Stoic Designer

Lesson 90 • Efficiency Washing

True efficiency, in this sense, is about elevating the human element, not diminishing it.

Aug 10 • 

Michael Schofield

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April 2025

Lesson 89 • Design Systems that Survive Error

I’m pointing ahead at the storms and warning you — us — to batten down the hatches. You shouldn't feel certain about your tech job.

Apr 27 • 

Michael Schofield

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February 2025

Lesson 88 • Quit

We stack our resumes, we stack our bios, we stack accomplishments. Stoic Designer is a newsletter about cool-headed, practical thinking to help put the…

Feb 3 • 

Michael Schofield

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January 2025

Lesson 87 • Bright-side OS

What we need, instead, is permission to pause.

Jan 28 • 

Michael Schofield

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Vigil #1 • Product Manager Kill Chain

IP Law, Product Manager Role Erosion, and Pentagon Kill Chain

Jan 23 • 

Michael Schofield

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Lesson 86 • Hill Climbing

This is not a test of purity but of perseverance.

Jan 20 • 

Michael Schofield

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Lesson 85 • The Candle

How to be cast in stark relief in the candlelight.

Jan 13 • 

Michael Schofield

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Lesson 84 • Clear and good-enough systems

The stoic designer builds systems, not resolutions.

Jan 6 • 

Michael Schofield

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Lesson 83 • Why bother[?/.]

How to continually jump off cliffs.

Jan 2 • 

Michael Schofield

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October 2024

Lesson 82 • On Interdependence

There is a delicate balance between autonomy and interdependence.

Oct 19, 2024 • 

Michael Schofield

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Lesson 81 • Autonomy is a state

Autonomy is something you cultivate. You make a promise, you keep a promise; you talk, you walk.

Oct 14, 2024 • 

Michael Schofield

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July 2024

Lesson 80 • Caeruleum Velum Mortis

"Blue Screen of Death." This is the software-engineering-disaster equivalent of the butterfly flapping its wings and begetting a hurricane.

Jul 25, 2024 • 

Michael Schofield

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