Years ago, I started writing down the things I’ve learnt being a designer and running teams and companies. Mostly so I could articulate a challenge, a thought, a mistake. Like a little handbook. I found it the other day, and listening to the talks for the past couple of days at Leading Design has spurred me into action to add to them, but also to type them out, and publish them here.

I miss writing. I think it’s one of the most under-valued skills a designer can have. Writing something down in as few words as possible, encapsulating a thought, message, or idea, is a skill that takes decades of practice. And I’m out of practice.

So bear with me whilst I shake off the rust in public and share what I’ve learnt. Please don’t take me for being rude, but it’s not for you. It’s for me. Warts and all.

Here’s what I have managed to decipher so far from my scrappy little notebook. I’ll update this as I go.

  1. Weeds
  2. Crucible
  3. Crit
  4. Cake
  5. Collaborating
  6. Offer
  7. Recipe
  8. Measure
  9. Units
  10. Gains
  11. Landings
  12. Dent
  13. Make
  14. Gravity
  15. Mass
  16. Sizing
  17. Gut
  18. Ego
  19. Screw
  20. Simmer
  21. Rest
  22. Jelly
  23. Run
  24. Ebb
  25. Things
  26. Boards
  27. Words
  28. Ways
  29. Magic