I believe I first heard this on a Radiolab episode, but I can’t remember for sure. Since hearing it, I’ve reflected on it many times and can’t help but think there’s some truth in it.

For me it’s kind of why we’re just not that good at processing the scenery whizzing by from a car or train, and why cycling and walking are just about the best ways of getting around.

Alain de Botton, in The Art of Travel, has some great observations about why trains are so great for thinking, which I think has a lot to do with this - we have time to think, with a helpful intermission of the semi-connected landscape and houses passing by that we can only process for so long before we turn back to our thoughts. I love trains.

Our senses are built to take in information at human pace

Maslow’s is interesting, but not terribly helpful if you want to use it for something. This one however, I still find a very useful framework when designing (read about it in the DMI paper System Logics). Your sweet spots for the exciting innovations are the context and activity level needs. 

Patnaik’s Hierarchy of Needs

Part of the reason why bottles should really have their necks to one side instead of in the centre.

Get my new weekly sketch in your inbox

Give air a pathway to avoid glugging