39 // Expressive tools with Weiwei Xu

39 // Expressive tools with Weiwei Xu

Author: Adam Wiggins, Mark McGranaghan September 16, 2021 Duration: 1:01:52

Why are we driven to create, and to express ourselves online? Weiwei is the founder of Sprout, a collaborative creation space. She joins Mark and Adam to talk about how tools influence group communication and our sense of belonging; why we should make our online spaces feel more like bedrooms than stadiums or hotel lobbies; and why children’s tools have a special magic. Plus: Nintendo’s withered technology, Winamp skins, and cursor waves.

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Show notes


Adam Wiggins and Mark McGranaghan host Metamuse, a conversation rooted in their deep experience building tools for creative work. This podcast lives in the space where abstract thinking meets practical craft, regularly exploring how we shape our tools and how those tools, in turn, shape our thoughts and output. You’ll hear detailed discussions on product design philosophy, the evolving landscape of software for thought, and the often messy process of cultivating good ideas. The tone is reflective and nuanced, favoring depth over headlines, as they examine the principles behind the interfaces and the systems that influence how we create. It’s for anyone who has ever been curious about the why behind the tools they use daily, from note-taking apps to complex design platforms. Each episode of this podcast feels like a thoughtful dialogue between two practitioners who are actively engaged in the problems they discuss, making the insights feel earned rather than theoretical. Tune in for a consistently substantive look at the intersection of technology, design, and cognition.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Metamuse
Podcast Episodes
3 // Read the fabulous manual [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:56
Professional tools need a manual to explain how they work, but not all manuals are created equal. Mark and Adam discuss their mutual love of manuals, what makes a manual great, and why we chose video as the primary mediu…
2 // Having good ideas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:42
Ideas are foundational for creative and knowledge work. Mark and Adam talk about fodder, making time to ideate, and the value of fresh surroundings. Discuss this episode in the Muse community Follow @MuseAppHQ on Twitter…
1 // Tool switching [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:01
Muse has a modeless interface with no onscreen toolbars. Mark and Adam talk about the long research journey that led us here. Discuss this episode in the Muse community Follow @MuseAppHQ on Twitter Show notes modelessnes…
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Discuss this episode in the Muse community Follow @MuseAppHQ on Twitter Show notes 00:00:00 - Speaker 1: Everyone gets into a room, you have a brainstorm and out comes the ideas. The reality is so much messier. You have…
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Discuss this episode in the Muse community Follow @MuseAppHQ on Twitter Show notes 00:00:00 - Speaker 1: One of the luxuries of industrial research is that you’re not bound to the traditional rigor and neutrality require…
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Discuss this episode in the Muse community Follow @MuseAppHQ on Twitter Show notes 00:00:00 - Speaker 1: You’re saying come dream with me a little, and if you get too much into the fantasy world, it becomes almost religi…
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Discuss this episode in the Muse community Follow @MuseAppHQ on Twitter Show notes 00:00:00 - Speaker 1: The importance of solo activity in the ideation process. This is not well supported in existing tools. I think it’s…
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Discuss this episode in the Muse community Follow @MuseAppHQ on Twitter Show notes 00:00:00 - Speaker 1: As software developers, maybe we go towards building a GUI with specialized inputs and forms and controls too soon,…
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Duration: 0:00
Discuss this episode in the Muse community Follow @MuseAppHQ on Twitter Show notes 00:00:00 - Speaker 1: I remember the last time we did a paid upgrade, we had a feature done for almost a year before we actually shipped…
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Discuss this episode in the Muse community Follow @MuseAppHQ on Twitter Show notes 00:00:00 - Speaker 1: You can also be notified just based on an algorithm, you know, if somebody files something that’s similar to your t…