Nov 8, 2020Member-onlyI remember a time at work, where I was describing to a colleague the the difficult circumstances I…I remember a time at work, where I was describing to a colleague the the difficult circumstances I was dealing with surrounding a new team organization. He said, "hold on a minute" and called our manager over and said to them, "I think you need to talk to Jake. …3 min read3 min read
May 19, 2020Member-onlySpring 2020 — A season of bread, self reflection, & personal development.This story is 100% Gluten Free This is a short story about isolation, reflection, & yeast — or personal & professional development. I grew up just outside of San Francisco on a diet of many things including world renowned sourdough bread. In 2012 I moved to the Intermountain West &…Design Process7 min readDesign Process7 min read
Published in STG UX Dailies·Nov 13, 2018Let’s play “What does this icon mean to you?”UX Dailies I don’t get to build icons as much as I’d like. Our current design system didn’t have an icon that represented what I needed. I guess I’ll need to make one. *Designer rubs hands together while giggling gleefully So tell me, what might this icon represent? This icon…Icons1 min readIcons1 min read
Published in UX Collective·Oct 30, 2018How to own the whiteboard exercise as a UX/Product DesignerWhiteboard rules. — I love the whiteboard. I’ve come to trust it as one of my most valuable tools in design. It’s quick. Its content is disposable in nature. It’s collaborative in nature. It’s a near perfect medium to sketch out ideas, but it can bury you in an interview. I’m going to…Design4 min readDesign4 min read
Published in STG UX Dailies·Oct 19, 2018A slow day is a busy dayIt was a migrate your old lappy to a shiny new lappy kind of day — And it was a very good day. I’ve been putting off this task for months. But now that it’s done, I know I’m less likely to have a problem as my project picks up steam. I have a number of tasks I really want to get to but couldn’t. I have conversations to synthesize into my work…tomorrow. It’s funny how a day taken to do basic maintenance, can be such a powerful motivational force for getting back to work tomorrow.Slow Before Fast1 min readSlow Before Fast1 min read
Published in STG UX Dailies·Oct 17, 2018Welcome to the spin cycle: A business lesson learned from surfingSTG UX Dailies — In every protagonists journey, there is a point at which they realize that they are interacting with the world based on a set of rules and assumptions that aren’t quite right, inelegant, or even clumsy. This is normal. This is a sign of progress. It’s known as a sophomoric experience. …Professionalism2 min readProfessionalism2 min read
Published in STG UX Dailies·Oct 12, 2018Not that there’s anything wrong with thatUX Dailies — I worked from home for two days this week. Normally I prefer to be colocated with my team. Normally my team prefers that as well. But in this specific circumstance, my team was at a local conference soaking up ideas from other like-minded and similarly engaged individuals, without me. And…Teamwork2 min readTeamwork2 min read
Published in STG UX Dailies·Oct 6, 2018Outside the wheelhouseUX Dailies — It’s good to be out of your comfort zone. It stretches you. Really exposes the edges of your abilities; the places where you can expand or choose not to go. Sometimes you put yourself out there because you recognize an opportunity for growth. …Life1 min readLife1 min read
Published in STG UX Dailies·Oct 5, 2018Get out of the cave : 1 of 3 salient points:Gratitude. I woke up feeling an immense sense of gratitude for the teams I am currently contracted to work with. It isn’t often as a consultant that I’ve worked with an organization as intensely concerned with the welfare and progression of my me as a person and practitioner as I…Design2 min readDesign2 min read
Jan 10, 2018Fishing for Product ValidationHow to get a good idea of how good your idea is — Let’s just say you have an idea for a business or a service, or you’ve at least uttered the words “we should make an app for that,” kudos to you. It shows you’ve been paying attention to the world around you. Now let’s just say your idea is brilliant/rubbish. How…Startup5 min readStartup5 min read
