Writing

• Designing Systems, Part 1: Theory, Practice, and the Unfortunate In-between

  In the first part of a three-part essay about design systems, I review two approaches for the creation of something equally as complex: a city.

• Sharing is Caring

  I’m attempting to deal with the string of unfortunate events in current affairs by being more generous.

• Beyond the Style Guide

  I run my finger along the seam between interface patterns and design systems, exploring how a visual design language can underpin and inform a web style guide, with judicious use of CSS preprocessing. Like a good Christmas jumper, sometimes you need to get creative with the rules.

• Friday Five Favourites

  In this week’s Small Batch List, I share five of my favourite things.

• Cold Feet’s Unevenly Distributed Future

  Observations made while watching the first five series of Cold Feet. When it was originally broadcast, mobile phones were just becoming mainstream, and the Internet was still a novelty. Simpler times.

• Admiring the Abstract in Basel’s Kunstmuseum

  As I explored the exhibits in Basel’s recently extended art museum, I jotted down the artists whose work caught my attention. Here I share my findings.

• Conferences Shouldn’t Cost the Earth

  Given the worsening ecological situation, can showering conference attendees with gifts still be seen as an act of thoughtfulness?

• Flags

  There’s a lot of them around. Here are some more.

• Not Funny

  On this clear, sunny Friday, the weather belies the fact that the UK has undertaken an unprecedented and improbable act of self-harm.

• Breaking Point: Why I’m voting to Remain in the EU Referendum

  The question on the ballot paper demands a simple black or white answer, yet a study of the issues only offers shades of grey.

• Habitables

  Having lived in my current flat for just over two years, I’m determined for this to be the year I finally make it feel like a home.

• Freelancing: Year One

  It’s been just over a year since I started working for myself, and during the last 12 months I’ve learnt a lot, both about the work, and myself. Having reached this milestone, time to take stock and review my goals for the year ahead.

• CSS Flexbox Is Entirely Logical (Almost)

  Because it uses logical values, Flexbox layouts will automatically align according to a document’s text-direction. Well, almost.

• Forthcoming Attractions

  With a New Year resolution to get out more, I share a few events I’ve recently bought tickets for. Who knows, you might be interested in them too.

• Lumiere London

  Last Friday I jumped on the train to London to see Lumiere, a four-day festival of illuminated art.

• 2015 in Review

  I wasn’t going to write about 2015, but reading a few end-of-year reviews has encouraged me to attempt the same, so here goes…

• Responsive Answers Revisited

  Justin Avery, who curates Responsive Design Weekly, asked me to revisit the four questions I answered as part of an interview series in 2013. Here are my answers.

• Peaceful Reflection

  Ten years ago today, I boarded United Airlines flight 955 from London Heathrow to San Francisco. Here’s what happened next.

• Little Gems

  The hackability provided by Jekyll’s plugin architecture has brought about an unexpected consequence: I’m starting to learn Ruby.

• Taking the Plunge (And Coming Up for Air)

  Freelancing can sometimes feel like a roller coaster of emotions, and this post finds me at one of its lowest points. Eight months in, now seems like a good time to consider the ride taken so far, and consolidate some of the lessons learnt.

• Prague: An Adventure in Space and Time

  Comparing a city with those previously visited might not be the best means of appraisal, but that’s what I found myself doing during a three-night stay in Prague.

• Stephen Colbert’s Late Show

  A few thoughts on the new Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

• Thinking Responsively: A Framework for Future Learning

  Three years after the Web Aesthetic, comes my second article for A List Apart. Intended to inform a broader discussion about the principles that underline our work, I thought I would share some background as to how this article came about.

• The Slow Web

  Just as blogging began to democratise publishing, social media arrived to undermine it.