Explaining the world one sketch at a time

Simplifying complex ideas through fun and insightful sketches. Explore topics from science, creativity, psychology, and more explained in pictures.

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Recent sketches

The misattribution of arousal

It turns out when our body gets excited about something, we can’t reliably tell what caused the excitement. In David McRaney’s brilliant article, he explains how we routinely misattribute physiological arousal and how the most common target of misattribution is other people. It’s part of why doing challenging or exciting activities with your partner can help strengthen your relationship, and why roller coasters and scary movies can make great first dates — when we reflect on the time, we often assume that it was the person we were with that helped get our heart racing rather than the excitement of the activity. Don’t use this effect for evil.…It turns out when our body gets excited about something, we can’t reliably tell what caused the excitement. In David McRaney’s brilliant article, he explains how we routinely misattribute physiological arousal and how the most common target of misattribution is other people. It’s part of why doing challenging or exciting activities with your partner can help strengthen your relationship, and why roller coasters and scary movies can make great first dates — when we reflect on the time, we often assume that it was the person we were with that helped get our heart racing rather than the excitement of the activity. Don’t use this effect for evil.

5 May 2018

Recession vs depression

There don’t seem to perfect definitions for either recessions or depressions. A recession is commonly defined as two successive declining quarters of GDP, but it’s not gospel. And a depression is a kind of prolonged recession for 3–4 years. So I liked Harry Truman’s clarifying explanation — US president from 1945–1953: A recession is when your neighbour loses his job. A depression is when you lose yours. —Harry Truman …There don’t seem to perfect definitions for either recessions or depressions. A recession is commonly defined as two successive declining quarters of GDP, but it’s not gospel. And a depression is a kind of prolonged recession for 3–4 years. So I liked Harry Truman’s clarifying explanation — US president from 1945–1953: A recession is when your neighbour loses his job. A depression is when you lose yours. —Harry Truman

28 Apr 2018

The "virtuous cycle" of Amazon and Uber illustration: closed loop flow diagrams demonstrate the effect of growth on factors like demand, price and service for Amazon and Uber.

The ‘Virtuous Cycles’ of Amazon and Uber

Networks effects can lead to massive, rapid growth especially if you manage to get a virtuous cycle turning. Amazon leveraged this model by Jeff Bezos in 2001 for mega growth. Amazon calls it a virtuous cycle (and some call it a virtuous circle). And, more recently, the Uber variation, by David Sacks explains much of Uber’s wild ride. The virtuous cycle is a form of flywheel where once it gets going it keeps on spinning. When you build a platform that leverages network effects in the right way it can enable growth way beyond what has historically been possible. Also, see Metcalfe’s Law, the business flywheel, exercise and sleep …Networks effects can lead to massive, rapid growth especially if you manage to get a virtuous cycle turning. Amazon leveraged this model by Jeff Bezos in 2001 for mega growth. Amazon calls it a virtuous cycle (and some call it a virtuous circle). And, more recently, the Uber variation, by David Sacks explains much of Uber’s wild ride. The virtuous cycle is a form of flywheel where once it gets going it keeps on spinning. When you build a platform that leverages network effects in the right way it can enable growth way beyond what has historically been possible. Also, see Metcalfe’s Law, the business flywheel, exercise and sleep

21 Apr 2018

OODA Loop

The OODA loop is military strategist John Boyd’s framework for combat operations that also turns out to apply quite well to businesses and learning in general. It emphasizes a rapid cycle of Observing, Orienting, Deciding and Acting. Though it’s not so different from the classic test-learn cycle or a good design process, Boyd’s framework has a lot of nuances. I found applying it to my own life valuable because: The faster you can do this loop—in your work or in a conflict of any kind—the more solutions you can try and the quicker you will learn. If you’re competing against others, completing your OODA loop fast and acting to change the environment for them means you can disrupt their loop and force them back to the observation step before they can act. It slows them down, creates confusion and gives you an advantage. To apply the OODA loop to a business context, it can help to reconsider the points on the cycle as Frame, Strategize, Test, and Gather. I learned about it from Reid Hoffman’s excellent Masters of Scale podcast. The OODA loop features in my book Big Ideas Little Pictures My original OODA loop sketch was an animation…The OODA loop is military strategist John Boyd’s framework for combat operations that also turns out to apply quite well to businesses and learning in general. It emphasizes a rapid cycle of Observing, Orienting, Deciding and Acting. Though it’s not so different from the classic test-learn cycle or a good design process, Boyd’s framework has a lot of nuances. I found applying it to my own life valuable because: The faster you can do this loop—in your work or in a conflict of any kind—the more solutions you can try and the quicker you will learn. If you’re competing against others, completing your OODA loop fast and acting to change the environment for them means you can disrupt their loop and force them back to the observation step before they can act. It slows them down, creates confusion and gives you an advantage. To apply the OODA loop to a business context, it can help to reconsider the points on the cycle as Frame, Strategize, Test, and Gather. I learned about it from Reid Hoffman’s excellent Masters of Scale podcast. The OODA loop features in my book Big Ideas Little Pictures My original OODA loop sketch was an animation

14 Apr 2018

What is a blue moon?

What is a blue moon? A blue moon is a full moon that hits twice in a calendar month. Given the cycle from full moon to full moon is about 29.5 days and months are generally 30 or 31 days a full moon appearing twice in a month doesn’t happen very often. And February never has a blue moon. I like this definition, but it is apparently a modification of the original definition which is a little more complicated. The original blue moon definition is explained like this. Given the 29.5 day cycle, most seasons of 3 months have 3 full moons. But every now and then, a season would come by, like Sep, Oct, Nov in the sketch, where there would be 4 full moons. The 3rd of these was known as a blue moon, or a seasonal blue moon. See why I like the modern definition? Here’s a good article that explains the subtleties and history of blue moons. Check out more moon or astronomy explanations…What is a blue moon? A blue moon is a full moon that hits twice in a calendar month. Given the cycle from full moon to full moon is about 29.5 days and months are generally 30 or 31 days a full moon appearing twice in a month doesn’t happen very often. And February never has a blue moon. I like this definition, but it is apparently a modification of the original definition which is a little more complicated. The original blue moon definition is explained like this. Given the 29.5 day cycle, most seasons of 3 months have 3 full moons. But every now and then, a season would come by, like Sep, Oct, Nov in the sketch, where there would be 4 full moons. The 3rd of these was known as a blue moon, or a seasonal blue moon. See why I like the modern definition? Here’s a good article that explains the subtleties and history of blue moons. Check out more moon or astronomy explanations

7 Apr 2018

Rival and non-rival goods

This is surely at least part of the reason that “software is eating the world.” But I’m sure coffee will stick around for a bit too.…

31 Mar 2018

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