Please allow me to tell you why I love designing for the web, my approach to product design, and what I can bring to 37 Signals as your 6th Product Designer.
I have been designing for and working on the web for the past 26 years. I am currently a Lead Product Designer at Booz Allen where, for the past 11 years, I have done product design work for many federal government agencies; including HHS, CMS, the US State Department, and the US Postal Service.
My background spans multiple creative disciplines—I’ve worked professionally as a potter and a leather craftsman, both of which taught me the value of precision, durability, and user-focused design. Transitioning into digital product design in the late 90s, I carried that mindset with me—obsessing over the details, ensuring clarity, and making interactions feel intentional, as well as as exceptionally well designed and visually appealing.
Beyond aesthetics, I care about form, function, and usability. Whether refining an interface, improving accessibility, or questioning an assumption, I approach design with a problem-solving mindset. I believe that the simplest design solutions are the best ones but simplicity is really hard to do well and is something I always strive for in my design solutions. Writing and the words that are used in a design solution—I believe—are very much part of the design process.
I love designing for the web because it’s a space where creativity meets functionality, and every detail can shape a user’s experience. Progressive Web Applications, in particular, excite me—they blur the line between websites and native apps, offering speed, reliability, and a seamless experience across devices. There’s something deeply satisfying about crafting interfaces that are tastefully designed and are intuitive to use.
The work of many iconic American graphic designers, including Saul Bass, Paul Rand, and, Aaron Draplin has have a major influence on my work. Their clean, witty, typographically - driven work is always an inspiration to me.
As I was learning the craft of digital design, there were numerous early designers whose work had a significant impact on my approach to product design. These include Jeffrey Zeldman, Jason Santa Maria, Jeff Veen, Khoi Vinh, and Andy Clarke.
Design Bytes is a publication I launched in late 2024. I examine the various threads of creativity that contribute to great design, mainly digital design. I share interesting pieces I have come across and write articles. "The Art of Craft in Digital Product Design" is one I recently published.
For the past seven years, I’ve been a lead product designer for online applications that are part of the US Postal Service online presence. Some of the applications I’ve designed are the Post Office Locator application, the Postal Store shopping cart, and the user flow for guest checkout.
I worked as a senior front-end developer on the team managing a user-centric, massively scalable website enabling millions of Americans to easily obtain affordable health insurance.
At the time I worked on Healthcare.gov, it was one of the larger sites that used the Jekyll static site generator.
I’ve followed Jason and David for many years, have been a longtime user of Basecamp and was a very early adopter of HEY. I’ve used many 37 Signals products going back to TaDa List, Backpack, and High Rise. I admire how your products are opinionated strip away unnecessary complexity. That philosophy aligns with my own approach to design. The 37 Signals approach to building thoughtful, long-lasting software resonates deeply with me—not just as a designer, but as a user and someone who appreciates craftsmanship in all its forms.
I also find the Shape Up methodology a refreshing alternative to the Agile madness going on at most organizations. Your design-first approach, the opportunity to embrace constraints, to work as a manager of one are all very appealing.
I'm confident that I can make a valuable contribution to product design at 37 Signals. A few reasons why: