The blog.
Notes on product strategy, AI-assisted prototyping, and the work between founder vision and user reality.
- Notes
Welcome to Often Sometimes Briefly
A short note on what this blog is for, and what to expect from it.
- business
The Power of B2B Branding
There’s a persistent misconception in marketing: brand doesn’t matter as much in B2B.
- product strategy
Engineering Is Not Marketing
I saw something today that reminded me of a myth that just refuses to die:
- marketing
Curiosity scales better than expertise
I’ve spent most of my career selling professional services — marketing, development, product strategy — to just about every kind of client you can imagine.
- Creative
What to Do When Creativity Stops Flowing
I’ve spent the better part of twenty years managing creative teams. I can also be a bit creative myself.
- product strategy
LinkedIn is Broken
What happens when a niche product becomes successful? It inevitably tries to diversify by adding product lines or services to appease shareholders, impress investors, or simply stave off the boredom…
- Notes
The Importance of Brand
Build first, brand once you have traction. Branding and design is often an afterthought when building new products and services. Product is king, especially in challenging economic environments.
- AI
AI isn’t going to kill journalism. It’s going to kill bad journalism.
One of the laments I’ve seen recently is that the rise of AI agents is going to kill off publication readership.
- startups
Before We Forget How to Make Things
When I was young one of my favorite books was The Way Things Work by David Macaulay and Neil Ardley. For the curious mind it was an amazing journey into how things work the way they do.
- startups
How to Create Cohesion - Speaking the Same Language
Engagement. Onboarding. Module. In each of the 40+ products I’ve had the privilege of working on nearly each and every one had a different definition for these three terms.
- AI
Don’t Forget - Growth Comes From the Mundane
We quickly went from “AI is going to take your job” to “AI is going to take away the boring parts of your job”. “You’ll get to go straight to the creative bits and AI will do the boring stuff.”
- startups
The Myth of “Skin in the Game”
“I want to make sure you have some skin in the game.”
- Notes
The Illusion of Alignment. Or, Why Project Kickoffs Fail Without Shared Language.
Everyone joins the kickoff call excited. Caffeinated. Ready to hit the ground running. There’s a deck, maybe even a roadmap (or for the truly ambitious a sitemap). People nod. Slack channels spin up.
- Notes
Why does being data-driven so often mean forgetting the user?
And what can we do to fix it?
- AI
Technical Perfection and the Capacity for Grace
As we’ve introduced more and more technology into our lives we’ve gotten closer and closer to achieving perfection in our day to day. But is that a good thing?
- DAD
Balancing Transparency and Agency: The Case for Determined Agency Design (DAD)
We’re at a point where algorithms shape everything from the content we see to the products we buy. As such, the need for a balanced approach to digital experiences has never been more critical.
- Notes
Four Months In - A Selfless Plug
I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked at some amazing boutique agencies as well as in-house at some wonderful organizations and built some outstanding digital products.
- tiktok
Don’t build your business on someone else’s business
This seems to be a conversation I’ve had on a pretty regular basis since around 2007, but it looks like it’s time to have it once more with the looming TikTok ban.
- AI
AI as a Partner to Creative Professionals
Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly transformed from a futuristic buzzword into an everyday tool across industries.
- DAD
The Death of Serendipity
In the early days of the internet we were focused on the collection and collation of knowledge. Websites dedicated to capturing all kinds of arcane knowledge popped up every week.
- product design
How Google Broke Fitbit Or, 4 Easy Tips for UX Changes
Whenever there’s a transfer of power in a product—be it through an acquisition, takeover, or reorganization—both risks and opportunities emerge.
- Notes
Two Simple Tips for Managing Creative/Client Meetings.
Talking about process and creative team management had me realize the best practices I’ve developed over the years for managing meetings is just the way I do things and definitely not standard…
- hobbies
In Defense of Hobbies
As a teenager I restored my first classic car and hand built a lute.
- product
Page Priorities - When Narrowing Your User’s Focus is Key
It’s often true that the simplest things can be the most impactful. Massive piles of ingredients in haute cuisine are fine, but let’s be honest with ourselves, the kids' pasta with butter is almost…
- Notes
Beyond ‘I Don’t Like It’: 4 Rules for Effective Creative Feedback
It’s one of those things that most people don’t want to do (despite what they say), unless it’s to big C Creatives. Designers, videographers, writers, marketers, the list goes on.