Omar Yacoubi
@omaryak.net
What I’m reading about the news, urbanism, tech & the zeitgeist. UX designer / strategist @omyk.co and 2x Big 5, Cisco alum thinking globally 🌐 posting locally in the
📍SF Bay Area, CA
┃ Opinions mine (not shared at work)
🔗 linktr.ee/omaryak
📍SF Bay Area, CA
┃ Opinions mine (not shared at work)
🔗 linktr.ee/omaryak
Ever-changing, ever-evolving, like the squiggles of dirt around Pigpen in the “Peanuts” cartoons —and sure, in polite company we keep most of that hidden. “The dust under the rug,” I’ve said on thornier #ux projects. A useful cutoff point for inquiry
ar.inspiredpencil.com/pictures-202...
ar.inspiredpencil.com/pictures-202...
November 5, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Ever-changing, ever-evolving, like the squiggles of dirt around Pigpen in the “Peanuts” cartoons —and sure, in polite company we keep most of that hidden. “The dust under the rug,” I’ve said on thornier #ux projects. A useful cutoff point for inquiry
ar.inspiredpencil.com/pictures-202...
ar.inspiredpencil.com/pictures-202...
It’s been a while since I heard the phrase “big ball of #humanity” —I had never understood it as a group of humans. I thought it was the hairball inside each of us: different threads waiting to be unraveled, rearranged
We show different strings at different times, each with a different tone
We show different strings at different times, each with a different tone
November 5, 2025 at 10:00 PM
It’s been a while since I heard the phrase “big ball of #humanity” —I had never understood it as a group of humans. I thought it was the hairball inside each of us: different threads waiting to be unraveled, rearranged
We show different strings at different times, each with a different tone
We show different strings at different times, each with a different tone
It’s a Babel Fish. Don’t forget your towel
October 31, 2025 at 8:00 PM
It’s a Babel Fish. Don’t forget your towel
One of my favorite graphics I had shared with #ux stakeholders in the past, when knowledge still mattered on the job
… and rationale in #design is more important than ever to distinguish human efforts from AI slop
hbr.org/2025/09/ai-g...
… and rationale in #design is more important than ever to distinguish human efforts from AI slop
hbr.org/2025/09/ai-g...
October 31, 2025 at 1:49 PM
One of my favorite graphics I had shared with #ux stakeholders in the past, when knowledge still mattered on the job
… and rationale in #design is more important than ever to distinguish human efforts from AI slop
hbr.org/2025/09/ai-g...
… and rationale in #design is more important than ever to distinguish human efforts from AI slop
hbr.org/2025/09/ai-g...
One of my favorite ad campaigns in the 1990s was when Starbucks was convincing Americans at that time to adopt an iced coffee habit, new to us back then
Their pitch? “Join the cubist movement: ask for it on ice.” My family actually took a poster home to have on display
#marketing #brandhistory
Their pitch? “Join the cubist movement: ask for it on ice.” My family actually took a poster home to have on display
#marketing #brandhistory
October 12, 2025 at 2:17 AM
One of my favorite ad campaigns in the 1990s was when Starbucks was convincing Americans at that time to adopt an iced coffee habit, new to us back then
Their pitch? “Join the cubist movement: ask for it on ice.” My family actually took a poster home to have on display
#marketing #brandhistory
Their pitch? “Join the cubist movement: ask for it on ice.” My family actually took a poster home to have on display
#marketing #brandhistory
… or I could be a monkey of moderate intelligence wearing a suit, with one of the infinite number of typewriters landing on the works of Shakespeare
That could be why keeping lines of communication open works well enough in #business, even if you don’t get to the best result right away
That could be why keeping lines of communication open works well enough in #business, even if you don’t get to the best result right away
October 5, 2025 at 8:01 PM
… or I could be a monkey of moderate intelligence wearing a suit, with one of the infinite number of typewriters landing on the works of Shakespeare
That could be why keeping lines of communication open works well enough in #business, even if you don’t get to the best result right away
That could be why keeping lines of communication open works well enough in #business, even if you don’t get to the best result right away
My self-branded consultancy’s marketing tagline may have been a bit prophetic in that regard:
October 5, 2025 at 7:50 PM
My self-branded consultancy’s marketing tagline may have been a bit prophetic in that regard:
The original portion size was 6 ounces, the amount of fluid doctors recommend with a meal. Twelve ounces was “king” sized
September 27, 2025 at 8:29 PM
The original portion size was 6 ounces, the amount of fluid doctors recommend with a meal. Twelve ounces was “king” sized
OK, but Advil LiquiGels™ are where it’s at
September 23, 2025 at 6:13 PM
OK, but Advil LiquiGels™ are where it’s at
The #humanities matter more than ever in #business. Grateful for my poetry and journalism classes in college
sloanreview.mit.edu/article/owni...
sloanreview.mit.edu/article/owni...
September 1, 2025 at 7:24 AM
The #humanities matter more than ever in #business. Grateful for my poetry and journalism classes in college
sloanreview.mit.edu/article/owni...
sloanreview.mit.edu/article/owni...
Liking these #jimspeaks ads from Moving Brands a few years back to remind us of some core #design principles before the AI age began in earnest
AI can only copy what’s there. Design still gives us something new
AI can only copy what’s there. Design still gives us something new
August 4, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Liking these #jimspeaks ads from Moving Brands a few years back to remind us of some core #design principles before the AI age began in earnest
AI can only copy what’s there. Design still gives us something new
AI can only copy what’s there. Design still gives us something new
#Xfinity looks like the best internet deal out there these days, especially with boosted upload speeds for 2025 that make the experience more fiber-like. Very low latency, and more than enough for most everyday needs
www.pcmag.com/news/comcast...
@corporate.comcast.com
www.pcmag.com/news/comcast...
@corporate.comcast.com
July 15, 2025 at 4:55 PM
#Xfinity looks like the best internet deal out there these days, especially with boosted upload speeds for 2025 that make the experience more fiber-like. Very low latency, and more than enough for most everyday needs
www.pcmag.com/news/comcast...
@corporate.comcast.com
www.pcmag.com/news/comcast...
@corporate.comcast.com
The hard truths are often what need telling, in interpersonal situations whether at work or in our friendships. As friends or as fellow citizens, colleagues
July 15, 2025 at 6:58 AM
The hard truths are often what need telling, in interpersonal situations whether at work or in our friendships. As friends or as fellow citizens, colleagues
“Part aesthete, part visionary, and part anthropologist,” designers “bring added meaning [to] enhance our quality of life.” Marc Gobé put it best in his book “Emotional Branding,” and it’s only fitting that the modern equivalent of marketing is experience design, or #ux
July 12, 2025 at 4:00 AM
“Part aesthete, part visionary, and part anthropologist,” designers “bring added meaning [to] enhance our quality of life.” Marc Gobé put it best in his book “Emotional Branding,” and it’s only fitting that the modern equivalent of marketing is experience design, or #ux
Nice to see something new that doesn’t make my eyes bleed. Good design is usable, not just aesthetic
July 12, 2025 at 3:45 AM
Nice to see something new that doesn’t make my eyes bleed. Good design is usable, not just aesthetic
July 3, 2025 at 12:57 PM
A fabulous close to SF Pride Month this weekend, Happy Pride to all who attended
[📸 photo: Tony Cruz]
[📸 photo: Tony Cruz]
July 1, 2025 at 3:08 AM
A fabulous close to SF Pride Month this weekend, Happy Pride to all who attended
[📸 photo: Tony Cruz]
[📸 photo: Tony Cruz]
“Building trust” is the most toxic corporate #culture phrase I’ve come across. It enables tone policing and other inhuman behaviors that prevent us from getting work good done. How about assuming good faith until proven otherwise? There was a reason I had made it through the interview process
June 14, 2025 at 9:50 PM
“Building trust” is the most toxic corporate #culture phrase I’ve come across. It enables tone policing and other inhuman behaviors that prevent us from getting work good done. How about assuming good faith until proven otherwise? There was a reason I had made it through the interview process
Yep, that’s the money quote—maybe even the $44 billion one.
Words are cheap. Original thoughts are harder to come by. And that’s why meetings are often the worst place for collaboration
Words are cheap. Original thoughts are harder to come by. And that’s why meetings are often the worst place for collaboration
June 13, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Yep, that’s the money quote—maybe even the $44 billion one.
Words are cheap. Original thoughts are harder to come by. And that’s why meetings are often the worst place for collaboration
Words are cheap. Original thoughts are harder to come by. And that’s why meetings are often the worst place for collaboration
The cure for #fascism is to avoid fear, FDR knew. Marie Curie goes further: understanding cures fear. But to learn something, you might have to be prepared to avoid fragility and build some resilience in response to unfamiliar information
#antifascism [ 📷 BuzzFeed / ThinkStock ]
#antifascism [ 📷 BuzzFeed / ThinkStock ]
June 13, 2025 at 3:50 AM
The cure for #fascism is to avoid fear, FDR knew. Marie Curie goes further: understanding cures fear. But to learn something, you might have to be prepared to avoid fragility and build some resilience in response to unfamiliar information
#antifascism [ 📷 BuzzFeed / ThinkStock ]
#antifascism [ 📷 BuzzFeed / ThinkStock ]
The fusion of electronic and jazz captured my interest for a long time, and I was lucky to see Caravan Palace perform their stuff live and in-person at Oakland’s Fox Theater some years ago
Jazz improv and futuristic beats were peak freedom and futurism in one
www.instagram.com/p/BGbIgX8Dxcb
Jazz improv and futuristic beats were peak freedom and futurism in one
www.instagram.com/p/BGbIgX8Dxcb
June 10, 2025 at 10:43 AM
The fusion of electronic and jazz captured my interest for a long time, and I was lucky to see Caravan Palace perform their stuff live and in-person at Oakland’s Fox Theater some years ago
Jazz improv and futuristic beats were peak freedom and futurism in one
www.instagram.com/p/BGbIgX8Dxcb
Jazz improv and futuristic beats were peak freedom and futurism in one
www.instagram.com/p/BGbIgX8Dxcb
I had this as a refrigerator magnet in our house growing up as a way to teach tolerance. I realize now the same quote applies to #privilege, how you might treat someone outside your in-group when you are “otherizing” them —a factor in racism, bigotry and #fascism
www.amazon.com/dp/B07FPVCQLY
www.amazon.com/dp/B07FPVCQLY
May 30, 2025 at 11:42 PM
I had this as a refrigerator magnet in our house growing up as a way to teach tolerance. I realize now the same quote applies to #privilege, how you might treat someone outside your in-group when you are “otherizing” them —a factor in racism, bigotry and #fascism
www.amazon.com/dp/B07FPVCQLY
www.amazon.com/dp/B07FPVCQLY
If your team is more on the philosophical side, they may appreciate this quote from Antoine de St.-Éxupery—perfectionism can be paralyzing, but we can always strive for excellence
#design #business #strategy
minimalistquotes.com/antoine-de-s...
#design #business #strategy
minimalistquotes.com/antoine-de-s...
May 30, 2025 at 9:15 PM
If your team is more on the philosophical side, they may appreciate this quote from Antoine de St.-Éxupery—perfectionism can be paralyzing, but we can always strive for excellence
#design #business #strategy
minimalistquotes.com/antoine-de-s...
#design #business #strategy
minimalistquotes.com/antoine-de-s...
