Summary: Identity resolution is tricky. Sometimes you want to resolve to a device, sometimes to an identifier (like an email address or phone number), and sometimes to the actual person. The right choice depends on your goals. Here are some examples to show why it matters. Do your customers think you’re incompetent? They might. You…
Summary: If you know a lot about different types of trees, you’re going to get more enjoyment out of a walk in the woods. If you know more about types of people, you’ll get to know them better, and you’ll be a better manager. But beware systems where people self-identify. Among your employees you have…
Summary: Trump’s dramatic tariff changes will certainly have an effect, but the global economy is a very complicated system. Macro-economic predictions do not have a good track record — often because the players adjust their behavior in response to market forces. Donald Trump has just announced a new round of tariffs. To say that the…
Summary: Most print fulfillment systems were designed before the concept of digital access was even a glint in Al Gore’s eye, and trying to make them work in the modern world can seem like running ChatGPT on a typewriter. But it can be done. Reconciling the capabilities of legacy fulfillment systems with the needs of…
Summary: I asked ChatGPT to write an e-newsletter on recent developments in B2B publishing. Here’s what I got. I did not change the text, but I did provide some additional formatting, and included some of the sources at the bottom of the article. B2B Publishing: Navigating New Frontiers AI Integration Reshapes B2B Publishing Landscape Artificial…
Summary: AI is much more advanced and scarier than you think it is. Here’s a small example from a conversation I had with it last night. I’ve seen a lot of creative people trying to convince themselves and others that AI isn’t a real threat because, you know, it hallucinates, and it misuses em dashes…
Summary: Create a spot in your work environment where you can avoid distractions and do head-down, serious work. It’s hard to do concentrated, single-minded work while your computer, your phone, and your iPad are all bleeping at you. Offices need to be designed for quiet space, and that includes your home office. If you work…
Summary: Among your employees you have some who rise to the top in certain traits. Are you paying attention? Are you identifying them and putting them where they’ll be the most effective? Myers-Briggs and similar personality tests are unscientific and potentially harmful. Use this method instead. Observe employees’ natural tendencies and deploy them effectively throughout…
Summary: Kidlin’s Law and Rubber Duck Debugging show that writing or verbalizing an issue brings clarity and often reveals a path to the solution. This article explores mental models like the Five Whys, dialectical thinking, and structured procrastination to enhance problem-solving. This morning I heard about Kidlin’s law, which instantly resonated. It’s one of those…
Summary: Subtle signals can send an emotional message you didn’t intend. Businesses must recognize hidden triggers in e-newsletters, videos, and podcasts to maintain engagement and trust. When my kids were little, I noticed something strange when we watched movies together. Before anything scary happened, they’d already be afraid. They weren’t reacting to what was on…
Summary: ChatGPT sometimes fails math-based questions because it defaults to text pattern-matching. To get better answers, explicitly instruct it to calculate, provide structured data, and verify its responses. ChatGPT Fails Catechism Class! I learned something interesting about the way ChatGPT processes information that might help you get better results when using AI tools. A friend…
Summary: Changing fulfillment providers can be a nightmare, but it’s also an opportunity to simplify outdated processes. This article explores the complexity of publishing fulfillment and makes a case for radical simplification. Yesterday, I spoke with some publisher friends about the possibility of changing fulfillment companies. I’ve done that a few times. I’ve also had…
Summary: Choosing the right words can make all the difference in communication. You can use ChatGPT to analyze relationships between words and phrases to find just the right word to convey the sense and the tone you choose. “Those are good words,” she told me. That phrase stuck with me. I was having a conversation…
I write, and I read a bit about writing. Plenty of people advocate strict methods for writers: write a page a day, wake up at 5:00 to get the words down, and stick to a schedule no matter what. On the other side, you have those who idolize the strange habits of creative geniuses —…
Summary: Artificial General Intelligence promises progress in many ways but also poses serious risks, including manipulation, job loss, and loss of control over our destiny. We seem to have two choices: halt AGI now or risk an unstoppable force that will dominate our future. You wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee made…