Blog
Notes on design, software, craft, and product thinking.
Learning is messy
We learn quickest through the messy experimentation that allows us to build intuition, judgment, and a deeper understanding of what's possible.
How I supercharge my work journal with Notion AI
How I use Notion AI in my work journal to summarize work, surface insights, spot trends, and generate design case study outlines.
How my design portfolio has evolved over the past 15 years
A look back at 15 years of my portfolio website, the experiments and patterns I used to present my design work and career online.
Using a work journal to create design case studies
How keeping a work journal helps designers reflect, grow, and turn day-to-day notes into compelling portfolio case studies.
Systems thinking is what makes designers great
Why the best designers stand out not for polish alone, but for thinking holistically about how their work affects everything it touches.
How to measure design impact
A step-by-step method for measuring design impact by combining top tasks with PURE usability ratings, as applied at Gem.
The bridge to Head of Design
Reflections on becoming Head of Design at an early-stage startup, bridging the gap between individual contributor and manager at Gem.
What to do about ambiguous design problems
Why, when facing an ambiguous design problem with no clear definition, the most powerful thing you can do is start moving in any direction.
Defining your own career path
Why the answer to every career question is 'it depends'—and how defining your path means looking inward at who you really want to be.
Where do IC designers go once they peak?
On why senior individual-contributor designers shouldn't have to move into management to grow—and how the industry can build a real IC leadership track.
Design edge cases and where to find them
Four strategies for surfacing the edge cases that hide in any product, from extreme scales to accessibility, technology, and user intentions.
What it means to be a designer who's creative
Why creative design is not art: it lives at the intersection of uniqueness and value, propelled by constraints rather than freed from them.