entire customer journey? What new business models become possible?"
"And it means being willing to slow down, to question the output, and to value the effort of thinking as much as the result."
Are we gaining efficiency with LLMs? Or losing the ability to think?
In the age of large language models (LLMs) and generative AI, we are witnessing an unprecedented transformation in how knowledge is produced, disseminated, and consumed. These tools can summarise…
www.linkedin.com
July 2, 2025 at 10:16 AM
"And it means being willing to slow down, to question the output, and to value the effort of thinking as much as the result."
Episode 4 of the UX Fika podcast is now live, where I talk to @andybudd.bsky.social about leaving Clearleft, his serendipty break, learning to fly and cave dive, amongst other things open.spotify.com/episode/4DMx...
#4: Andy Budd on Leaving Clearleft, Taking A Serendipity Break, and Learning To Fly and Cave Dive
The UX Fika Podcast · Episode
open.spotify.com
June 25, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Episode 4 of the UX Fika podcast is now live, where I talk to @andybudd.bsky.social about leaving Clearleft, his serendipty break, learning to fly and cave dive, amongst other things open.spotify.com/episode/4DMx...
At first, TTR (Time To Revenue) may seem like a good one to measure, but when you look at it more closely, the conclusion, as @jeffgothelf.bsky.social writes, "TTR is likely not a good measure of success"
Can Your Team Really Own Time to Revenue?
"Time to revenue" sounds useful—but in complex orgs, it's rarely something teams can influence directly. Before you measure it, ask: who really controls when the money comes in?
jeffgothelf.com
June 23, 2025 at 10:16 AM
At first, TTR (Time To Revenue) may seem like a good one to measure, but when you look at it more closely, the conclusion, as @jeffgothelf.bsky.social writes, "TTR is likely not a good measure of success"
"It suggests that the faster something is done, the better. But faster is not always better. And not everything that can be automated should be."
A good read on LLMs and efficiencies www.linkedin.com/pulse/we-gai...
A good read on LLMs and efficiencies www.linkedin.com/pulse/we-gai...
Are we gaining efficiency with LLMs? Or losing the ability to think?
In the age of large language models (LLMs) and generative AI, we are witnessing an unprecedented transformation in how knowledge is produced, disseminated, and consumed. These tools can summarise dens...
www.linkedin.com
June 23, 2025 at 8:13 AM
"It suggests that the faster something is done, the better. But faster is not always better. And not everything that can be automated should be."
A good read on LLMs and efficiencies www.linkedin.com/pulse/we-gai...
A good read on LLMs and efficiencies www.linkedin.com/pulse/we-gai...
"Look mum - I'm on Spotify!"
I tried that on the kids but they weren't as impressed as I thought they would be 😆
Probably as my appearance doesn't involve songs about poo and such.
You might enjoy it though
I tried that on the kids but they weren't as impressed as I thought they would be 😆
Probably as my appearance doesn't involve songs about poo and such.
You might enjoy it though
The UX Fika Podcast
Podcast · with Anna Dahlström · The UX Fika Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Anna Dahlström. In this show, she chats to friends from the UX, tech and conference scene and gets to know them at a…
open.spotify.com
June 22, 2025 at 7:14 PM
"Look mum - I'm on Spotify!"
I tried that on the kids but they weren't as impressed as I thought they would be 😆
Probably as my appearance doesn't involve songs about poo and such.
You might enjoy it though
I tried that on the kids but they weren't as impressed as I thought they would be 😆
Probably as my appearance doesn't involve songs about poo and such.
You might enjoy it though
"In the SEO days you could kind of "growth hack" your way to success, but when AI uses training data for an answer, you got a lot more work to do, so it is more of an influence campaign than an optimization effort."
What is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) & how does it impact SEO?
Learn what GEO is, how it threatens SEO, and how to manage the transition, with findings from our research.
www.seerinteractive.com
June 21, 2025 at 10:16 AM
"In the SEO days you could kind of "growth hack" your way to success, but when AI uses training data for an answer, you got a lot more work to do, so it is more of an influence campaign than an optimization effort."
I'm excited to share the first 3 episodes of the UX Fika Podcast, the show where I catch up with friends from the UX and conference scene and talk about the things we seldom have time for when we meet at dinners, conferences, and meet-ups.
Here are the first 3 guests:
Here are the first 3 guests:
June 20, 2025 at 6:44 AM
I'm excited to share the first 3 episodes of the UX Fika Podcast, the show where I catch up with friends from the UX and conference scene and talk about the things we seldom have time for when we meet at dinners, conferences, and meet-ups.
Here are the first 3 guests:
Here are the first 3 guests:
"Your presentation is only as effective as the action it inspires"
- Nancy Duarte
Brilliant advice in this post on how to create and give better presentations.
- Nancy Duarte
Brilliant advice in this post on how to create and give better presentations.
This is the MOST COSTLY mistake you can make with your high-stakes presentations. | Nancy Duarte
This is the MOST COSTLY mistake you can make with your high-stakes presentations. And, unfortunately, it's VERY common. People often make it without even realizing it… I’m talking about putting more…
www.linkedin.com
June 14, 2025 at 7:01 AM
"Your presentation is only as effective as the action it inspires"
- Nancy Duarte
Brilliant advice in this post on how to create and give better presentations.
- Nancy Duarte
Brilliant advice in this post on how to create and give better presentations.
One to look at
State of AI in Design Report 2025
The State of AI in Design report is a collaboration between Foundation Capital and Designer Fund that explores how AI is changing the way design teams work, including adoption patterns, pain points,…
www.stateofaidesign.com
May 27, 2025 at 10:33 AM
One to look at
"For the motivated, the curious, the critical thinkers, and self-directed learners, AI offers an incredible opportunity [...] But for the unmotivated, the intellectually passive, those who seek shortcuts around genuine understanding? They risk not only stagnation but decline"
Those who treat AI as a magic wand waved over passive ambition will easily be outcompeted, even by AIs themselves. The gap between the motivated and the unmotivated widens. The average and the overachievers. This will be true across all sectors of knowledge work.
open.substack.com/pub/sineadbo...
open.substack.com/pub/sineadbo...
AI is Coming for the Unmotivated
Vibe Coding, Cognitive Offloading, and AI's Gift to the Driven
open.substack.com
May 22, 2025 at 1:45 PM
"For the motivated, the curious, the critical thinkers, and self-directed learners, AI offers an incredible opportunity [...] But for the unmotivated, the intellectually passive, those who seek shortcuts around genuine understanding? They risk not only stagnation but decline"
"The reason it "worked" the first time was because it wasn't planned and constructed. It was authentic. It was a moment that happened to me, and a moment the audience got to be a part of. It pulled them in."
That time I almost started crying on stage
A story about how an unplanned moment turned into a success and why circumstances matter when we tell our stories
substack.com
May 22, 2025 at 10:16 AM
"The reason it "worked" the first time was because it wasn't planned and constructed. It was authentic. It was a moment that happened to me, and a moment the audience got to be a part of. It pulled them in."
This is one of my favourite quotes and metaphors when it comes to doing research, discovery work, and also for understanding our audience when it comes to presentations.
It's a quote by Chuck Sambuchino, a freelance editor and former editor with Writer’s Digest Books.
It's a quote by Chuck Sambuchino, a freelance editor and former editor with Writer’s Digest Books.
May 21, 2025 at 10:16 AM
This is one of my favourite quotes and metaphors when it comes to doing research, discovery work, and also for understanding our audience when it comes to presentations.
It's a quote by Chuck Sambuchino, a freelance editor and former editor with Writer’s Digest Books.
It's a quote by Chuck Sambuchino, a freelance editor and former editor with Writer’s Digest Books.
Every week I write a newsletter called 'Start of the week'. It's a weekly round-up of things I've come across related to storytelling, UX and AI. It always leads with an opening story. This week that story was about the importance of listening www.linkedin.com/pulse/start-...
Start of the week | LinkedIn
Anna Dahlström | A weekly round up of recommendations and reflections that I hope will help set you up for a good start of the week.
www.linkedin.com
May 21, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Every week I write a newsletter called 'Start of the week'. It's a weekly round-up of things I've come across related to storytelling, UX and AI. It always leads with an opening story. This week that story was about the importance of listening www.linkedin.com/pulse/start-...
There is a very nice truth in this, as contradictory as it is.
substack.com/@oliverburke...?
substack.com/@oliverburke...?
May 21, 2025 at 6:42 AM
There is a very nice truth in this, as contradictory as it is.
substack.com/@oliverburke...?
substack.com/@oliverburke...?