TechnicalReflexive ReflectiveBuilding a research practice is intimidating. You’re basically embarking on a path of creating a…February 28, 2021 5 min
The GunTo start with a positioning statement, I'm not a fan of guns in the popular mindset. They've become… 2 min
TechnicalDesigning Participant ExperiencesDesigning a research program is a pretty difficult task. It requires a level of introspection and…February 21, 2021 5 min
TechnicalSome Design Research PrinciplesSince I run an app that has its roots in the world of Design Research, I spend a fair bit of time…February 14, 2021 7 min
TechnicalAll Quiet on the Productivity FrontConstant progress without being certain you’re getting anywhere. Reflecting on the adrenal dropkick…February 07, 2021 7 min
TechnicalSponge CyclesWe all operate on cycles. Circadian, seasonal, fiscal, and academic — oscillating across frequencies…February 01, 2021 7 min
EssaysSpeculative SurplusWhenever we see modern militaries, we’re witnessing industrialized production and movement of things…January 25, 2021 9 min
EssaysFull Hamcus: Finding the Spark in Sci-fi WorkwearThis essay was originally published on the TCHWR blog . Hamcus is not a techwear brand in the…January 17, 2021 6 min
EssaysPlatform InsurrectionThe past few years have been a conversation about power like I’ve never seen before. When Black…January 12, 2021 7 min
PersonalReflecting on 2020Well, that was a year. My family and I were more fortunate than most, but not as fortunate as some…December 31, 2020 10 min
TechnicalCoordinating global cities research: Knowsi case studyOriginally published as a guest blog on Sage Ocean . “We haven’t met yet. Do you trust me?” This is…September 29, 2020 3 min
TechnicalThe Anatomy of a Research Recruitment EmailA new research project has come along and you need to recruit some research participants. Castiron…June 19, 2020 7 min
DivergeDiverge Weekly Issue #13: The Endemic IssueAs the exogenous force of coronavirus has pummeled the globe, America has had its own endemic…June 03, 2020 5 min
DivergeDiverge Weekly Issue #12: The Constrained IssueBeing a creator of things — software, products, services, policy, etc — means navigating a world of…May 26, 2020 3 min
DivergeDiverge Weekly Issue #11: The Waiting IssueIt’s been 70 days since my family and I hit “go” on our particular lockdown, only preceding the…May 19, 2020 3 min
DivergeDiverge Weekly Issue #10: The Flattened IssueFirst, I want to share a point of gratitude. My small business, Knowsi , was awarded the Sage…May 12, 2020 4 min
TechnicalConcept Grant 2020 winner: KnowsiThis interview was originally published on May 11, 2020, by Sage Ocean . SAGE has announced the…May 11, 2020 5 min
DivergeDiverge Weekly Issue #9: The Dependencies IssueFirst, thank you and welcome to all the new subscribers, and to Hillary Predko for sharing Diverge…May 05, 2020 5 min
DivergeDiverge Weekly Issue #8: The Just Tired IssueEveryone I talk to lately is tired. For those of us in countries with a nominal “flattened” curve…April 28, 2020 4 min
DivergeDiverge Weekly Issue #7: The Gradual Opening IssueMy son had his first day back at daycare today (I’m writing this on Monday). When he left, he wasn’t…April 21, 2020 3 min
DivergeDiverge Weekly Issue #6: The Captured IssueI’ve been reading and thinking about foresight — especially as it relates to the current pandemic…April 14, 2020 3 min
DivergeDiverge Weekly Issue #5: The First Reflection IssueWe’re going to try something a little bit different this week and reflect a bit about this project…April 07, 2020 5 min
DivergeDiverge Weekly Issue #4: The Cycles IssueDesign is a cyclical action. While individual artifacts are ejected from the process (like this…March 31, 2020 7 min
DivergeDiverge Weekly Issue #3: The Uncertainty IssueLast week, I wrote about the balance of intervention and foresight in a design-based response to…March 24, 2020 5 min
EssaysCovid Anxiety: A Foresight GameWhy is it that we can see something coming and still not prepare? I’ve been asking myself this the…March 22, 2020 7 min
DivergeDiverge Weekly Issue #2: The Global Pandemic IssueThis past week we’ve seen the “exponential” part of exponential growth hit the world like a tidal…March 17, 2020 3 min
DivergeDiverge Weekly Issue #1: The Afghan Peace Talk IssueFor most of my adult life, my country (one of them anyway, being a dual citizen between the US and…March 10, 2020 2 min
PersonalOn Remote Work and the CoronavirusWith the coronavirus probably hitching a ride in one of your co-workers, it’s possible that your…March 06, 2020 6 min
DivergeDiverge Weekly Issue #0: The PrototypeWelcome to the “preview” issue of Diverge Weekly, a weekly look at systemic design around the world…March 03, 2020 2 min
EssaysFailing States Fail Terrorists TooThis was my term paper for the first module in my Security Studies MA, written December 201…February 20, 2020 16 min
TechnicalImport your Audible Library to GoodreadsI wrote a rudimentary python script to bulk import your Audible library to Goodreads. I’ll caveat…February 06, 2020 2 min
EssaysA More Intentional WardrobeI have an affinity for jackets and bags. The two central functions to protect and to carry somehow…January 19, 2020 8 min
PersonalReflecting on 20192019 has been a weird combination of my most exhausting, fulfilling, chaotic, and structured year to…December 30, 2019 11 min
TechnicalThe Design Researcher’s Everyday CarryDesign research is about sensing and synthesizing the needs of your stakeholders: a fundamentally…June 12, 2019 5 min
TechnicalBreathing In and Out, or Two Approaches to Design ResearchLike our bodies need oxygen, our businesses need a constant supply of knowledge and understanding to…May 20, 2019 5 min
TechnicalPlanning your Design Research TripOne of my more traumatic design research moments is something I barely remember. I had flown from…May 13, 2019 4 min
TechnicalBetter Notes for Design ResearchAt the heart of great design research is note taking. Our job is to go into new environments, learn…May 06, 2019 3 min
TechnicalHow to Design the Future of Food in 4 HoursWe can’t predict the future, but that shouldn’t stop us from designing for it! Designers today have…October 12, 2018 4 min
TechnicalHMW How Might We?If you’ve ever worked with a designer facilitating a workshop, or a supplicant of design thinking…May 15, 2018 4 min
TechnicalBootstrapping Infrastructure in the Public Interest“You are not connected to a network.” When flashed across a screen on any range of devices, these…May 01, 2018 5 min
TechnicalBuilding Co-operative Design BriefsIn design teams, the “Brief” is often a shared understanding of the challenge the team is facing. It…April 13, 2018 4 min
PersonalBenadryl and ParachordWith some luck and a generous vacation policy at my work, I was finally able to do a Wilderness…February 03, 2018 3 min
TechnicalBureaucratic MysteriesThese tools were taught as a workshop to the first Code for Canada fellowship team in November…February 01, 2018 11 min
TechnicalA Spotter’s Guide to Social Product VenturesHow do you know that a software business with a social mission is actually a Social Product Venture…July 10, 2017 5 min