GRTiQ Podcast: 75 Joel Chan and Rob Haisfield

Today I’m speaking with Rod Haisfield and Joel Chen. I recorded this interview with Rob and Joel to shine a light on their research, which was funded by a grant from The Graph Foundation, and to show, once again, how The Graph ecosystem is exploring the edge of technology. As you will hear, in this particular case the edge being explored is at the intersection where technology, user experience, and knowledge converge.

Much of what we discuss during this interview revolves around what’s known as tools for thought. Although this topic is fairly academic, the essence of the concept is the study of how humans learn and synthesize knowledge through the tools they use (for example, note taking). And the discipline also goes one step further to analyze the ways in which the tools we use actually shape our ability to think and synthesize – almost to say that our capacity for thinking and knowledge is bound, in many ways, by the tools we use during the process.

Using the paradigms associated with tools for thought enables technologists creating products with the intent of increasing knowledge and produce synthesis, to ensure the design and features of the product facilitates such an outcome.