Blog
Practical writing on strategy, influence, and career growth for product designers. No think pieces: frameworks you can use in your next design review.
25 August 2026
Visual design is assessed in the first 5 seconds of a portfolio review, before hiring managers read a word of your case studies. Here's what that means for how you present your work.
Read article11 August 2026
Most designers know they want to grow beyond senior level but aren't sure what the criteria are. Here's what distinguishes staff and principal designers from senior ones: and what to focus on if you want to make the jump.
Read article28 July 2026
The most interesting AI tools for product design aren't the generic assistants. They're the ones built by designers who've packaged their own expertise into something reusable. Here are five worth knowing about.
Read article14 July 2026
Most AI design feedback is generic because the prompt is generic. Here's how to run a structured UX audit using established heuristics frameworks, with a set of custom checks that catch the issues general frameworks miss.
Read article15 June 2026
Great work doesn't speak for itself. Learn how to structure design presentations around a simple narrative: context, problem, solution, impact. Frame your work in a way that makes people care.
Read article1 June 2026
Producing screens will get cheaper with AI. Don't let that be your main value. Learn how to provide insight and alignment, develop an execution advantage, and leverage AI strategically.
Read article15 May 2026
After 12 years leading product design teams, one pattern consistently separates the designers who earn strategic influence from those stuck in execution. Learn how to connect craft, product metrics, and business goals.
Read article1 May 2026
Too many designers get stuck in delivery mode. Learn the three habits that help you transition from delivering designs to shaping direction and building strategic influence.
Read article15 April 2026
What do hiring managers actually want to hear in a senior product designer interview? Learn to answer impact questions by connecting behaviour changes to product metrics and business goals.
Read article1 April 2026
Designers love to say we advocate for users. But what if that's not the job? Learn how to understand value streams and design for business value, not just user needs.
Read article15 March 2026
Stop talking about design quality and start talking about business impact. Learn the benefits-over-features method to position design as an essential business investment.
Read article1 March 2026
Design tools won't get you to senior level. These 8 skills will. Stakeholder interviews, problem framing, data literacy, workshop facilitation, and more. Here's what actually advances design careers.
Read article15 February 2026
Most designers get handed requirements and turn them into screens. Discovery is how you break that cycle. Here's how to lead discovery work, shape what gets built, and build strategic influence on your team.
Read article6 January 2026
A practical framework for demonstrating design value even when you lack complete tracking and metrics. Learn the behaviour → product metrics → business goals model.
Read article4 January 2026
Most product designers get stuck executing other people's ideas. Here's how to make the shift from pixel pusher to strategic designer: shaping direction, leading discovery, and connecting your work to business outcomes.
Read articleFifteen lessons on strategy, business thinking, and stakeholder influence. The part of your design career nobody teaches, delivered to your inbox.
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