Research is a serious thing. Design is a serious thing. Life is a serious thing. But what good is any of it if you don’t love doing it? If you don’t enjoy practicing or living it? If you don’t show the fun in any of it? It can be so easy to get bogged down in the details, the seriousness of the task.

When is the right time to share work? I’ve struggled with this concept in the past, both as a designer and writer. Many blog posts and books have probably been written about this, I am sure. But nothing has resonated with me until I began asking myself: how present am I?

What qualities does it take to be a good user researcher? Empathy, curiosity, active listening, (re)framing, persuasion, patience, experimental-mindset, neutrality, and tenacity. The ability to be comfortable both when the data are unclear and when one must make solid recommendations.

I’m no Jan Chipchase, traveling to the far reaches of earth to discover unknown user behaviors. But over the years I’ve worked with midwives in Uganda, HIV/AIDS rights activists in Seattle, humanities scholars in Holland…

Adult life can be difficult. So many responsibilities thrown our way, so much to do day to day. But how do you still manage to carve out your own play space?

I wake up each morning at 5:45. By seven I head out the door, get on the train, and go to work. I usually get back home in the evening between 7 and 7:30, rarely later. I have a four-hour daily commute and if you see me on the train I'm doing one of three things: writing, reading, or designing.