Being a Boss at Context Switching, Part 2 – Daily Habits

Yesterday, I talked about context switching between projects and how smart preparation can help you prevent cognitive overload when context switching. The post focused on how to set up your projects and plan your week to prevent forgetting tasks or missing deadlines. Today, I’ll focus on things you can do day-to-day to maintain a clear […]

Being a Boss at Context Switching, Part 1 – Proper Setup

People are often surprised when I say that I am comfortable with—and even enjoy—working on more than one project at a time. For me, this comfort lies in my ease with context switching. Over time, I’ve developed a series of habits that make it easy for me to switch between different projects. These mental tools […]

Applying the Magic of “Tidying Up” to Software Design

You’ve probably heard of the Netflix show “Tidying Up,” where Marie Kondo works with families to help them organize and declutter their homes. While watching the show, I couldn’t help noticing the parallels with software design.

Five Steps for Tying Up a Project Unexpectedly Cut Short

As consultants, we always have to be prepared for the unexpected. In rare cases, the surprise can be that a project is suddenly wrapping up. This can happen for a number of reasons. It could be a clerical error in accounting that resulted in the project unexpectedly reaching the limit of its budget. It could […]

Resolving Conflict when Others Disappoint, Step 3 – The Conversation

In our previous posts, we talked about deciding when to have a conversation with someone who has disappointed you, and how to prepare for having this kind of emotionally charged and difficult conversation. Now it’s the big day! The work isn’t over yet: Here are additional things to keep in mind so you can have a […]

Resolving Conflict When Others Disappoint, Step 2 – Preparation

So, a friend, colleague, or family member has let you down. You’ve asked yourself some questions and decided to address it rather than letting it go. Let’s talk about how you can prepare for the conversation.

Resolving Conflict when Others Disappoint, Step 1 – Is This Worth Discussing?

We’ve all been in situations where others let us down. Maybe a co-worker missed a deadline, putting you in a tight spot. Maybe your friend is keeping you from being on time to an event for the umpteenth time. Maybe a peer plagiarized your work from a group project, and you now feel that they […]

The Untapped Value of Play in Design

I was listening to a Hidden Brain episode in which the host, Shankar Vedantam, and psychology professor Alison Gopnik discuss the idea of play as a tool for children to learn. In this episode, they don’t describe “play” the way that you, I, and even the Merriam-Webster dictionary do; rather, they describe it as “…trying […]

Design and Dance, a Graceful Pairing

This past year, I returned to one of my life-long passions: dance. In doing so, I was surprised to find a number of dancers who were also designers and developers. Thinking on this further, I believe there are a few key habits that designers can hone through, or borrow from, dancing. Attention to Every Detail […]

When to Use Pair Design + Four Techniques to Try Today

As I explained yesterday, pair design is a valuable tool for designers. However, you may be wondering what pair design looks like and when it is appropriate to use.

Atomic Spin

Atomic Object’s blog on everything we find fascinating.

By: Mirabella Olszewski

Author: Mirabella Olszewski