July 2017
I was wrong—and this is a fundamental problem with the internet
I created fake news. Completely innocently. But once an idea is formed, an effect known as the confirmation bias makes it hard for people to change their minds.
June 2017
What’s a ‘bit’?
Bit: binary digit. This is the bit we hear when people speak of 64-bit processors or 256-bit encryption. Find out what this actually means.
February 2017
Word of the Day: Mondegreen
Definition: A misunderstood or misinterpreted word or phrase resulting from mishearing the lyrics of a song. The word, ‘mondegreen’ was coined in the 1950s. Writer, Sylvia Wright, described listening to her mother read old poems [...]
Word of the Day: Millennial
Definition: People reaching young adulthood in the early 21st century (there are other unrelated definitions too). But what is ‘young adulthood’? And is the ‘early 21st century’ earlier than 4am? I’m not the only one [...]
January 2017
The UX (user experience) of hold music
Being on hold sucks—but it doesn't have to. There are a few things you can do to lighten your customers' cognitive load, improve their user experience, and reduce their fury.
December 2016
Literacy, numeracy and internet ability in Australia
Measuring the right amount of medicine, filling out a form or finding something on the internet. Did you know that almost half of the adult population would have trouble doing that kind of thing?
Web content accessibility—What is it?
Accessibility is more than writing clearly—it’s about making sure that a person with disability has an equal chance of being able to access your information. If you don’t make your website accessible, your content may as well be invisible for people using assistive technology.
August 2016
Swearing, music, cars, and small children
When you have a small child, you suddenly start to notice: The world can be a pretty sweary place. This means the music we play in the car needs a certain amount of curation. And so do I.