Came across this interview with Kathy Sierra while I was surfing around for other stuff.  http://web20show.com/episodes/web20show-ep43-kathy_sierra .  Kathy has some amazing ideas. She introduced this concept of “creating passionate users,” basically how do we help people feel good about their technology skills (or according to Sierra, how you get them to “kick ass”).  She talks about this “suck threshold” that a user has to get beyond before they are really empowered to use the technology.  I see that every day.  It is amazing to watch as a student approaches and then exceeds that ” suck threshold.”  Kathy talks about getting people to have the emotional response of “I Rule!” What she is really talking about is confidence, and that is the most valuable thing we can give to students.

I was first introduced to her at SXSW 2007 (she keynoted).  But, then due to some harassing comments on her blog (see this CNN report http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ6IxYaD774), she disappeared from regular posting at http://headrush.typepad.com/ . Hopefully, she’ll start again soon.  I’m looking forward to the book.

Listen to her interview. You’ll love her, too.