Four mindsets for navigating uncertainty — In a recent talk, I gave for The Fountain Institute I asked designers whether they liked designing in ambiguity. 22% like it, 18% hate it, 60% said it depends. It’s a crude poll I know, but regardless of the results, I’d argue that some level of ambiguity is the default…

As the only designer in an early-stage startup, the time I get for most tasks is dramatically shorter. To compete with bigger, more well-resourced companies we need to do things fast, much faster. I won’t lie, it can be a stressful environment — A new competitor pops up, and while…

Are you a founder trying to make sure your vision fits the market? Are you a designer or researcher looking to up your game and teach your team? Or are you just a humble leader and maker trying to build experiences based on the needs of your customers? Look no…

Finding a job that fits you is hard. It’s a task that for most people involves a lot of time, trial and error, and one-sided interview processes. It doesn’t have to be this way. I’ve developed a simple framework that gives you a way to better understand what you want…

Over the course of my working life as a design consultant I’ve been thrown in at the deep end a lot. I’ve become well acquainted with life outside of my comfort zone, and as the name suggests it’s pretty uncomfortable. The dictionary definition describes consulting as “engaged in the business…

John Maeda recently stated in a blog post that technology is no longer valuable without design. This got me thinking and I’ve decided that design is no longer valuable without qualitative user research. What’s more there is no excuse for not doing it. In any design project, it is important…