Sharing some interestingness, since it's just the start of 2018 - a few articles rounding up the past/new year. Including Issac Asimov's look at 35 years ahead in the Orwellian year 1984. That's 2019!

We started off the year with a small-format DesignUp Salon and our first guest was Preethi Gopinath - Founder/Director of the Masters in Textile Program at Parson's New School, NYC. Here's a little round up of the conversations we had, via LinkedIn or Twitter.

And some happy news:

1️⃣we have a new partner event - UxThailand (details below) 🌟

2️⃣The UxNow website is now live, tickets go on sale soon + new speaker announcements 🌟

3️⃣With less than a week to go ⏰entries for The DesignUp +DesignIndaba Challenge are pouring in 🌧and apart from the top prize 🏆(a VIP pass & all expenses trip to CapeTown for DesignIndaba) + DesignUp Premium Passes - there's a ticket to UxTh in Bangkok for the runnerUp! Last date is midnight of Jan 20, Sunday! 📣

Life online in China, Russia, Cuba and India

More than half of the world's population is now online, but that does not mean we all see the same thing? This fascinating Guardian post also reimagines the narrative. Must see/read.

The Meaning of Design Is up for Debate. And That’s a Good Thing

"Only a decade ago, senior business executives tended to dismiss design as a second-tier function–a matter of aesthetics or corporate image best left to the folks in marketing or public relations. No more. Today design is widely acknowledged as a C-suite concern and a key element of corporate strategy."

The Key to Career Growth: Surround Yourself with People Who... — hbr.org

"We typically spend at least two decades in our formal education and, in developed countries, hundreds of thousands of dollars. We carefully choose our places of employment and invest significant time and effort in training within them. However, few of us engage in a deliberate, determined search for those wise individuals who, through their inspiration and advice, can literally make us new."

Animation in Design Systems — designup.io

From motion audit to motion principles. these are notes from Val Head's Masterclass at the #DUp18 Conf, on using Animation in Design Systems - put together by Cuddle.ai's Rupa Hadaye

HERE Is Challenging Uber by Uniting the World's Cab Drivers

SoMo is a new app from mapping company HERE that pushes back against ride-hail dominance by giving other drivers a common platform.

2018/19

35 years ago, Isaac Asimov was asked to predict the world of 2019. Here is what he wrote... — www.thestar.com

One of the most prolific writers of the 20th century on 2019: "By the year 2019, however, we should find that the transition is about over. Those who can..."

99 Good News Stories You Probably Didn’t Hear About in 2018

While media usually focuses on the bad news and the sensational news - here's what also has been happening elsewhere in 2018

The 10 most intriguing inventions of 2018 — www.technologyreview.com

"From programmable pills to power-generating boots, here are some of the most unusual technological innovations we covered this year." Did Asimov refer obliquely to any of these?

DesignUp Partner Events

UxNow 2019 | Feb 16-17 New Delhi, India

The website for the 5th Edition is now live, tickets go on sale in a few days - meanwhile, more names are being added for Delhi's longest running Ux Design Conference!

UxTh: Bangkok, Thailand | Feb 23-24

Our friends at UxTh have put together a neat little agenda for the 2 day conference, though the workshops are all sold-out, the 1st day passes are available at a 15% discount for DesignUp folks - just use WITHDESIGNUP

🌟🌟🌟

Leaving you with more goodness from our good friend and #DUp18 Masterclass Leader Ben Crothers - Easy Tips for Improving Sketch-noting

Until next week,

@jdallcaps