Mark

founder @reallyniceco · building software for humans and agents · design engineer · prev @amazon @primevideo @gitlab · views are sadly my own

[Mark @alright_mark]

@DG_9_6 👀

[Mark @alright_mark]

this banged on linkedin, btw

[Mark @alright_mark]

since announcing i’m going indie/fractional, 5 principal+ level designers from FAANG* have told me they’re planning to do the same thing.

either i’m friends with only entrepreneurial designers (possible), but I think it’s more likely that this is a real emergent role.

these designers have big ideas and have the ability to make a much bigger impact than current tech co structures allow.

none of them are motivated by creating shareholder value. they’re motivated like typical designers: they want to solve interesting problems and build cool shit.

it used to be that they needed the tech co structure in order to do that but obviously that’s no longer the case.

job insecurity in tech is having an opposite at the top than the bottom. it’s making senior IC’s want to YOLO into their own projects while more junior IC’s are scrambling to adapt and prove their value.

we’ve seen this in engineering - and we already have a name for it - MTS Member of Technical Staff.

there’s no role yet for designers who feel the same way, so they want to go indie and work on things that fulfil them.

[Mark @alright_mark]

but the pricing is batshit @mixfont

[Mark @alright_mark]

mixfont is magic. thank me later.

[Mark @alright_mark]

@spottedinprod Good enough reason for me! 🫡

[Mark @alright_mark]

@emanueledpt @shadcn 🐐

[Mark @alright_mark]

@ajambrosino there’s something wrong with the tracking tho for sure, because my longest task is def wrong.
does it not include archived threads?

[Mark @alright_mark]

@ajambrosino ok I’ll bite but just because I like my username

[Mark @alright_mark]

@spottedinprod but like, why?
what problem does it solve?

[Mark @alright_mark]

I don’t get what it is? Is it just me?

[SIP @spottedinprod]

Open the floodgates

[Mark @alright_mark]

since announcing i’m going indie/fractional, 5 principal+ level designers from FAANG* have told me they’re planning to do the same thing.

either i’m friends with only entrepreneurial designers (possible), but I think it’s more likely that this is a real emergent role.

these designers have big ideas and have the ability to make a much bigger impact than current tech co structures allow.

none of them are motivated by creating shareholder value. they’re motivated like typical designers: they want to solve interesting problems and build cool shit.

it used to be that they needed the tech co structure in order to do that but obviously that’s no longer the case.

job insecurity in tech is having an opposite at the top than the bottom. it’s making senior IC’s want to YOLO into their own projects while more junior IC’s are scrambling to adapt and prove their value.

we’ve seen this in engineering - and we already have a name for it - MTS Member of Technical Staff.

there’s no role yet for designers who feel the same way, so they want to go indie and work on things that fulfil them.

[Mark @alright_mark]

@emanueledpt @ycombinator Did you check the box that you would be willing to relocate?
I’ve heard that’s a secret blocker.

[Mark @alright_mark]

design engineers

[Mark @alright_mark]

ok you got me. guess i'm not human then.

[Mark @alright_mark]

@zehf I can show you my workflows if you like 🙏

[Mark @alright_mark]

man, they really weren't kidding about @tesla after-sales being the worst

[Mark @alright_mark]

do you remember writing code?
that was fun

[Mark @alright_mark]

@signulll Will it connect to iCloud mail + calendars?

[Mark @alright_mark]

@emanueledpt 🙇