From Products to Obstacles Wrapped in Subscriptions: the Decline of Craftsmanship and of an Industry
We used to build products. Now all we build is obstacles wrapped in subscriptions.
Companies sell their products with an implicit promise. That they did their best to make the customer’s life better. That things will work well for the foreseeable future. That no additional unexpected costs will pop up at some point.
Read more…Incentives, Friction, and Soul in the Game
One of the things I keep thinking about is the extent to which most companies go out of their way to discourage their own employees from tackling the problems they spot.
Read more…Nobody Feels Responsible Without Autonomy
Hey there, reader. If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders but your hands are tied behind your back, this one’s for you. I’ve been in the trenches of tech and leadership long enough to see patterns that break people and companies over and over.
Read more…A Birthday Zoo Trip That Reminded Me Why User Experience Still Feels Like an Afterthought
Today marks my son’s first birthday, a milestone that sneaks up on you with its quiet weight. One minute he’s a newborn bundle, the next he’s pulling himself up on the coffee table, grinning like he’s cracked a centuries old maths problem. To celebrate, my wife and I decided on the London Zoo, an easy choice, or so we thought. Animals, open spaces, a chance for him to point at a giraffe and babble something cute. But as I sat down to book the tickets online this morning, what should have been a simple step turned into a slog that nearly derailed the whole plan. It’s these moments that pull me back into thinking about how systems work, or don’t, and why so many organizations seem to forget the human at the center.
Read more…The Mirror Never Lies: An Ode to Unbroken Rebels
Every morning, I drag myself to the sink, razor in hand, steam curling like a ghost around the fogged glass. The water burns, the blade stings, and for those raw seconds, it’s just me and the truth staring back.
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