Writing on design and life

Get into the Halloween spirit with costume ideas for design system nerds…and a bonus decor idea

Queerness challenges simple narratives and universal truths. What happens when you apply it to a discipline that seeks to build a clear, single source of truth?

AI represents a seismic shift in the way we work. If we’re not careful, it will be for the worse

Remembering the life and spirit of my mother, Wendy Hanawalt

Reflections of grief on the tenth anniversary of my brother’s passing

Rethinking systems thinking as a designer with ADHD

Can AI deliver all it’s promised to design systems practitioners? Do we want it?

The future of design is queer. What does that mean in practice?

Insights on a recurring theme from speakers at the 2022 Clarity design system conference

Learning to question if tech can help before diving into the how

Web3 advocates use the language of community and vague promises of innovation to rainbow wash their affinity scams

My vows for our second wedding on our first anniversary

Guff was both a very bad and the very best of dogs, and I wouldn’t have changed a thing

Addictive mental models in product design create patterns of thought that become harmful patterns in UI that become harmful patterns of behavior

As brands blur the lines between allyship and marketing, they risk disempowering the communities they claim to support

Designers, don’t let unethical leadership define the limits of your work

Designers must turn down work that supports evil, and the industry must stand behind them

Don’t judge new pride flag designs without considering their deeper purpose and place in the community

Five years ago, my brother died of a heroin overdose precipitated by his battles with bipolar disorder

As I look for work, I wonder, ‘What am I willing to have keep me up at night?’