@understandinggroup.bsky.social
We would say that "artifact" is a better term than "documents", because it describes something made that is durable and can be experience by other people. The most important thing however, understanding how an artifact will be used and understood to do work.
Documents: The architect’s programming language - Stack Overflow
Senior developers know how to deploy code to systems made of code. Architects know how to deploy ideas to systems made of people.
buff.ly
February 12, 2026 at 6:03 PM
We would say that "artifact" is a better term than "documents", because it describes something made that is durable and can be experience by other people. The most important thing however, understanding how an artifact will be used and understood to do work.
This study proposes that AI will lower transaction costs of doing business between firms, to essentially zero.
We're not sure we like how they calculate "cost", but the paper shows how #AI can change how we think about all kinds of things.
We're not sure we like how they calculate "cost", but the paper shows how #AI can change how we think about all kinds of things.
The Coasean Singularity? Demand, Supply, and Market Design with AI Agents
Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers,…
buff.ly
February 10, 2026 at 6:04 PM
This study proposes that AI will lower transaction costs of doing business between firms, to essentially zero.
We're not sure we like how they calculate "cost", but the paper shows how #AI can change how we think about all kinds of things.
We're not sure we like how they calculate "cost", but the paper shows how #AI can change how we think about all kinds of things.
We keep coming back to this profound insight from Brain-Food. This entry #649. Check out the entire site here:
buff.ly/kkfi4sM
buff.ly/kkfi4sM
February 5, 2026 at 6:04 PM
We keep coming back to this profound insight from Brain-Food. This entry #649. Check out the entire site here:
buff.ly/kkfi4sM
buff.ly/kkfi4sM
Jesper's elegant description of an "architecture of agency" maps to a lot of the "behavioral architectures" in the world, such as urban planning, Information Architecture, and manufacturing design. Good stuff!
buff.ly/KT7x5f4
buff.ly/KT7x5f4
Enterprise Architecture of Agency: A New Unit of Design | Jesper Lowgren posted on the topic | LinkedIn
Enterprise architects don’t live in diagrams; we live in the 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬. Business leaders want speed and new value. Data...
buff.ly
February 3, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Jesper's elegant description of an "architecture of agency" maps to a lot of the "behavioral architectures" in the world, such as urban planning, Information Architecture, and manufacturing design. Good stuff!
buff.ly/KT7x5f4
buff.ly/KT7x5f4
Spot-on from Ethan Mollick:
"If we don’t think hard about WHY we are doing work, and what work should look like, we are all going to drown in a wave of AI content..."
"If we don’t think hard about WHY we are doing work, and what work should look like, we are all going to drown in a wave of AI content..."
Real AI Agents and Real Work
The race between human-centered work and infinite PowerPoints
buff.ly
January 28, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Spot-on from Ethan Mollick:
"If we don’t think hard about WHY we are doing work, and what work should look like, we are all going to drown in a wave of AI content..."
"If we don’t think hard about WHY we are doing work, and what work should look like, we are all going to drown in a wave of AI content..."
We think this post by Scott Jenson remains pretty accurate, with his two axioms about how technological innovation works:
- Stuff gets useful as it gets more widely available
- you have to leave a new innovation alone in the wild to figure out its actual value.
- Stuff gets useful as it gets more widely available
- you have to leave a new innovation alone in the wild to figure out its actual value.
Boring is good – Scott Jenson
Scott Jenson
buff.ly
January 26, 2026 at 6:03 PM
We think this post by Scott Jenson remains pretty accurate, with his two axioms about how technological innovation works:
- Stuff gets useful as it gets more widely available
- you have to leave a new innovation alone in the wild to figure out its actual value.
- Stuff gets useful as it gets more widely available
- you have to leave a new innovation alone in the wild to figure out its actual value.
Mental Models for Prompts. Techniques like #InformationArchitecture more effectively implement #AI, because at its core #IA creates mental models for informational systems.
The Mental Models of Master Prompters: 10 Techniques for Advanced Prompting
My site: https://natebjones.com
Full Story w/ Guide: https://natesnewsletter.substack.com/p/chatgpt-201-advanced-prompting-made?r=1z4sm5&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
My…
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Mental Models for Prompts. Techniques like #InformationArchitecture more effectively implement #AI, because at its core #IA creates mental models for informational systems.
In a world where the major purveyors of #LLMs are going as big as possible, do the historical patterns of technological adoption encourage us, instead to go small? Scott Jenson has some thoughts.
Boring is good – Scott Jenson
Scott Jenson
buff.ly
December 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
In a world where the major purveyors of #LLMs are going as big as possible, do the historical patterns of technological adoption encourage us, instead to go small? Scott Jenson has some thoughts.
This sounds very much like #InformationArchitecture to us. So are people trained in design equipped to execute the ideas of governance and architecture? What do you need to learn to take this approach?
buff.ly/he7raav
buff.ly/he7raav
Design as Governance
in AI-Enabled Enterprises.
buff.ly
December 23, 2025 at 5:04 PM
This sounds very much like #InformationArchitecture to us. So are people trained in design equipped to execute the ideas of governance and architecture? What do you need to learn to take this approach?
buff.ly/he7raav
buff.ly/he7raav
Some people think this image is a horror story, but what we see is an informational matrix that describes of common factors when you're trying to figure out how to make more or less of a thing than is in the standard recipe.
There's a reason that Babylonian math was base twelve and base sixty!
There's a reason that Babylonian math was base twelve and base sixty!
December 18, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Some people think this image is a horror story, but what we see is an informational matrix that describes of common factors when you're trying to figure out how to make more or less of a thing than is in the standard recipe.
There's a reason that Babylonian math was base twelve and base sixty!
There's a reason that Babylonian math was base twelve and base sixty!
Humans remain far better at strategy and structure than AIs. The real proof of successful agent-type AI will be when they can do this kind of high-level organization effectively instead of, essentially, copying a different version or gesturing at some aggregate idea of one.
🚨 Breaking: Samsung AI just dropped a game-changer in the world of small models!
Meet the Tiny Recursive Model (TRM) – a featherweight 7M-parameter beast clocking 44.6% on ARC-AGI-1, smoking… | Bart De Witte | 95 comments
🚨 Breaking: Samsung AI just dropped a game-changer in the world of small models! Meet the Tiny Recursive Model (TRM) – a featherweight 7M-parameter beast clocking 44.6% on ARC-AGI-1, smoking bigger...
buff.ly
December 16, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Humans remain far better at strategy and structure than AIs. The real proof of successful agent-type AI will be when they can do this kind of high-level organization effectively instead of, essentially, copying a different version or gesturing at some aggregate idea of one.
"The most effective organizations master measurement by asking one question: 'What specific decisions will change based on this number?' If the answer is vague, they refuse to measure it...true mastery [of metrics] means adjusting course when measurement undermines its own purpose."
buff.ly/7WZYBkf
buff.ly/7WZYBkf
The purpose of a metric is to focus attention. That is also its greatest danger.
When you measure something, it doesn't just become visible. It actively pulls focus and resources from everything you… | Dr. Sebastian Wernicke | 78 comments
The purpose of a metric is to focus attention. That is also its greatest danger. When you measure something, it doesn't just become visible. It actively pulls focus and resources from everything you don't...
buff.ly
December 11, 2025 at 5:05 PM
"The most effective organizations master measurement by asking one question: 'What specific decisions will change based on this number?' If the answer is vague, they refuse to measure it...true mastery [of metrics] means adjusting course when measurement undermines its own purpose."
buff.ly/7WZYBkf
buff.ly/7WZYBkf
This is a neat idea. "Integrity" here is closer to "integration", but in doing so invites clarity of creation, purpose, and implementation.
buff.ly/gP06hN3
buff.ly/gP06hN3
A few years ago, I developed a new model that moved away from describing content in a time-bound way - aka the content lifecycle. That worked for content operations, where the concern is optimisation… | Rahel Anne Bailie | 10 comments
A few years ago, I developed a new model that moved away from describing content in a time-bound way - aka the content lifecycle. That worked for content operations, where the concern is optimisation...
buff.ly
December 9, 2025 at 5:04 PM
This is a neat idea. "Integrity" here is closer to "integration", but in doing so invites clarity of creation, purpose, and implementation.
buff.ly/gP06hN3
buff.ly/gP06hN3
If a unit is reporting to the C-suite directly, it is seen as a core capability or critical function that requires strategic oversight.
But for us the real question is: why do some organizations see UX as a C-level priority that deserves this kind of attention, and others do not?
buff.ly/MLkpnio
But for us the real question is: why do some organizations see UX as a C-level priority that deserves this kind of attention, and others do not?
buff.ly/MLkpnio
Why UX/Design Orgs Should Report Directly to CEO or GM | Peter Merholz posted on the topic | LinkedIn
🚨 If you want a healthy UX/Design org, don't place it in Marketing or Engineering. That's a top finding of the UX/Design Organizational Health study I just published. It's no surprise that the healthiest...
buff.ly
December 4, 2025 at 5:05 PM
If a unit is reporting to the C-suite directly, it is seen as a core capability or critical function that requires strategic oversight.
But for us the real question is: why do some organizations see UX as a C-level priority that deserves this kind of attention, and others do not?
buff.ly/MLkpnio
But for us the real question is: why do some organizations see UX as a C-level priority that deserves this kind of attention, and others do not?
buff.ly/MLkpnio
Just because something is easy doesn't mean it's useful. This is an emerging theme from the vibe revolution.
The more we learn about the power of AI the more we rediscover the importance of quality, understanding, and planning.
The more we learn about the power of AI the more we rediscover the importance of quality, understanding, and planning.
When I can code at the speed of light, it's a bitter reminder that code was never the bottleneck.
I've been noticing a pattern with product orgs diving into AI: they learn to use Cursor and Claude… | Tal Raviv | 27 comments
When I can code at the speed of light, it's a bitter reminder that code was never the bottleneck. I've been noticing a pattern with product orgs diving into AI: they learn to use Cursor and Claude Code...
buff.ly
December 2, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Just because something is easy doesn't mean it's useful. This is an emerging theme from the vibe revolution.
The more we learn about the power of AI the more we rediscover the importance of quality, understanding, and planning.
The more we learn about the power of AI the more we rediscover the importance of quality, understanding, and planning.
Dan Klyn uses an LLM to create "messy" ontologies from lists of words and invites you to do so with your own lists.
"Bask in the flatness" may be one of the best ways to think about the state of our information world today that we've ever heard.
buff.ly/I1Mc6Ek
"Bask in the flatness" may be one of the best ways to think about the state of our information world today that we've ever heard.
buff.ly/I1Mc6Ek
Roll Your Own.. | Dan Klyn
This goofy tool I made is helping me realize how foolish it's been to think that we could organize the words and meanings for a website or app or whatever without all those words and meanings *already*...
buff.ly
November 28, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Dan Klyn uses an LLM to create "messy" ontologies from lists of words and invites you to do so with your own lists.
"Bask in the flatness" may be one of the best ways to think about the state of our information world today that we've ever heard.
buff.ly/I1Mc6Ek
"Bask in the flatness" may be one of the best ways to think about the state of our information world today that we've ever heard.
buff.ly/I1Mc6Ek
"Delivery is about output...Execution is about system design: how your organization actually turns intent into outcomes. It's the invisible architecture that determines whether you're learning or just busy."
buff.ly/u1mBPCj
buff.ly/u1mBPCj
Confusing execution with delivery: a PM's guide | Valentina Nochka posted on the topic | LinkedIn
Let's stop confusing execution with delivery. I've been in that room. Someone says "we have an execution problem", and thirty seconds later they're proposing a new sprint ritual. Here's what's actually...
buff.ly
November 25, 2025 at 5:05 PM
"Delivery is about output...Execution is about system design: how your organization actually turns intent into outcomes. It's the invisible architecture that determines whether you're learning or just busy."
buff.ly/u1mBPCj
buff.ly/u1mBPCj
This essay covers Joe's thoughts on making "sh*tty" models in order to move understanding forward. We love this approach, but it's important that everyone involved know the models made quickly and incompletely are an intermediate step to completing a task, not a final product.
LinkedIn Pulse
buff.ly
November 20, 2025 at 5:03 PM
This essay covers Joe's thoughts on making "sh*tty" models in order to move understanding forward. We love this approach, but it's important that everyone involved know the models made quickly and incompletely are an intermediate step to completing a task, not a final product.
Is the fundamental structure of LLMs that of a #foxorhedgehog? A store of human knowledge loosely organized by statistical pattern matching, less accurate than associative, quickly making connections that are interesting as a tool for discovery and inspiration.
That sounds pretty foxy to us!
That sounds pretty foxy to us!
November 18, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Is the fundamental structure of LLMs that of a #foxorhedgehog? A store of human knowledge loosely organized by statistical pattern matching, less accurate than associative, quickly making connections that are interesting as a tool for discovery and inspiration.
That sounds pretty foxy to us!
That sounds pretty foxy to us!
A really good high level description of how small AI projects can augment workflows.
People who use AI the most return, again and again, to the importance of deeply understanding what the work is in the first place.
People who use AI the most return, again and again, to the importance of deeply understanding what the work is in the first place.
Why AI Implementations Fail and How to Fix It | Unfinishe_ posted on the topic | LinkedIn
Small Bites, Big Impact: Why AI Implementations Fail (And How to Fix It) We walked into an architecture firm with compelling numbers: significant annual administrative costs that AI could automate. They...
buff.ly
November 13, 2025 at 5:07 PM
A really good high level description of how small AI projects can augment workflows.
People who use AI the most return, again and again, to the importance of deeply understanding what the work is in the first place.
People who use AI the most return, again and again, to the importance of deeply understanding what the work is in the first place.
Great thoughts from Heather on #taxonomytuesday about the problem with using the word "term" when building taxonomies.
There is a key idea here there is the NAMING of a thing (labels) and then there is the STRUCTURE of the thing (concepts). They are distinct.
Great Stuff!
There is a key idea here there is the NAMING of a thing (labels) and then there is the STRUCTURE of the thing (concepts). They are distinct.
Great Stuff!
Narrower Terms vs. Alternative Terms
When creating or editing a taxonomy, it's important to know when to create narrower terms vs. synonym terms (alternative labels).
buff.ly
November 11, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Great thoughts from Heather on #taxonomytuesday about the problem with using the word "term" when building taxonomies.
There is a key idea here there is the NAMING of a thing (labels) and then there is the STRUCTURE of the thing (concepts). They are distinct.
Great Stuff!
There is a key idea here there is the NAMING of a thing (labels) and then there is the STRUCTURE of the thing (concepts). They are distinct.
Great Stuff!
A really great discussion of how to consider durable knowledge in technical projects by Indi Young.
We're glad designers are having this conversation more often, because it will make software projects better in general.
buff.ly/iSJZBUF
We're glad designers are having this conversation more often, because it will make software projects better in general.
buff.ly/iSJZBUF
Narrating diagram on cognition and user research | Indi Young posted on the topic | LinkedIn
Here's a narrated version of the diagram that shows where/when to make durable knowledge about people (cognition) versus the cyclical #UserResearch that comes in the team's build space. 📣 This is part...
buff.ly
November 6, 2025 at 5:03 PM
A really great discussion of how to consider durable knowledge in technical projects by Indi Young.
We're glad designers are having this conversation more often, because it will make software projects better in general.
buff.ly/iSJZBUF
We're glad designers are having this conversation more often, because it will make software projects better in general.
buff.ly/iSJZBUF
Archetype modeling ensures that the information structure at the core of a digital place is optimized to help users get things done. Learn to anticipate user needs in your digital places!
Starting November 13th.
More info: buff.ly/tsAjNar
#DesignNurture #TUGWorkshop
Starting November 13th.
More info: buff.ly/tsAjNar
#DesignNurture #TUGWorkshop
Archetypes of User Intention — The Understanding Group (TUG)
buff.ly
November 5, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Archetype modeling ensures that the information structure at the core of a digital place is optimized to help users get things done. Learn to anticipate user needs in your digital places!
Starting November 13th.
More info: buff.ly/tsAjNar
#DesignNurture #TUGWorkshop
Starting November 13th.
More info: buff.ly/tsAjNar
#DesignNurture #TUGWorkshop
The key thing to remember about "vibe" anything is that LLMs are not procedural turing machines. They are naive, chipper magpies trying to find the things that will make you happy, for better or worse. Working with them in that mindset is critical.
Vibe coding has turned senior devs into ‘AI babysitters,’ but they say it’s worth it | TechCrunch
TechCrunch spoke to experienced coders about their time using AI-generated code about what they see as the future of vibe coding.
buff.ly
November 4, 2025 at 7:02 PM
The key thing to remember about "vibe" anything is that LLMs are not procedural turing machines. They are naive, chipper magpies trying to find the things that will make you happy, for better or worse. Working with them in that mindset is critical.