Spilling Ink #3 - Shifting currents
This is Spilling Ink, the monthly newsletter from from Curious Squid, Dan Brown’s IA and UX design agency based in Washington, DC.
Watercolor by Sarah Holden
Dispatches from the deep
July brought the first major life event – leaving one job and starting another – and then August brought another. My older son started college. We dropped him on campus on August 17, and aside from taking him to his dorm room, the process could not have been more different from my own. I barely recall moving in in the autumn of 1990 – just making a few trips up the four flights of stairs in the old dorm and giving my little sister a big reassuring hug. I expect my son to remember his move-in with more clarity. His move-in day was a spectacle. Mine seemed almost like an accident.
But I do remember the nervous excitement, the boundless joy of starting something both new and free from prior baggage. New can feel like a blank canvas, an opportunity to write new definitions and paint new boundaries. A blank page invites experimentation – trying out novel techniques and unfamiliar compositions. Such opportunities also invite deliberate and conscious rejection of aspects of the past that did not work.
This is not the case for Curious Squid, which was founded as a vehicle for me to keep doing what I love – solving complicated information architecture problems. I sought to build on the strength of what came before, not tear it all down. But perhaps it gives me space to amplify the things I find most rewarding: working with smart people, sharing my knowledge, and make hard work fun.
A blank canvas is not the best metaphor for starting something new: you are not completely separated from context, and you take your baggage with you wherever you go. Whether starting off in college or starting a new company, there are the circumstances of the environment, and there are lessons learned from before.
It is a difficult time in user experience and digital design at the moment. We are experiencing some dramatic changes in the technology industry, as evidenced by frequent layoff events, and the job hunting challenges of our friends and colleagues. Beyond UX, the state of the world calls into question many long-held assumptions, and creates uncertainty.
Whether starting fresh or starting a new chapter, to embark on anything new is to invite uncertainty. Embracing the uncertainty, however, we don’t leave behind our baggage. Instead, we cling to the things that give us focus. We take with us what offers some utility in our new space, what provides a modicum of stability, and what reminds us of why we take these risks. And though we seek to only take our strengths, we take our shortcomings, too, because they are inseparable from our strengths. But the clarity of focus allows us to draw wisdom from those shortcomings, and as such our endeavors are exciting because more than anything they give us a chance to see ourselves in a new way.
Tell me about a time you started something new. How did you see yourself differently?
Mentoring in 2025
Every year I take on two mentees, people I work with individually throughout the year to tackle aspects of their practice they find most challenging.
Occasionally we deal with the nuts-and-bolts of information architecture or user experience design. But more typically we work through challenging work environments, obstacles to career progression, and expanding their practice to be more inclusive.
We meet once a month for 30-45 minutes to talk through current or upcoming work issues. Our conversations are short, but focused. We’ll check in a few times throughout the year to re-set goals and make sure you’re getting what you need.
Unfortunately, there is more demand for mentoring than there is supply of my time, so if you’re interested, please tell me about yourself.
I’ll then schedule interviews and select two candidates so that we can get started in January.
Old stains
Four trade-offs when designing navigation: Doing information architecture involves making trade-offs – gaining one thing while losing another. This article was an early attempt to capture my thoughts on this process.
Product team perspectives: Simplistic conceptions of product design work make me grumpy. Sometimes I get so grumpy I make models to expose the nuance I see.
Discoveries and finds
Design ain’t a democracy
“…great design can only thrive with a dictator/director—a single person who can say yes, go, ship ship ship”Mushroom color atlas
“The Mushroom Color Atlas is a resource and reference for everyone curious about mushrooms and the beautiful and subtle colors derived from dyeing with mushrooms.”
Upcoming events
Keep an eye on the Curious Squid calendar for more events coming up in 2025!
December 20: IA Book Club
Discussion about Everyday Chaos: Technology, Complexity, and How we’re Thriving in a New World of Possibility
Availability
Schedule time with Dan to talk about how Curious Squid can help you.
Curious Squid is always available for coaching, advising, or workshops.
For projects, we are eager to start something in 2025, we’d love to hear about it!