What will always be true?
I'm a forward thinker, almost to a fault. I live in the future, then work backwards to find sustainable paths forward. Because of that, I've been asking myself one question for the past five years: in a world of raging uncertainty, what can I count on?
Behavior design will never go away.
Even if we automate the entire world, humans are still here. We will still need ways to say what we want, get clarity on what is going on, communicate with each other, form habits and extract patterns.
That answer shaped my design leadership philosophy and my non-negotiables.
How I lead.
I want outcomes everyone is stoked about, including the user. I also want the designers on my teams leaving better than they came.
[Data, Iterate, Data]
Good design doesn’t start or stop with a single data point. It’s a continuous loop of listening, learning and evolving. I use quantitative signals and qualitative insights to guide direction, test, iterate, and return to the data to validate or adjust.
[Leave room to be wrong]
It fosters a growth mindset: stronger teamwork, continuous learning from others, and a structured approach to testing concepts. It also keeps egos in check, creating a more open and effective working environment.
[Hire for adaptability]
In our field, the only constant is change. Tools, frameworks, methods and leadership will evolve, so I hire for quick comprehension and adaptability.
[Everyone leaves stoked]
The user, the business and the team. An outcome only one of them is excited about is a trade, not a win.
[Designers leave better than they came]
Every designer on my team should walk away more equipped for a long and fruitful career than when they joined.
[Live in the future, work backward]
Start from where the world is going, then find the sustainable path from today to there.
The fundamentals that don't expire.
I emphasize the hell out of behavior design and cognitive science. They are the most important topics a designer can master, along with visual communication, which is cognitive science from another angle.
Behavior design
How people decide, act and form habits: motivation, ability, prompts and the loops that make a product part of someone's day.
Cognitive science
How people perceive, attend, remember and make sense of things. The mechanics underneath every interaction we design.
Visual communication
Cognitive science from another angle: how hierarchy, contrast and rhythm steer the eye and carry meaning before a word is read.