D&T Issue 285

Hi there!

It’s issue #285 of DNT Weekly and as per usual the week has been eventful. Here’s what we’ve been reading of late.

A major outage at the Amazon Web Services (AWS) on Monday disrupted a large portion of the internet, taking down apps, websites and online tools used by millions of people around the world, before services were eventually restored. Read all about it here.

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GAIN framework for feedback: an evidence-based approach to giving feedback that people love, appreciate, and act on.

It’s the kind of project you brag about. The one that finally makes your friends and family say, “Oh, now I get what you do.”

A case study by Growth Design.

For years, burnout in the creative industry was blamed on long hours and personal limits. But as expectations rise, accelerated by AI, it’s clear the problem isn’t stamina – it’s the system.

Why do games effortlessly draw us into hours of focused engagement, while productivity tools so often feel like a chore? This article dives into the psychology of flow — that state of deep immersion where time disappears, and shows how game design principles could revolutionize how we design tools for work.

Strava is one of the most goal-driven fitness apps in the world. But only 2% of their users pay for a subscription, and it’s reported that their 30-day retention rate is below industry standards, at only 16% on iOS. This piece dives into 5 key moments that Strava misses.