Welcome to First & Fifteenth
To researchers and technologists expanding the boundaries of design research
In This Newsletter
Welcome!
First: Introducing my free newsletter
Fifteenth: Introducing my paid newsletter
Help spread the word: Share this newsletter with other creative thinkers
Welcome!
This is a newsletter for researchers, technologists, and creative thinkers.
The impacts of design research are increasingly socio-technical. Whether our concerns are grappling with the expansion of AI, the datafication of our civic, social, or personal lives, to the political influence and impact of global platforms—interdisciplinary thinking and research are increasingly important needs.
First & Fifteenth will follow my interests across the creative arts, Black studies, design histories, data justice, and digital humanities, weaving these into lessons for doing culturally aware and insightful design research.
First
First, my free monthly newsletter will review a book related to technology, design, sociology, or the creative arts.
Free newsletters will be published on the 1st of each month.
In addition to the free newsletter, you will also get limited access to the previous three months of my publication archive.
My book review project originally started its life as an Instagram account.
In recent months, I have felt that Instagram’s algorithmic feed and prioritisation of fast-paced interaction increasingly conflicted with the slower-paced, reflective atmosphere I am cultivating.
My Instagram account remains active, and I will continue to use it to promote this newsletter. From time to time, I will go back into its archive to republish or revise previous reviews in upcoming newsletters.
Fifteenth
Fifteenth, my paid monthly newsletter will deep dive into topics related to, but not necessarily within traditional conceptions of design. I seek to push back against imposed boundaries that hinder cross-disciplinary thought.
Recently, I have been thinking about fractal patterns in Afro hair braiding, the Brixton wall tube station murals “Endurance” and “Rebirth of a Nation”, the politics of artefacts, the imposition of dialect recognition software at the borders, “more-than-human” design, and data feminism. I’m just getting started!
Paid newsletters will be published on the 15th of each month.
In addition to the paid newsletter, you will also get full access to the whole of my publication archive.
Choosing a subscription model allows me to independently produce this newsletter with editorial freedom, free from institutional or commercial constraint
Launch offer: Free 30-day trial
As a special thank you for being an early joiner, I am offering a free 30-day trial if you subscribe to my paid monthly newsletter before the end of 31 December 2023.
Help spread the word
If you are equally excited by the vision of this newsletter, would you help me spread the word?
If you know of any friends, family, colleagues, or other creative thinkers with similar interests in design, technology, or research — please share this newsletter with them from the link below.
Best wishes,
Michael • uxmichael.co
If you have any other suggestions, please let me know in the comments below!
I loved the truth in your comment :
In recent months, I have felt that Instagram’s algorithmic feed and prioritisation of fast-paced interaction increasingly conflicted with the slower-paced, reflective atmosphere I am cultivating :
That sums up so much for me about social media, and why I left FB and other spaces for here.
Such a noble goal and totally expresses what I desire being alive and present in this place. The trouble is (and I could be wrong here), that the slower paced, reflective atmosphere is harder to find members for. I have mentioned in my stacks the realisation with ZucksBook that I was throwing words and thoughts into a black hole, into the bottomless, responseless abyss. No one was listening, or no one cared enough to respond or engage. It seemed that the more you cared about something and cleverly made memes or carefully constructed posts........kabooom!
Kabooom nothing!
Kaboom silence!
It wasn't that you lived or defined your worth or words by likes......... just a resounding silencio as if the very thought itself, or the number of sentences strung together had destined my good intent and thoughts for a pile somewhere where all the lost thoughts and expressions end up.
So finding a slowed down and reflective community is such a great thing. Generally I dunno if many people do want to slow down, sit and think on stuff.......they don't want more than two sentences........
I am not going to conform to algorithmic bullying and the dumbing down necessary to stop the swiping thumb on phones. I hope that somewhere out there my tribe find me, and I find them.
I love how you have expressed what you want to do.
In your expression I have clarified my own. All the very best with this.
All the topics you mentioned sound very interesting. I’m looking forward to it!