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Budgeting for UX Managers
Budgeting for UX is a conflict of mental models: Ours and Accounting’s. If we start with Accounting’s model, we’re more likely to make mistakes. So, do the version that makes sense first, and then reformulate it for Accounting’s needs.
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Oblique Strategies, a creative tool, in a web version
In Oct 2022 I made a web-based derivative of Eno and Schmidt’s Oblique Strategies cards. I read about a deck of cards made by musician Brian Eno and artist Peter Schmidt in 1975, which had the purpose of spurring on creative thinking by inserting a random prompt. I imagine Eno composing music in some endless…
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Mosquitos & Eucalyptus
When I was a child, everyone around me would be slapping at mosquitos and black flies, but the bugs would never land on me. I’ve never known why, and these days I’m just as much a host to an opportunistic mosquito as anyone. Today, my wife connected the dots. It was the eucalpytus. I grew…
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How do you reason about your position on COVID-19?
Politics, executive orders, barbers, mask-shaming, freedoms, powers, and egos aside, experiences around the world have taught a few lessons on how to greatly reduce COVID-19 infections. Wear a mask when you are with people outside your household. Minimize time indoors with multiple people. Move activities outdoors when it makes sense. Wash your hands often. If…
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COVID-19, Personal Values, and Performance Continuums
Many people would sooner die than think—in fact, they do so. Bertrand Russell That quote has come grimly to mind these days. It is printed on the back of a book that I try to review annually: How to Think Straight by Anthony Flew. So, let’s think about our behaviors and our values at this…
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Frequency of Error is Important in User Interface
(I published this in 2020, but it had been sitting as a draft since 2015. I presume this error set from Microsoft may not be relevant, although the idea could be.) Late last week, right after I stopped running with scissors, I picked up a Microsoft Surface 3 tablet running Windows 10. Over the weekend…
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How to update Ford SYNC with a Mac
I have a 2013 Ford Fusion. I like the car, but SYNC, the media system (think phones, etc.), is really bad. I thought updating the software would help. Here’s how that went. Throughout this whole experience, I had to keep reminding myself of two facts to properly lower my expectations. Ford is a car company,…
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“Sportsmen’s Club” is okay
A side project of mine is to keep up rangelistings.com, a website that provides a list and map of shooting ranges in each of the Unites States. So I see all kinds of variations of names for shooting ranges, and this theme sticks out to me: ABC Sportsmans Club ABC Sportsman’s Club ABC Sportsmans’ Club…
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The lesser of two evils is still evil
Real leaders have moral codes that reflect a deep care for the well-being of others, instead of a moral code that swirls around selfish ego, fear, greed, and attachment to their own agendas. Where, oh where, are those leaders?
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Covenant Eyes on Inc. 5000 for the 6th time since 2010
I’m happy to share the news that Covenant Eyes, Inc. made position 3674 on the 2016 Inc. 5000 list, showing an 85% growth in revenue over the past 3 years. What’s even better is that this is our 6th time on the Inc. 5000 since 2010. A one-time listing might be a fluke, but 6 times in…