The Creative Leaders, Leader.
Like many people, I have been experimenting with AI and flip-flopping between loving and hating it. I often find myself blaming it, cursing it and fearing impending doom, waiting for the bubble to burst. While at the same time using it daily to share almost every thought or question on my mind, lazily getting it [ ]
As we welcome in the new year and let go of 2025, I wanted to start on a positive note. It feels like the first year in a long time where not many people seemed excited about the year ahead, as the past has been a real challenge for so many. But I believe the [ ]
My site has become an absolute mess, so I have been working hard on the actual content first. I want to make sure I have a clear reason for people visiting the site, and then I can focus on evolving it properly. I often spend too much time on the functional side of the site [ ]
You might expect creative directors to be digitally native these days, but this was not always the case. When I entered the advertising industry agencies hired people like me for our digital experience. Traditional creative leaders barely understood what digital was, never mind how to deliver it. Let me take you through that journey so [ ]
Creative direction is a skill Being a Creative Director is a responsibility Over the years I have worked with people who were excellent at giving creative direction. They could shape ideas, guide tone, and bring a vision to life. The skill usually grows out of art direction or copywriting. In traditional agencies it meant defining [ ]
Agencies are consolidating, jobs are being cut by the tens of thousands, and the creative industry is being hollowed out in real time. The voices that should carry weight are silent. Maybe they are relieved it was not them this time. That silence is costing us. This is not a handful of redundancies. It is [ ]
The advice that circulates around senior hiring often misses the point. Trim your history so you appear less intimidating. Add more design examples, then remove them. Keep case studies short because nobody reads, although some will argue they should be long to show the process. You may be told you are too experienced and at [ ]
In 2016 I introduced a design pattern into my work that I still believe is one of the most under utilised interface elements. The sidebar. I first noticed this idea in Gmail and later in Office. Both products used a fixed panel on the right to bring in tools like calendar or tasks without disturbing [ ]
I sometimes wonder why I am so detached from reality and why most of my mental space is occupied by things that seem impossible to do. Yet I am more comfortable in that headspace than I am in reality. While some people think of fantasy as dragons, castles, monsters, and mystery, for me fantasising is [ ]
Strong onboarding does not start on day one, it begins the moment an offer is accepted and continues through the first ninety days. Handled well, it lowers anxiety for everyone, shortens the time to meaningful contribution, and shows what your standards look like in practice. Handled poorly, small frictions compound into doubt, momentum stalls, and [ ]