Super8: Eight intriguing articles from November.

Thanksgiving may be behind us, but our teams across Australia, Canada and the UK are grateful to be breaking bread with you over this month’s Super8.

I’ve handpicked eight delectable articles that keep on giving—with tips across the best in business, design, tech and content.

From designing for accessibility and AI adoption, to Nike’s new retail experience, I’ve got something for every taste.

Feast your eyes on the selection below and tuck into Super8 in November!

1. The business value of design.

• Read the full article here.
• Written by McKinsey Quarterly.
• Contributor: Rowan Barnes.

Strong design can be at the heart of disruptive and sustained commercial success: for both digital and physical services.

This research piece from McKinsey is based on data from 300 companies over five years, across a range of countries and industries. It looks at four design opportunities that can strengthen and support businesses for financial success.

Despite the obvious commercial benefits of designing great products and services, consistently realising this goal is notoriously hard—and getting harder.

Read on for why analytical leadership, user experience, cross functional talent, and continuous iteration form the foundation and first steps towards great design, and greater overall growth.

2. The three lessons you can learn from Ruth Bader Ginsburg about ambition.

• Read the full article here.
• Written by Bonnie Marcus.  
• Contributor: Sarah El-Atm. 

At 85, Ruth Ginsberg continues to advocate for women’s rights around the world. While her intelligence and compassion are key to her cause, it’s her ambition that has seen her succeed.

Whether it’s her experience of being unable to find work as a female lawyer, a bout of cancer, or most recently, three broken ribs—she hasn’t missed a beat.

This piece covers the three lessons we can take away from her achievements. It all comes down to knowing your value and purpose, not accepting excuses and owning your ambition.

3. AI adoption advances, but foundational barriers remain.

• Read the full article here.
• Written by Michael Chui.
• Contributor: James Otter.

While the adoption of AI is starting to take hold across global business, this piece considers why there are still some barriers we need to overcome to unlock its true potential.

Of the nine AI capabilities explored in this study, the most common are robotic process automation, computer vision and machine learning—with physical robots and autonomous vehicles trailing behind the rest.

Discussing risks, benefits and workforce challenges, read this piece for background and insight into opportunities in AI.

4. Nike’s huge new flagship looks like the future of retail.

• Read the full article here.
• Written by Katharine Schwab.
• Contributor: David Baddock.  

Retail shopping can be soul sucking: with queues and chaos at almost every step of the process. Nike’s new flagship store in NYC aims to change the game.

By utilising customisation and tech, Nike engages customers in and outside of their physical store. Highlights include product displays that update based on real-time popularity, and the ability to reserve sneakers to try on at your leisure in a personal locker room.

Data is undoubtedly part of the future of retail, as companies like Nike try to become more regular parts of their consumers’ lives. They want to engage with you. They want a relationship with you, and they want it to go way beyond a store.

The catch? You need to be a Nike member, have the Nike app and allow it to track your location. Nike needs (wants) to be able to recognise you as soon as you walk in the door.

5. Balancing creativity and usability.

• Read the full article here.
• Written by Boris Müller.
• Contributor: Kurt Smith.

This piece from Boris Müller discusses an age old conversation: the balance between creativity and usability.

With both being equally necessary to progress design and tech, Boris shares his ideas on striking a winning combo: if you want to push the boundaries, you have to understand the limitations of each.

With a focus on solving creative problems, he articulates the value of understanding, context, and purpose when designing or developing any application.

6.  The digital divide is being flipped.

• Read full article here.
• Written by Seth Godin.
• Contributor: Freya Fajgman.

This piece from Seth Godin is short and sweet, offering up some punchy insights on the current relationship between digital and family dynamics.

Technology’s constant presence poses new questions and imbalances that we don’t always consider.

The digital divide isn’t just about lack of access but having too much access. Seth urges us to value the strength of getting lost in a book, boredom or a daydream amidst our fascination and interaction with things onscreen.

7. Aussie expat Ben Yabsley: Ten lessons from the last ten years in advertising.

• Read the full article here.
• Written by Campaign Brief.
• Contributor: Daniel Banik.

This list from Campaign Brief features ten short takeaways from Ben Yabsley of The Monkeys, M&C Saatchi and Anomaly.

To mark his ten years in advertising, he’s taken a moment to pause and reflect on what he’s learnt during a decade on the job.

9. It doesn’t matter how many award winning ideas you’ve created, all it takes is one tricky brief to make you feel like a fraud. Embrace it, that’s what growth feels like. Be patient. The tide will come back in.

Sharing gems on selling ideas, breakfast burritos, confidence, and the power of chasing creativity over cash. He’s also made a commitment to revisiting the list in 2028, so pencil it in your calendars and check back then.

8. Designing for accessibility is not that hard.

• Read the full article here.
• Written by InVision.
• Contributor: Mel Bruning.

If you’re new to web design, or just looking to hone your craft, this piece shares seven easy-to-implement accessibility guidelines.

Accessibility refers to the practice of building digital content that can be used by a range of people, including individuals who have visual, motor, auditory, speech, or cognitive disabilities.

The InVision team discuss the value and purpose of accessibility, as well as some practical steps you can take to make your designs more usable for everyone who engages with it.