Get weird again

Professionalization did a lot for UX. But it can’t give us what we need right now.

Posting through it

In hard times, it's tempting to outsource our sensemaking to loud voices with simple answers. It's also dangerous.

Introducing: Throughline 2026

Let’s write design’s next chapter. January 29-30, online.

The future of design isn’t yesterday’s hiring boom.

It’s normal to grieve what was—but what happens when we turn our attention to what UX could be next?

Perfectionism isn't high standards

Perfectionism tells us that if we were just good enough, if our work were just impeccable enough, we'd be OK. Safe. Accepted. But there’s no bar you can hit with your work that will make you feel worthy as a person.

What's your definition of success?

What if there's a difference between what looks good on paper... and what actually brings you joy?

Should I give up on success?

What should you do when you feel like you just can’t win at work? That’s the question we answer in this week’s episode of Per My Last Email—the podcast about what to do when work gets weird.

It’s not just burnout

A new study says nearly half of tech workers are significantly burned out. But we don't need more grit. We need to name the forces that are actually breaking us—so we can get real about what we can do about them.

Nice Work: You're not Sisyphus

Nice Work: The gloom and the good

Nice Work: A team that talks, works, and wins together

Nice Work: I’m just supposed to pretend like everything’s OK?

Nice Work: Refusing despair

Nice Work: How are you taking care of yourself this week?

Nice Work: Unpacking “leadership presence”

Making Meaning

Most of the content leaders I know joined the field because the work felt meaningful. But what happens when we our desire for meaning turns the job into an identity?

Nice Work: The power of repair 🛠️

Nice Work: Choosing who to be

Nice Work: Four years of Active Voice 🎂

Nice Work: Tell me what you want, what you really really want

Nice Work: Getting "back to it"

Nice Work: Sliding down the muddy hillside of 2023

Nice Work: There will always be lots to do.

Nice Work: You can’t prove your value to someone who isn’t interested in seeing it.

Hey designers, they’re gaslighting you.

“Prove your value.” “Justify your presence.” “Demonstrate impact.” Too many organizations have convinced designers that they’re the problem — that if they just worked harder, they’d be taken seriously. But if just doing more were going to fix the problem... it’d be fixed by now.