It's (almost) Christmas and our reading list could not be missed!
The year 2023 was for Upskill 4.0 a very busy year, and we expected this. We toured Italy, from Sicily to Piedmont, connecting ITS and university students with businesses in more than 15 provinces.
What we did not expect was to be included in theADI Design Index: an important recognition, which gratified us, and at the same time empowered us even more in our activity.
So the Christmas vacations will be the perfect time to stop and reflect on this beautiful year. What better way to think than with the reading of good books?
Here is what we are reading and will read in Upskill 4.0 during the vacations.
➖ Impromptu: Amplifying Our Humanity Through AI by Reid Hoffman, Dallepedia LLC, 2023. Co-written with GPT-4, it is a visionary exploration of the future of artificial intelligence and its impact on humanity. Hoffman is a well-known entrepreneur and philanthropist, and in this book he guides readers through a journey into the future, where the vast possibilities of AI are examined through a humanistic lens. Recommended by Marco Bettiol.
➖Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson, Mondadori, 2023. Isaacson followed Musk for two years, visiting SpaceX and Tesla factories and attending board meetings. The book is the result of hours of interviews with Musk, his family, friends, colleagues and adversaries. An authorized biography that provides an unprecedented look at the man behind some of the most innovative companies of our time, highlighting his mercurial nature and his impact in the world of technology and beyond. Recommended by Alice Rizzetto.
➖Practical Empathy: For Collaboration and Creativity in Your Work by Indi Young, Rosenfeld Media, 2015. Now a classic by Young in which empathy is seen not just as an abstract concept but as a crucial, tangible element that can be integrated and applied in daily work to make better decisions, improve strategies, and collaborate successfully with others. Recommended by Selena Brocca.
➖ The Non-Human Persona Guide: How to create and use personas for nature and invisible humans to respect their needs during design By Damen Lutz, Life-centred Design Guides, 2023. Can we include a "non-human" point of view in our innovation designs? Understanding the point of view of other living things, plants and inanimate objects such as rocks and ecosystems, to reduce negative impacts on these non-human elements and to inspire ways to regenerate them through design. Recommended by Elena Masi.
➖ The nonexistent intelligence - An ironic and convivial way to artificial intelligence By Stefano Borroni Barale, Altreconomia, The Moles, 2023. "Artificial intelligence does not exist. Or at least, not as we imagine it." Stefano Borroni Barale reconstructs the stages from Alan Turing to ChatGPT to show how what is perceived as absolute novelty is actually a set of technologies we have already been interacting with for at least thirty years. Recommended by Michele Tagliavini.
➖ Flow Generation: Survival Handbook for Unpredictable Lives. by Nicholas Andreula and Vera Sprothen, Daimonriver Press, 2019. Through success stories of ordinary individuals, the book inspires one to face changeability with courage and embrace the "flow" of life, offering practical suggestions for achieving the most out of one's passions and motivations. An invitation not to be afraid to pursue one's passions and aptitudes, especially in business. Recommended by Sofia Ressia.
➖ The masochist's coffee pot. The design of everyday objects by Donald A. Norman, Giunti, 2019. An essential text for anyone interested in design, usability, and human-computer interaction, where we explore the concept of design starting with the user and how the design of everyday objects can influence ease of use and understanding. Recommended by Gizem Al.
➖ The creative act: a way of being by Rick Rubin, Mondadori, 2023. Rubin, an iconic figure in the music industry, shares his views on what it means to create, what a work of art is, and what music is. An invitation to explore one's inner world, find inspiration in one's surroundings, and channel one's passions to generate meaningful creations. Recommended by Giacomo Antonuccio.
➖ The Design Thinking Playbook: Mindful Digital Transformation of Teams, Products, Services, Businesses and Ecosystems by Michael Lewrick, Patrick Link, Larry Leifer, John Wiley & Sons Inc, 2018. Practical solutions and tools to common challenges with Design Thinking to create real value for users and foster radical innovation. Recommended by Olga Popa.
➖ The shining plot: creativity, vision and hope., by Annamaria Testa, Garzanti, 2023. What is creativity? How does it work? Why does it have value? How does one go about being creative? Precisely because we are dealing with artificial intelligence, today it is crucial for everyone to be able to distinguish very well the characteristics and dynamics of human creativity. A new, updated and revised edition of the 2010 essay by Annamaria Testa, one of Italy's most famous publicists. Recommended by Sara Salmaso.
➖Nonverbal Communication Tactics: 37 Practical Techniques of Reading Body Language, Behavioral Psychology and NLP to Stay One Step Ahead in Relationships, Meetings and Business by Frank J. Adami, 2023. Cow to interpret and use nonverbal communication to gain an edge in personal and professional relationships.. Recommended by Tiziana Obici.
➖ How to treat others and make friends by Dale Carnegie. One of the most influential books in the field of self-help and personal growth. First published in 1936, the book became an international bestseller and continues to be popular. Carnegie presents his concepts in simple and accessible language, with numerous examples and anecdotes. In addition, the techniques and principles proposed in the book are universally applicable and easily adaptable to different social and professional situations. Recommended by Sofia Mizzan.
