Benjamin Searle
@searle.hu
asking 'how's your energy?' ca. 2023
🔬 PhD CS/HCI Well-being & AI - @ UCL
🎨 Director @ No Blank Space
🏠 searle.hu
🔬 PhD CS/HCI Well-being & AI - @ UCL
🎨 Director @ No Blank Space
🏠 searle.hu
Another [self-tracking for self improvement] bites the dust
We have more data on ourselves than ever before. But can we really track our way into happiness? | Samantha Floreani
Self-tracking is regularly promoted as a way toward self-improvement. But life is not a mathematical problem waiting to be solved
www.theguardian.com
April 7, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Another [self-tracking for self improvement] bites the dust
with all the wearable AI hype slowly shifting, what are the actual use cases that seem to have stuck?
... looking at rewind.ai last man standing here ...
... looking at rewind.ai last man standing here ...
March 25, 2025 at 3:47 PM
with all the wearable AI hype slowly shifting, what are the actual use cases that seem to have stuck?
... looking at rewind.ai last man standing here ...
... looking at rewind.ai last man standing here ...
opened up Xcode simulator ... why so small?
March 20, 2025 at 4:46 PM
opened up Xcode simulator ... why so small?
love to see this research on energy!
one thing that isn't mentioned is how important your environment is
noise, light, smells, *clutter*, putting off chores all stimulate senses that take up energy ... tidy up your desk!
www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...
#wellbeing #hci #energy
one thing that isn't mentioned is how important your environment is
noise, light, smells, *clutter*, putting off chores all stimulate senses that take up energy ... tidy up your desk!
www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...
#wellbeing #hci #energy
March 19, 2025 at 2:06 PM
love to see this research on energy!
one thing that isn't mentioned is how important your environment is
noise, light, smells, *clutter*, putting off chores all stimulate senses that take up energy ... tidy up your desk!
www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...
#wellbeing #hci #energy
one thing that isn't mentioned is how important your environment is
noise, light, smells, *clutter*, putting off chores all stimulate senses that take up energy ... tidy up your desk!
www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...
#wellbeing #hci #energy
❤️ my #amulet of the day
finally found the time to keep working on this project, feeling energised and motivated
here's to wishing for more 'toy software'
#buildinpublic #indiedev #ios
finally found the time to keep working on this project, feeling energised and motivated
here's to wishing for more 'toy software'
#buildinpublic #indiedev #ios
March 19, 2025 at 1:24 PM
❤️ my #amulet of the day
finally found the time to keep working on this project, feeling energised and motivated
here's to wishing for more 'toy software'
#buildinpublic #indiedev #ios
finally found the time to keep working on this project, feeling energised and motivated
here's to wishing for more 'toy software'
#buildinpublic #indiedev #ios
OS design has always derived from the *context of interaction*. That has not changed significantly since the introduction of iOS/Android or even in desktop computing. Phones are used in the same contexts, laptops are used in the same contexts. AI won't make an impact until its in a novel context
Something I feel like we need to go back to is OS research (viz? HCI?) research that fundamentally reimagines the way you use your operating system. Things like "apple intelligence" could *actually be awesome* if they weren't just naive wrappers and instead total reimaginings of the experience.
March 10, 2025 at 4:26 PM
OS design has always derived from the *context of interaction*. That has not changed significantly since the introduction of iOS/Android or even in desktop computing. Phones are used in the same contexts, laptops are used in the same contexts. AI won't make an impact until its in a novel context
🎟️ What software would you classify as a prop or a toy ?
A Toy can take on one or many roles when playing. A prop is never necessary for play, but its use unmistakably shapes the interaction space and its opportunities.
#indiedev #play #software #HCI #UX #blog
A Toy can take on one or many roles when playing. A prop is never necessary for play, but its use unmistakably shapes the interaction space and its opportunities.
#indiedev #play #software #HCI #UX #blog
What is software for play missing?
A case for 'toyification' over gamification
open.substack.com
March 3, 2025 at 10:06 AM
“the question is a visual way to ask: what do you carry with you on an every day basis - and - how are you prepared to handle the expected/unexpected?”
Enjoy! 🎟️
Enjoy! 🎟️
Whats in your rucksack?
Metaphorically speaking...
open.substack.com
February 16, 2025 at 9:27 AM
“the question is a visual way to ask: what do you carry with you on an every day basis - and - how are you prepared to handle the expected/unexpected?”
Enjoy! 🎟️
Enjoy! 🎟️
Finally back into writing 🎟️ Ticket to Talk this year - got 2 more lined up for February! Come visit for some conversations on toy software et al ❣️
February 14, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Finally back into writing 🎟️ Ticket to Talk this year - got 2 more lined up for February! Come visit for some conversations on toy software et al ❣️
I may be early in my career, but I think this also applies to academic #HCI and UC researxh regardless of your area / interest / methods
Want to future-proof your career as a designer?
Invest your time and resources in:
- Becoming more technical
- Improving your taste
- Building your own distribution
Do these things, and you'll be unstoppable.
Invest your time and resources in:
- Becoming more technical
- Improving your taste
- Building your own distribution
Do these things, and you'll be unstoppable.
January 13, 2025 at 12:36 PM
I may be early in my career, but I think this also applies to academic #HCI and UC researxh regardless of your area / interest / methods
Reposted by Benjamin Searle
As we kick off the first week of quarter, I am reminded that I my mental model is *absolutely* directory structure and I have no idea how students now live their entire lives in the chaotic laundry basket that is Google Drive. This article explains it so well: www.theverge.com/22684730/stu...
Students who grew up with search engines might change STEM education forever
Professors are struggling to teach Gen Z
www.theverge.com
January 8, 2025 at 11:08 PM
As we kick off the first week of quarter, I am reminded that I my mental model is *absolutely* directory structure and I have no idea how students now live their entire lives in the chaotic laundry basket that is Google Drive. This article explains it so well: www.theverge.com/22684730/stu...
Research tl;dr 💬 LLMs are parents trying their best 💛
Some observations from my genAI literature review:
Positives +
- LLMs make people feel seen
- LLMs encourages people and is supportive
Negatives -
- LLMs DO judge via generalisation and assumptions
- LLMs without clear roles cause frustration
Some observations from my genAI literature review:
Positives +
- LLMs make people feel seen
- LLMs encourages people and is supportive
Negatives -
- LLMs DO judge via generalisation and assumptions
- LLMs without clear roles cause frustration
January 7, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Research tl;dr 💬 LLMs are parents trying their best 💛
Some observations from my genAI literature review:
Positives +
- LLMs make people feel seen
- LLMs encourages people and is supportive
Negatives -
- LLMs DO judge via generalisation and assumptions
- LLMs without clear roles cause frustration
Some observations from my genAI literature review:
Positives +
- LLMs make people feel seen
- LLMs encourages people and is supportive
Negatives -
- LLMs DO judge via generalisation and assumptions
- LLMs without clear roles cause frustration
January 2, 2025 at 9:58 AM
design trend of 2025 is to redesign your website every month to stay ahead of 2025 design trends
January 2, 2025 at 9:02 AM
design trend of 2025 is to redesign your website every month to stay ahead of 2025 design trends
I want to see a paper that investigates whether ChatGPT is actually that much better or are search engines just getting worse
December 18, 2024 at 12:41 PM
I want to see a paper that investigates whether ChatGPT is actually that much better or are search engines just getting worse
the more I read genAI papers in HCI the more I feel like the internet got ruined by clickbait and 'search optimisation' - not AI... People just want to find answers, not fluff and ads...
December 18, 2024 at 12:32 PM
the more I read genAI papers in HCI the more I feel like the internet got ruined by clickbait and 'search optimisation' - not AI... People just want to find answers, not fluff and ads...
academic acronymisation is peak efficiency
December 10, 2024 at 1:10 PM
academic acronymisation is peak efficiency
This is the greatest ever website made since horoscope websites were invented
I think roasting might be the next big thing in 'ai journaling'
blueskyroast.com/roast/searle...
I think roasting might be the next big thing in 'ai journaling'
blueskyroast.com/roast/searle...
December 4, 2024 at 12:26 PM
This is the greatest ever website made since horoscope websites were invented
I think roasting might be the next big thing in 'ai journaling'
blueskyroast.com/roast/searle...
I think roasting might be the next big thing in 'ai journaling'
blueskyroast.com/roast/searle...
Anyone working on many projects at the same time?
I regularly have 3-6 projects going on in parallel and - whilst people have told me that focus is the only way to progress - I just find that the benefits outweigh the price... Here are some of the things that work for me searle.hu/working-on-m...
I regularly have 3-6 projects going on in parallel and - whilst people have told me that focus is the only way to progress - I just find that the benefits outweigh the price... Here are some of the things that work for me searle.hu/working-on-m...
December 3, 2024 at 3:18 PM
Anyone working on many projects at the same time?
I regularly have 3-6 projects going on in parallel and - whilst people have told me that focus is the only way to progress - I just find that the benefits outweigh the price... Here are some of the things that work for me searle.hu/working-on-m...
I regularly have 3-6 projects going on in parallel and - whilst people have told me that focus is the only way to progress - I just find that the benefits outweigh the price... Here are some of the things that work for me searle.hu/working-on-m...
thinking about wellbeing data and journal entries ...
this is the kind of research I wish I could do more of - any recs on data metaphors?
this is the kind of research I wish I could do more of - any recs on data metaphors?
November 28, 2024 at 1:55 PM
thinking about wellbeing data and journal entries ...
this is the kind of research I wish I could do more of - any recs on data metaphors?
this is the kind of research I wish I could do more of - any recs on data metaphors?
Screenshots should be smart and know whether to save the content or the actual screen. Like what if screenshot on 🦋 saved the thread to notes ? readwise get on this
November 27, 2024 at 12:03 PM
Screenshots should be smart and know whether to save the content or the actual screen. Like what if screenshot on 🦋 saved the thread to notes ? readwise get on this
After yet another 2 hours of trying to wrangle SwiftUI I find a stackoverflow link with a perfect solution ... using UIKit. Is SwiftUI still immature or are we just still stuck trying to make it work like UIKit?
November 27, 2024 at 12:21 AM
After yet another 2 hours of trying to wrangle SwiftUI I find a stackoverflow link with a perfect solution ... using UIKit. Is SwiftUI still immature or are we just still stuck trying to make it work like UIKit?
How would you describe the states of a creative project ie articles, apps, designs, ... ? 🚧 I'm thinking
- Idea
- Work in progress
- Draft
- ? Editorial ?
- Complete
But feels like its missing something...
Asking for a little project ...
- Idea
- Work in progress
- Draft
- ? Editorial ?
- Complete
But feels like its missing something...
Asking for a little project ...
November 20, 2024 at 2:34 PM
How would you describe the states of a creative project ie articles, apps, designs, ... ? 🚧 I'm thinking
- Idea
- Work in progress
- Draft
- ? Editorial ?
- Complete
But feels like its missing something...
Asking for a little project ...
- Idea
- Work in progress
- Draft
- ? Editorial ?
- Complete
But feels like its missing something...
Asking for a little project ...
Reposted by Benjamin Searle
cozyweb will be rapidly pulled forward from the future
November 18, 2024 at 7:12 PM
cozyweb will be rapidly pulled forward from the future