Season 4, Issue 9: Fall đ
Meteorologically.
Our noses have been to the collective grindstones and weâve been quiet. Itâs time to come up for air and say âHello.â Hello!
1. Studio Update
The past few weeks of Jelly have been all about responding to feedback from our lovely beta customers. Weâve been rounding over those rough edges and generally preparing for a near-future where teams of the world just mosey on over to the Jelly site and sign up. James has especially been putting in yeomanâs work dotting all of our billing lower-case âjâs. (To the software developers out there: billing, amiright?!)
In Pika land there have been some behind-the-scenes improvements as well as one big public feature. You can now update your site navigation to link to any URL anywhere. This moves Pika one step further along the path of being the most drop-dead easy way to quickly get your lovely personal website on the internet. âBarry
2. Some People Are Good Enough: Ben Tsai
Our interview series continues with Ben Tsai graciously answering our questions. We are interviewing people who have drawn on our Guestbook, started a blog on Pika, or made a list on Album Whale. If youâre one of them and would like to be featured in this newsletterâwrite us! Take it away, Ben!
Who are you?
I'm a software engineer living in Pittsburgh, PA, with my wife and three kids. Professionally, I have a passion for human-centered design and helping organizations better collaborate. I've been on the internet since the late 90s, and trying to establish a blogging habit since the early 00s. I enjoy coffee, classical music, and staying active.Â
Whatâs been your role on the product team?
Currently I work on the firewall product at Cisco. I lead a team of engineers that generally covers the usability issues in the product. Recently, we implemented a new design system shared across our entire security organization. I've been finding that the non-coding parts of my job energize me. Especially at a big company where there are a lot of processes and teams, there tends to be challenges with communication, and I've found a lot of value in tackling those challenges.
What led you to advocate for engineers to be more involved with design?
When I began my career, I worked for a design consultancy that pioneered an interdisciplinary approach to solving problems. That experience planted a seed in me that keeping the human at the center in the midst of technology was critical. Fast forward a few years, and I was working in healthcare IT, and after multiple visits to hospitals, I realized that the software I was designing and building was directly connected to doctors' ability to save lives. I embraced this by taking a UX course and learning what I could from the designers and researchers around me. When I joined Cisco and entered the cybersecurity industry, I continued to advocate for the importance of human-centered design. The work we do has existential consequences for the companies and institutions we help protect. I find the work so rewarding when it is put in the context of humanity rather than focusing solely on the cool things I can build.
What are some simple, everyday things that bring you joy?
I got into coffee about 15 years ago when I read a blog post about the AeroPress and proceeded to purchase it. That coincided with the rise of specialty coffee. My brother-in-law recently gifted me a manual espresso machine. I enjoy the ritual of making coffee for my wife and myself. I appreciate the culture around coffee being an activity around which we socialize and meet others. Whenever we explore a new city, I try to find local coffee shops and speak with the baristas there. It's a great way to get the vibe of the community in general.
Thanks, Ben! You can learn more about Ben on his website!
3. Sharing Is Caring
We come across links. Maybe you want to see these links?
Call us out when we start working on a Good Enough Cuckoo Clock
Illustrated bands were on our mind when Lettini reminded us of the intro to the Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters
Barry is not sure what Disney is up to over there, but thereâs A Whole New Sound
Patrick wonders if Our Cow Angus is the weirdest thing MSCHF has done yet?
Did you forget Good Enough TV? Check out this unexpected 12-string master class by Glen Campbell and the indescribable Tailor Swif
4. In Conclusion
That was a pretty decent newsletter, donât you think? Product updates, an interview, several lovely links, no outright liesâŠand itâs Friday! Happy vibes, happy vibes. We donât think that any recent media event in the U.S. could outpace todayâs Good Enough newsletter.
No pets or jelly or pet jelly were consumed, or allegedly consumed, in the making of todayâs Good Enough newsletter. After reading A Good Enough Newsletter, wash your hands before returning to work. Share with your friends for more happy vibes.