IN MARCH of this year, I had the honor to serve as a Juror in a civil case in the New York court system. In the months since I served, the city and state have been trying to honor me over and over again. …

NONE of us knows what today will bring. And for many of us, these are fearful times. So I wanted to take a breath, pause a moment, and share two small gifts I received this morning at the start of my workday: YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS First, Rob Ford wrote to my daughter and…

Saturday, 23 June Woke 5:00 AM New York. Fed cats, crossed town to Penn Station. Uber software was misbehaving, so instead of Penn Station New York, it booked me in Penn Station Dallas, Texas — a three-day ride costing tens of thousands of dollars. …

Recently I had the privilege of reading a book proposal which the author shared in hopes of being published. It was a beautifully written treatise, well structured, nicely paced, logically argued, and thoroughly researched. The author had clearly poured time, thought, and years of lived experience into the text. …

Over the decades I’ve used computers, my drawing skill has all but vanished — along with my ability to do calligraphy or even write legibly. Which is why I’ve started forcing myself to sketch again every day. Practice is the best form of hope. Originally published on zeldman.com.

“Are you here with your child?” It’s a Sunday and my daughter is visiting her mom. I’d spent the morning lugging my daughter’s old clothes and toys to a donation bin, where they’ll be given to some of New York’s neediest kids. …

During a recent conversation with David Sleight, Design Director at ProPublica, I found myself realizing and saying “we need design that is faster and design that is slower.” Who are we and what is this thing called design? When I say “we,” I mean our whole industry, when I say “our whole industry,” I mean design, and when I say…

Recently, Josh Clark, Gerry McGovern and I have been questioning our industry’s pursuit of “engagement.” Engagement is what all our clients want all the time. It’s the № 1 goal cited in kickoff meetings, the data point that determines if a project succeeded or sucked wind. …

A beginning consultant brings skills, an experienced consultant brings value. Early in a good career, you establish that you write the best code on your team, have the deftest touch in UI design, produce more good work more quickly than others. You’re the person who resolves disputes about which typeface…