The overarching theme for my recent book, ‘Main Batata Hoon‘ is not quite as simple as the stories in it are. So it would take me a minute to give an overview to anyone who asks. And that was because I would be looking at it from its underlying behavioural foundations, and as a writer….
Once I started noticing contrasting oddities in our human nature and behaviour a few years ago, a bulk of them ended up in the book ‘Main Batata Hoon’. The thing is though, once you start noticing them in your own life and in your network and surroundings, it is impossible to switch off. One instance…
My recently published book, ‘Main Batata Hoon’, is now available in paperback and Kindle formats on most if not all regional Amazon sites around the world. An aunt was so amused with the title, she said she couldn’t wait to read the stories themselves. I clarified that I had used all the humour in the…
Given the random exploding or catching of fire of power banks on flights, airlines have either banned or restricted the carrying of power banks to hand luggage only. According to an interesting article by Andrew Hirst in 2021, there were about 340 lithium battery related incidents on flights (presumably in the US only?) between January…
I can’t seem to get over the irony of how once upon a time, Russian tanks helped turn the fate of a world war against invading Germany..; to current times where multiple European countries are now sending German-made (Leopard 2) tanks to Ukraine to help save it from the invading Russians. Somewhere between these…
Image: source When seeking advice, especially from someone you believe can offer great perspective, stick to gaining clarity on the big questions you need help figuring out. The advice you receive is obviously for you to consider, not to blindly implement. And especially not for you to defend when receiving it. Clarify if you think…
A lot of you probably love scallops?! [controls drool]. Now, imagine scallop shells that are thrown away after we’ve had the good stuff. Then, imagine 40000 tons of scallop shells thrown away! That is the quantity of discarded scallop shells the island of Hokkaido in Japan sees each year! Just left there, the shells would…
Padma Shri R. K. Krishna Kumar, Former Tata Sons Director, passed away yesterday. A key pillar of the Tata Group, and close confidante of Mr. Ratan Tata. I once had the privilege of meeting Mr. Krishna Kumar at the Tata Sons office a few years ago; on a special request through someone. I had some…
A cool feature I came across on a website, that is highly recommended especially for product companies that have a large and evolving portfolio. #servicedesign #userexperience #b2c #b2b #shorts
When the population of animals or insects in a region grows substantially and causes damage, we call it an infestation. Yet we humans have never looked at it the same way when it comes to ourselves, on how we grow and expand to displace and occupy forests, oceans, plant and animal territory. And that concern…
Product design should factor for human forgetfulness where possible. This is a picture of the detergent tray from a leading brand, top-loading washing machine. The hole in the tray is where detergent, mixed with water, drips into the drum during a wash cycle. However, when the tray is opened to fill detergent, you notice it…
Many of you must have seen that drawing of a World War II plane with red dots on it. It explains Survivorship bias, a bias that statistician Abraham Wald figured out. Pic: source Simply put, survivor bias is our tendency to view a situation or pattern as a comprehensive representative sample, often without considering what…
Invisible Bed has been an interesting product company. As a recent owner of a wall mounted sit/ stand desk, I recently shared some product design inputs with the CEO. They were well received. The Product: The Challenge: 1.Pre-attached table-top – makes installation a challenge even for a 2-person team, as the table-top weight causes the…
Over the past decade, the business world has had a real attraction to making everything a service. And rightly so. Would you rather struggle to repeatedly sell your product to the same customer? Or would it be better to offer it on a subscription model where you can keep improving it over time, and charge users a regular fee for using it?
However, if you compare the buying good ol’ products whenever you would need them, to subscription based services, a paradox seems to emerge.
Pic: source There are roads in Hungary that plays music! A musical road was first created in 1995 Denmark, by two artists. Given how brilliant a concept, I wonder why its Danish origins seem almost obvious. Just like the concept of hygge and especially Lego. Musical roads also exist in other countries like Hungary, Japan,…