2018 marked a time of intense transition for many cultures. From the growing urgency connected to climate change, to shifts and uncertainty and global trade relationships and even the watershed moment that the #MeToo movement created, scholars and pundits alike are predicting more and greater change in the 12 months to come. Before we move ahead, we wanted to share a quick snapshot of the ideas that drove the greatest interest among our readers in 2018:

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1) The Female Factor (Jan. 5, 2018)
Women account for half of the global labor supply and about 70% of global consumption demand, but their potential as leaders, influencers and consumers remains largely untapped. Here we explored the impact of female leaders in 5 change-driven industries: agriculture, energy, finance, health and media. READ MORE

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2) Community Design Currencies (June 27, 2018)
The role of brands in fostering community has become more crucial in recent years, and graphic design offers concrete ways to nurture the relationship. In this post, we detailed some of the ways that community-driven organizations and brands are working to co-create the future through design themes like participant leadership. READ MORE

The United States locks up more people than any other country in the world, says documentarian Eve Abrams, and somewhere between one and four percent of those in prison are likely innocent. That's 87,000 brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers -- predominantly African American -- unnecessarily separated from their families, their lives and dreams put on hold.

3) Empathy-Driven Public Policy: 5 TED Talks (March 30, 2018)
Inclusive, accessible, data-driven, impactful, human-centered - these are the emerging human currencies in the empathy-based design of public policy. For the backdrop on these ideas, here is our curated list of the the must-watch public policy discussions from the TED archives, including talks by Eve Abrams, Siddhartha Roy and Musimbi Kanyoro. READ MORE

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4) SXSW 2018 Real-time and in real life (March 16, 2018)
Austin’s annual epicenter of technology, design and entertainment may have been light on breakthrough technology launches, but the plentiful sessions on artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain maintained the forward-looking sense of innovation. Of particular interest to our team: the critical role of intuitive technology in the purchase experience and how “on-demand” grows into “on-purpose.” READ MORE

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5) A Kickstart Guide to eBooks (Feb. 23, 2018)
A downloadable, dynamic PDF that functions like a microsite, eBooks help pull audiences to your company and products, often as the main attraction for inbound marketing initiatives. Set up with simple graphics and actionable recommendations, this Mindsailing Kickstart guide shows how to make eBook publishing a core content-marketing component. READ MORE

BONUS: Growing Solar: MN Farmers Innovate in Energy (Aug. 30, 2018)
Minnesota is a leader in solar power, having claimed the country’s 14th spot for total power installed (849.4 MW). The state also boasts the most solar jobs in a five-state area. Here with talked with James Darabi of Solar Farm as he describes the trend in solar installations at rural farms across the state and what it means for the legacy of farmers. READ MORE