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The calendar says May, but the whirlwind of senior activities and graduation parties screams "warp speed!" Seems like yesterday I was packing his lunchbox, and now my son's the one packing his bags – for Oxford, Ohio that is! I'm excited for him to embark on this new adventure at Miami (and secretly excited to revisit my own alma mater under the guise of "parental support"). Guess this grad season is a reminder that time flies, so here's to hoping those teenage years were just a warm-up for the even better college ones.

Thanks for reading!

📰 News & Notes

First Impressions Matter: How Designers Can Support Humans’ Automatic Cognitive Processing

The Nielsen Norman Group article discusses how initial impressions are largely formed by the brain's automatic, subconscious processing, emphasizing that users make quick, almost instantaneous judgments about a website's aesthetic and functional quality. This automatic judgment, influenced by visual design, impacts user engagement and trustworthiness perception. It's crucial for designers to understand that while these first impressions are formed quickly and subconsciously, they set the tone for the user's ongoing interaction with the website.

🎯 Take away: First impressions are more about quick, subconscious reactions than thoughtful evaluations, underscoring the need for compelling and trustworthy visual design.

6 Evidence-Based Instructional Practices Drawn From Cognitive Science

This Edutopia article shows how to use research from cognitive science to supercharge learning. They dive into six powerful strategies: prepping students' brains to learn, grabbing their attention, breaking down new terms, spacing out reviews, mixing up subjects, and getting students actively involved. By using these techniques, we can create a learning experience that's both effective and engaging for students.

🎯 Take away: Leveraging evidence-based strategies, like spaced retrieval and interleaving, can make learning more effective and engaging.​

Use This Framework for Fascinating & Memorable Presentations (Backed by Science)

This article is about a model called “Winston’s Star” which unlocks the science behind captivating presentations. This model works because of its application of psychology and behavioral science — applied consciously or not. Learn how to weave storytelling, surprising details, and emotional connection into your talks to grab attention, hold interest, and make your points stick. Craft presentations that resonate, not just inform, and leave your audience remembering the key takeaways.

🎯 Take away: Science says captivating presentations use storytelling, surprising elements, and emotional connection to hook your audience and make your key points stick.

🧰 Tech Tools & Tips

If tools are your jam, check out my new Work Smarter newsletter.

🎧 Podcast

This is the conversation that caught my ear this week. Check out previous episodes in the Friday Finds podcast playlist.

🧳 Where’s Mike?

• ATD ICE, New Orleans May 19-22

• Canadian eLearning Conference, Toronto, June 13-14

• Greater Cincinnati ATD, September 4

• DevLearn, November 6-8

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