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The Strategic Side of Design | How Designers Shape Product Direction - Simple Thread

When most people think about designers, they tend to picture pixels and flows rather than high-level strategy and planning. While crafting the user interface is a big part of what designers do, design has always been about more than visuals.... Read

We Value Your Privacy 13d ago

If You Click (with Mouse) a Cookie The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was passed by the EU almost 10 years ago and was supposed to be “the toughest privacy and security law in the world.” Yet the collection, aggregation, and sale of user... Read

From Scripts to Scale 21d ago

I. The Accidental Enterprise Language: Python’s Journey to the Big Leagues Python’s Journey: From Scripting to Enterprise Python’s ascent from a hobby project to a cornerstone of professional software development is one of the great, unexpected... Read

Definining Software Profit Levers for Electric Utilities 30d ago

Every time an organization decides it needs to build or purchase software, it is an investment that should contribute to the organization’s ability to achieve its purpose, measurable by profit. Lowe’s might say that their purpose is to empower... Read

Hosting Capacity Maps: How to Make Them Time-Aware, Trustworthy, and Scalable 33d ago

In the rapidly evolving world of renewable energy and grid modernization, utilities and developers are facing unprecedented challenges. With interconnection requests for large loads, distributed generation, and electrification skyrocketing, the... Read

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The Fantastic Machine – Part 2 – Generation 43d ago

“The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson Welcome back to the control room! In Part 1, you learned the vocabulary of the power grid, including the fundamentals of power, frequency, and voltage. You have your... Read

Whose Futures 51d ago

Cutting Tape Splicing tape with a razor felt like a magic trick. It was meticulous – a punisher of the inaccurate – and if you botched counting the clicks that signaled a waveform cycle or rolled the wrong inch of tape you might completely ruin a... Read

Deciding the Rest of the Owl 58d ago

In my previous post, I built from the ground up a case for why software engineers should use decision-driven documentation: writing docs not to capture what we’ve done, but what we’ve decided. This approach has several advantages. It: Captures our... Read

The Fantastic Machine – Part 1 – The Building Blocks 63d ago

Go here for the full series “When I am working on a problem, I never think about beauty… but when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong.” — Buckminster Fuller Why I’m Writing This It’s widely accepted that one of the... Read

Interception! 65d ago

It’s American football season again and, as many fans will attest, there are few things more exciting than intercepting a ball thrown by the opposing team’s quarterback – it can truly be a game-changer! Similarly, utilizing JS (JavaScript) HTMX... Read

Ask a Manager

am I too long-winded, employee leans on me for help with everything, and more 4h ago

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Do I need to be less long-winded? How can I be less long-winded? I’m a senior manager, so I have to talk frequently: laying out project goals and plans, providing directions to team members,... Read

how do I deal with the two-faced manager who laid me off? 14h ago

A reader writes: I’ve been working in the marketing department of a large company for nine years, in a somewhat specialized role. I sit within a smaller subteam originally managed by “Jean-Luc,” who was the kind of manager everyone hopes for —... Read

my new employee is someone I fired at my old job 14h ago

A reader writes: I recently took a new job in my same industry and city. In my new role, I’ll have a team of eight reporting to me in various capacities and functions. During the interview process, I got a brief read-out of the team and a high... Read

my employer has taken all flexibility out of working from home, and people are upset 17h ago

A reader writes: I work for the government. A few months ago, changes were announced to our employment situation. Government employees who were able to work remotely have been doing so since the pandemic. In 2022, we were mandated back to the... Read

coworker accidentally linked her nudes to our team account, asking for extra pay for overnight events, and more 1d ago

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My coworker accidentally linked her nudes to our team Photoshop account My coworker was using our team’s Photoshop account for a personal project (which our manager is aware of and okay with) and... Read

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my boss wants to add to our paychecks with his personal money 2d ago

A reader writes: I work for a local government office that is being affected by the federal chaos. We currently have a hiring freeze and expect to lose several key positions when Congress finally passes a budget. Best case scenario is that the... Read

our new hire dresses too casually for client meetings 2d ago

A reader writes: I work at a small start-up with about 15 people. We all work remotely. We recently hired a new employee for my team, and he is probably the youngest person in the company. We serve a pretty conservative field in terms of dress,... Read

I now realize a work friendship wasn’t healthy — where do I go from here? 2d ago

A reader writes: I started my job in 2023 and became good friends with Ellie. We have similar roles, but different divisions, so rarely overlapped. We bonded over being unhappy in our roles and having a shared male “mentor,” who turned out to be... Read

drunk texts from a former coworker, people ignore my emails, and more 2d ago

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Getting drunk texts from a former coworker I have been remote working at a company for about a year and a half now, and have been enjoying it. About a month ago, I had a coworker reach out and ask... Read

weekend open thread – November 15-16, 2025 4d ago

This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. Here are the rules for the weekend posts. Book recommendation of the week: Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon, by Matthew... Read

open thread – November 14, 2025 5d ago

It’s the Friday open thread! The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on any work-related questions that you want to talk about (that includes school). If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best... Read

“don’t bring problems without solutions,” coworker is upset that I got the promotion he wanted, and more 5d ago

It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. Managers who don’t want to hear about problems without solutions Why do managers tell employees to only bring them solutions, not problems? I hear this a lot, and I’m not sure I get it. I... Read

what questions should I ask in an internal interview with people I already work with? 6d ago

A reader writes: I’m fairly new to the workforce (~3 years) and, between a time-limited paid fellowship and moving cities for grad school, I’ve changed jobs a couple of times. My current role is the first time I’ve been eligible to apply for a new... Read

a new employee has gone AWOL 6d ago

A reader writes: My husband, Jim, is a managing attorney at a small firm that is entirely remote, with lawyers spread out across the region. He recently hired a mid-level attorney, Fergus, who is based in a different city and who reports directly... Read

let’s hear from people who didn’t find their career paths until after 40 6d ago

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: This is half-question, half-plea. I’d love to hear from readers who didn’t get into a fulfilling / interesting / creative / what-you-actually-want-to-do career until after age 40. I’m... Read

coworker is being really weird about our breaks, are “employee of the month” awards useful, and more 6d ago

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Fire one employee, both employees, or no one? I am an assistant manager at a chain restaurant. There are two employees who should be fired due to violating our call-out policy, which is two NCNS... Read

the fake charity, the Photoshop predator, and other times AI got it wrong 7d ago

We recently talked about times AI got it really wrong, and here are 20 of the most ridiculous stories you shared. 1. The fake initiative Our execs usually send out a hype email right before the annual employee morale survey, emphasizing wins from... Read

what to do if ICE agents come to your workplace 7d ago

With aggressive ICE raids expanding to an increasing number of cities, I’m sharing the following guidance from a community organizer in Chicago about what to do if ICE shows up at your workplace. I’m in Chicago, which has been targeted aggressively... Read

how should I manage someone who uses the Gen Z stare? 7d ago

A reader writes: I have been managing a corporate team for a little under a year, and I’ve gotten to know them all over the last few months. One employee, Sally, is smart, quiet, and a hard worker. However, when I talk to her, I started noticing... Read

husband says it’s inappropriate to dine or carpool with my boss, bowing out of a cooking competition, and more 7d ago

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My husband says it’s inappropriate to dine or carpool with my boss I have a great relationship with my boss. He is incredibly supportive of my professional growth and is a good mentor. We work... Read

my coworkers have a crush on my boss … and are taking it out on me 8d ago

I’m off today so here’s an older post from the archives. This was originally published in 2020. A reader writes: I’m the executive assistant for a small company. I’m the direct support for the VP of human resources, “Dave,” who is very charismatic... Read

I made a gift guide for each employee on your team 8d ago

If you’re the boss, finding the right gifts for your employees can be fraught with questions: How much do you spend? Should you spend the same amount of money on each person? And if you don’t know someone well, how do you make sure they like the... Read

my coworker is blackmailing me not to take time off for my honeymoon 8d ago

I’m off today so here’s an older post from the archives. This was originally published in 2020. A reader writes: I work in an office where I’m the only person who can do 75% of my job, but there’s a second person who can do essential functions. We... Read

should you hire employees to babysit, locker room etiquette when your gym is full of coworkers, and more 8d ago

I’m off today. Here are some past letters that I’m making new again, rather than leaving them to wilt in the archives. 1. Should you hire employees to babysit? I help supervise a group of about 20 student workers at a college. Most of them know I... Read

I got an abusive message from an email subscriber — should I let his employer know? 9d ago

A reader writes: I run outbound marketing for a tech startup serving founders and salespeople. We often send promotional/announcement emails from my email address to subscribers who have opted in to receive our updates. We recently sent a very... Read

my employee might be working a second job during our workday 9d ago

A reader writes: I recently took over managing a team, and have some concerns about one of my employees, John, who was hired by my predecessor. He is pretty good at what he does, but he is super slow at producing finished work. He rarely meets... Read

I’m managing an employee through a PIP — and it’s really hard 9d ago

A reader writes: For the past several years, I’ve been managing an employee whose work has oscillated between “acceptable but not great” and “does not meet expectations.” In that time, we’ve navigated all the steps HR and I could think of to help... Read

our board member got scammed, I’m the only one who has to wear a uniform, and more 9d ago

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. What’s our responsibility when a board member gets scammed? I just joined the board of a nonprofit and at my very first meeting today learned about a mess that we’re in. There are about a dozen... Read

weekend open thread – November 8-9, 2025 11d ago

This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. Here are the rules for the weekend posts. Book recommendation of the week: Nobody’s Girl, by Virginia Roberts Giuffre. It’s... Read

open thread – November 7, 2025 12d ago

boss doesn’t care that new office isn’t accessible, mandatory birthday contributions, and more 12d ago

It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. Boss doesn’t care that new office isn’t accessible I work in a director-level position for a center of a large university. We have experienced significant reductions in staffing following budget... Read

how do I use alumni contacts in my job search? 13d ago

A reader writes: I’m job searching, and I often come across jobs where alumni of my college currently work. If I don’t know the person/people, how would I ask for their help in getting an interview or anything else related to the job I’ve applied... Read

how much do I need to accommodate employees’ religion? 13d ago

A reader writes: I was curious about where the line is on religious accommodation, and at what point it’s okay to say an accommodation cannot be made. I had an employee who needed an accommodation that allowed them to take lunch at a different time... Read

when office potlucks and catered parties go wrong 13d ago

As we approach to the season of office potlucks, catered parties, and other holiday meals with coworkers, let’s discuss the many ways in which they can go wrong — from alarming cuisine to cheap-ass rolls to riots over the chili cook-off to tantrums... Read

I can’t shake my crush on a former coworker, using vacation time at a new job, and more 13d ago

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I can’t shake my crush on a former coworker I try not to view my coworkers as romantic prospects for the obvious reasons (women come to work to advance their careers, not to cater to the romantic... Read

the shoe dryer, the wake-up service, and more ridiculous “other duties as assigned” 14d ago

Last month we talked about “other duties as assigned” — things you’ve been asked to do at work that were wildly outside of your job description. Here are 15 of my favorite stories that you shared. 1. The handmade crafts I had a manager whose... Read

how much of a red flag is it if a job candidate was fired twice previously? 14d ago

A reader writes: I am hiring for a position that is fairly entry-level office work. A candidate, who is fairly young, lists two positions in the past decade which they were fired from. They were post-college full-time positions, not high school... Read

I was written up for having a visible thong outside of work 14d ago

A reader writes: In my free time, I love going to this nightclub by my apartment building. They have parties monthly based on different eras such as the 80s, 90s, and the 2000s. In the past year, I have gone to three 2000s parties, and the guests... Read

I have to co-manage with my husband, coworker talks with his mouth full, and more 14d ago

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I have to co-manage with my husband My husband and I work for the same organization and live in a VERY small tourist town in the U.S. (~600 year-round residents and we live about an hour from a... Read

my boss is furious that I was honest with my employee about our concerns with his work 15d ago

A reader writes: My reason for writing stems from a recent situation where I was meeting with my direct report, Lucas, to discuss an idea he came up with. It was a great idea, so I commended him for it and told my boss about it too to give Lucas... Read

how can we help coworkers who are losing food benefits? 15d ago

A reader writes: Hopefully this is a non-issue very soon, but I was wondering what ideas you’ve encountered or heard of that might be helpful. I am a manager of a small to medium-sized federal office. We are in furlough but required to work. While... Read

I have to work closely with an ex-friend who “broke up” with our whole friend group 15d ago

A reader writes: I started at my company about five years ago after being laid off from my previous company due to Covid. Once I started here, I was shocked to discover that one of my old friends (Susan) who I was very close to in college (which I... Read

should you put fan fiction on your resume, can I avoid my boss at the company party, and more 15d ago

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Should you put fan fiction on your resume? I saw someone online saying that they write fan fiction at Ao3 and so on their resume they put “independent fiction writer” or “independent online... Read

my employee chewed out local officials at a business event 16d ago

A reader writes: Our local business group/Chamber of Commerce had a luncheon today to hand out awards to the business community. My business was nominated and picked for an award. As I only have four employees, I closed the business for the... Read

my employee overdoes everything, and it’s costing too much money 16d ago

A reader writes: I run a small business that supplies a product to major companies. To keep the details anonymous, let’s say that we supply garments to a few mid-tier clothing retailers that you can buy in the mall. The problem is that one of my... Read

rendezvous with cassidoo

🤭 "Words, once they are printed, have a life of their own." - Carol Burnett 2d ago

Hey friends! I hope you had a good week! Mine was fairly busy at work, but all good things. My kiddos are finally not sick for the first time in a minute, and I'm VERY grateful! Anyway, let's learn. Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe... Read

🚒 "If you're not failing, you're not trying." - Reshma Saujani 9d ago

Helllloooo! I don't know about your neck of the woods, but it is SNOWING here in Chicago as I write this. It feels early, but I'm embracing it and playing Christmas music. Let's learn! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links... Read

🎀 "Your voice matters. Your stories are worth telling." - EJAE 16d ago

Hey friends! Happy November! I hope you had a good week. I enjoyed being with the family and making silly CSS jokes. Let's learn! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week The killer feature of Web Components The... Read

🫟 "With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts." - Eleanor Roosevelt 23d ago

Hola hola! I hope you're doing well, my friends. I had a good week of being (almost fully) offline, in prep for going back to work from maternity leave (!) and closing out October. Let's learn! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe... Read

🦈 "Change your life today. Don't gamble on the future, act now, without delay." - Simone de Beauvoir 30d ago

Hey friends! I hope you had a good week. I tried pilates for the first time and am very sore... which is a good thing? Anyway, let's learn! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week A complete guide to HTTP caching... Read

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🤓 "The best relationships develop out of friendships." - Diane Keaton 37d ago

Hey friends! This week felt surprisingly fast for me. I think because my maternity leave ends soon (!), time feels unnecessarily quick, which is very rude. Anyway, let's boogie! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the... Read

🚢 "The invention of the ship was also the invention of the shipwreck." - Paul Virilio 44d ago

Howdy y'all, I hope your October kicked off well! I admit the news kind of got me down this week, but my daughter was a flower girl in a wedding this weekend, so I'm happy to end it on a high note! Let's learn. Was this forwarded to you? You can... Read

🏡 "I recommend the freedom that comes from asking: Compared to what?" - Gloria Steinem 51d ago

Hey friends! We're going to be waking up this week because September is ending! But until then, let's kick back with some content. Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week The Best CSS Unit Might Be a Combination... Read

🪖 "The love that you withhold is the pain that you carry." - Ralph Waldo Emerson 58d ago

Hey friends! I hope your had a good week! Mine flew by, and I had a great time. I'll tell ya more about it below! Let's gooo. Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week All 197 entries submitted to js13kGames 2025... Read

👂 "There is nothing more truly artistic than to love people." - Vincent Van Gogh 65d ago

Hellllooo! I hope your week was a good one. Mine was tiring (what else is new?) but I had a good time with family and friends. Let's boogie. Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week 100+ new CSS features from the... Read

🦺 "Life's too short to be a pushover." - Kelly Clarkson 72d ago

Hey friends! I hope you had a good week. Mine was busy, but we got to see some family and friends, so that made it worth it! Let's learn. Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week Functional custom elements the easy... Read

🎟️ "Inspiration is applying what you’ve received." - Derek Sivers 79d ago

Hey friends! August is done, we're through! Finished! Now that September is here, I'll be napping and you can wake me up when September ends. Ha. But anyway, let's learn. Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the... Read

🦩 "Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement." - Helen Keller 86d ago

Hey friends! I hope you had a good week! Mine was full of cleaning and getting excited for fall weather in Chicago. Onwards! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week Introduction to AT Protocol MCSS: A modern... Read

☔️ "It’s important to have something to walk towards." - Mike Monteiro 93d ago

Hey friends! I'm sleepily writing to you hoping that your week was a good one! Mine was tiring, but not all bad. Let's learn! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week ForesightJS A Nice Vanilla App Architecture... Read

🎽 "New sentences have appeared on earth, not written by human beings." - Patricia Lockwood 100d ago

Hey friends! I hope you had a good week! Mine was tiring, but overall good. My toddler has finally (!) started taking an interest in LEGO bricks so I am having a blast playing with her these days. Anyway, onwards! Was this forwarded to you? You can... Read

⛈️ "You pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too." - Denzel Washington 107d ago

Hey friends! Happy August! I hope your week went smoothly. It's been a loud one here in Chicago with the Lollapalooza music festival going on, but it's been nice otherwise! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the... Read

📼 "Simplicity is the glory of expression" - Walt Whitman 114d ago

Hey friends! I can't believe it's the last week of July already. I hope you're staying cool and building things you like. Onwards! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week So many ranges, so little time: A... Read

🐼 "Better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times." - Asian Proverb 121d ago

Howdy y'all! I hope you had a good week. Mine was fun celebrating birthdays of family and friends, and messing around with some side projects. Let's boogie. Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week Designing Scroll... Read

🪻 "First we build the tools, then they build us." - Marshall McLuhan 128d ago

Hey friends! I hope you had a good week! Mine was pretty full of non-internet work around the house and with the family, which felt good and needed. Anyway, back to jamming with console cowboys in cyberspace! Was this forwarded to you? You can... Read

🫐 "A genius is the one most like himself." - Thelonious Monk 135d ago

Hey y'all, I hope your week was a good one, and you had a somewhat light work week with the U.S. holiday. Let's learn! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week The Backrooms: CSS Edition Writing Code Was Never The... Read

🪲 "It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." - E.E. Cummings 142d ago

Hey friends! We made it to the end of June! I hope you're staying cool in this hot hot weather (and if it's not wildly warm where you are... you are blessed). Let's boogie. Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the... Read

🦊 "This life is hard without assistance from others." - RuPaul 149d ago

Hey friends! It's a new week! I hope yours was a good one and you got enough sleep. And if you didn't... welcome to sleepytown, the water's fine! Anyway, let's boogie. Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the... Read

👑 "To be afraid is to behave as if the truth were not true." - Bayard Rustin 156d ago

Hey friends! I hope your week was a good one. I felt like it went very slowly, but I got to see some friends and family, which was nice. And Happy Father's Day to all of the dads and dad-figures out there! Let's go! Was this forwarded to you? You... Read

🛝 "Our feelings are our most genuine paths to knowledge." - Audre Lorde 163d ago

Hey friends! I hope you're safe, happy, and healthy. I feel like the news has been bogging me down a bit too much lately, so I hope this can be a nice reprieve for us both! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the... Read

🌈 "Consistent actions produce results more often than serendipitous encounters." - J. Kelly Hoey 170d ago

Helllllooo! Happy Pride Month, and happy June! I hope the end of your May was a good one, and that your June has started strong. Let's boogie. Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week CSS Minecraft My website is... Read

🍅 "False expectations take away joy." - Sandra Bullock 177d ago

Hey friends! Happy Memorial Day to those in the States, and happy last-week-of-May to everyone else! I hope you had a good week and get to enjoy a relaxing long weekend. Onwards! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the... Read

🔭 "Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein 184d ago

Hello! It's mid-May, hey hey! I hope you had a good week. I'm in the thick of new baby times still, but slowly coming up for air. Let's read! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week Creating Flower Shapes using... Read

🐦 "Birds born in a cage think flying is an illness." - Alejandro Jodorowsky 191d ago

Helllloooo! I hope your week was a good one. Mine was packed with sleepless nights, but good days. And Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms and mom-figures out there! Let's go! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the... Read

🥱 "Be quick, but never hurry." - John Wooden 198d ago

Hey friends! I hope you had a good week! Mine was very tiring with a brand new baby at home, but good. Let's gooo! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week IKEA's web fonts All 420 entries from Gamedev.js Jam 2025... Read

👶 "We all have the duty to do good." - Pope Francis 205d ago

Hey friends! Assuming all has gone well since I hit the "schedule" button on this issue... I just gave birth! Ahh! Baby! But there's still stuff to leeeearn! Was this forwarded to you? You can subscribe here! Web links of the week Creating CSS... Read

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