Sameera KapilaSameera Kapila is a Staff Product Designer, speaker, author of Inclusive Design Communities.2023-09-06T16:38:22Zhttps://samkapila.comSameera KapilaActually following through on DEI, on the Work Appropriate podcast2023-09-06T16:38:22Zhttps://samkapila.com/2023/09/06/actually-following-through-on-dei-on-the-work-appropriate-podcast/<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/workappropriate090623.webp" alt="brightly colored title card for the podcast "Work Appropriate" which reads "actually following through on DEI (with) Sameera Kapila""></p>
<p>On this week’s Crooked Media podcast, <em>Work Appropriate</em>, I join the incredible <a href="https://substack.com/@annehelen">Anne Helen Petersen</a> in answering listener questions about actually following through on diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We talk about what action at an anti-racist workplace looks like, adjusting workload for DEI work, how I structured diversity councils under operations (not HR) to make them effective, the importance of external audits, and how senior leaders need to be actively doing the work instead of expecting marginalized employees to do it. These are challenging situations that I know so many are dealing with, so listen to <a href="https://crooked.com/podcast/actually-following-through-on-dei-with-sameera-kapila/">this episode</a>, share Anne’s podcast with others, and submit questions you have!</p>
<p>I loved speaking with Anne, and I hope you enjoy listening! Oh, and there’s a <strong>50% off code for my book</strong> for listeners that is valid between Sept 6th and 20th, so get that deal and buy that <a href="https://abookapart.com/products/inclusive-design-communities">book</a>!</p>
QTBIPOC Book Club on June 20th2023-06-13T01:29:35Zhttps://samkapila.com/2023/06/13/qtbipoc-book-club-on-june-20th/<p>Mark your calendars and sign up! I’m joining <a href="https://qtbipoc.design/">QTBIPOC Design</a> for a book club chat next Tuesday, June 20th, at 7pm EST (<a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html?iso=20230620T230000&p1=24">find your timezone's local time here</a>)! I’m excited that they chose Inclusive Design Communities as their June book!</p>
<p>QTBIPOC Design is all about giving LGBTQ+ designers of color access to free education, mentorship, & networking opportunities. They’re doing critical work that our industry needs.</p>
<p><a href="https://qtbipoc.design/event/inclusive-design-communities">Sign up for the book club</a> and share it with the designers and design teams in your life!</p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/qtbipoc-screenshot.jpg" alt="screenshot of the qtbipoc book club event details."></p>
Inclusive Design Communities is now in bookstores around the world!2023-06-03T17:44:50Zhttps://samkapila.com/2023/06/03/inclusive-design-communities-is-now-in-bookstores-around-the-world!/<p>A Book Apart, the publishing house behind my book and so many career-changing books I love, just announced some pretty awesome news!</p>
<blockquote>
<p>We’re excited to announce that we’ve expanded book distribution globally—which means it’ll be even easier for you to buy A Book Apart books around the world, wherever you’re based.</p>
<p>By expanding our distribution, ABA books will now be available through thousands of retailers (including your local independent bookstore), libraries, schools, and universities—in the US, UK, India, Japan, Germany, Australia, Brazil, and beyond.<br>
— A Book Apart in their most <a href="https://abookapart.com/blogs/press/big-news-local-bookstores-global-distribution">recent blog post</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>All the books are available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Inclusive-Design-Communities-Sameera-Kapila/dp/1952616158/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=tTVZ9&content-id=amzn1.sym.bc5f3394-3b4c-4031-8ac0-18107ac75816&pf_rd_p=bc5f3394-3b4c-4031-8ac0-18107ac75816&pf_rd_r=E9FY3DXMJRTMM2S7X3EF&pd_rd_wg=uYdmk&pd_rd_r=2f5fa632-271e-40d1-9749-fe843e82e5ec&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_atf_m">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22A+Book+Apart%22?Ntk=Publisher&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall">Barnes & Noble</a>, <a href="https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/search?publisher=Book%20Apart&offset=0">Blackwell’s</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/shop/abookapart">Bookshop.org</a>, <a href="https://www.kulturkaufhaus.de/">Dussmann KulturKaufhaus</a>, <a href="https://www.bookpeople.com/book/9781952616150">Book People</a>, <a href="https://shop.blackpearlbookstore.com/item/T7zKv43lKVeVmWm1vtT9Ww">Black Pearl Books</a>, and many more! Buying directly from <a href="https://abookapart.com/products/inclusive-design-communities">A Book Apart</a> is still an option for paperback or ebooks, and <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/inclusive-design-communities/id6443681832">Apple Books</a> will also have the ebook.</p>
<p>I just requested it from my local library on their website, and it was approved so quickly! With this new distribution model, you can request that your local library adds A Book Apart titles to their shelves, allowing even more folks to access the books at no cost! I’m so excited to take my family to the library and visit the book once it arrives. I have been dreaming of taking a selfie—or maybe a <em>shelfie</em>—with it.</p>
<p>If you’ve read the book or are going to, please rate it on any of these bookstore sites or on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62985337-inclusive-design-communities">Good Reads</a>! Happy reading!</p>
Where did the DEIB initiatives go?2023-03-21T02:02:40Zhttps://samkapila.com/2023/03/21/where-did-the-deib-initiatives-go/<p>I wrote this on LinkedIn earlier today and also wanted to save this post for ye olde blog. Check it out:</p>
<p>Leaders, if you still haven’t hoven inclusion and belonging (I’m usually DEIB, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for the rest of this) into your KPIs, OKRs, or just yearly initiatives, you’re massively and will continue to fall further behind. LinkedIn has a lot of thought-noise. And while I don’t have the resources or time to run extensive studies between what leaders think they’re doing and what employees are asking for, it’s great to see some data confirming what I already have been seeing since a few months <strong>after May 2020</strong>, when racial disparity became more “mainstream” (article from HBR below). What I do have is years of work with DEIB councils and initiatives, speaking with teams, middle managers, and executives, and heavy research for my book.</p>
<p>I’ve spent years speaking at corporations, building DEIB programs, and giving out (free) advice. There is evident reluctance and also disinterest from leaders when it comes to DEIB work. They’re comfortable with performative stuff—celebrating a day/week/month and occasionally written communication to teams. Still, they struggle to make process changes because it’s uncomfortable for them, or everything else is a priority.</p>
<p>Here are some common issues I’ve observed in my own DEIB work with other companies:</p>
<ul>
<li>Defaulting to performative work because it’s easier than the hard work</li>
<li>Not utilizing hiring freezes to revamp their exclusionary hiring practices (especially now, it’s the best time to analyze and improve your hiring process in an equitable way that doesn’t mess with existing candidates’ interview processes).</li>
<li>Focusing only on some aspects of race and gender as are deemed the majority. At the same time, lesser represented races and gender, as well as caring about disabled applicants, hires, and employees in hiring, onboarding, and retention is almost wholly ignored.</li>
<li>Similar to how “soft skills” are primarily ignored in tech, they see DEIB as “soft skills” because it doesn’t change the bottom line or financials, which with a bit of research, they’ll see that it does matter.</li>
<li>They focus on hiring but expect existing employees to focus on retention.</li>
<li>They’re not investing in DEIB consultants who can run valuable audits, research, and embed into teams in the same way they’ll invest in software.</li>
<li>They need to think of DEIB as they develop annual AND quarterly KPIs, OKRs, and any other business acronym.</li>
<li>They’re willing to fill lower roles with marginalized team members but need to check their bias regarding representation in senior leadership or executive roles.</li>
</ul>
<p>But I’m not just here to mention what’s wrong. Please start with the article below, and then, dive into chapters 4, 5, and 6 of <a href="https://abookapart.com/products/inclusive-design-communities">my book, Inclusive Design Communities</a>, for more actionable ways to get started (no, it’s not just about design, just the experience and lens through which I analyze things).</p>
<p><a href="https://hbr.org/2023/03/research-where-employees-think-companies-deib-efforts-are-failing">Article with the study</a> from HBR</p>
Recent podcasts about Inclusive Design Communities2022-12-10T19:00:47Zhttps://samkapila.com/2022/12/10/recent-podcasts-about-inclusive-design-communities/<p>In addition to writing about inclusion, I’ve been finally getting back to talking about it. My last talk about it was about a year ago when I spoke to my friend from college Matt Stauffer and was still writing the book. The rest of the episodes are from when I was close to finishing the book. Check them out:</p>
<h2 id="talking-about-inclusion-and-leadership-on-stuff-worth-learning">Talking about inclusion and leadership on Stuff Worth Learning</h2>
<p>I speak to my college bud, Matt, about design, development, and leadership, and what inclusion-led leadership can really look like. Catch the audio below or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiV6_3pZFc0&list=PLgJIx0-UaB9RvRKbdcRbs05Gl0D1GiCCk&index=3">watch the video</a>.</p>
<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/23f9cda3-958a-43fe-8b86-e418e9f9ed4b?dark=false"></iframe>
<h2 id="talking-leadership%2C-learning%2C-and-fosting-community-with-designtobe">Talking leadership, learning, and fosting community with DesignToBe</h2>
<p>Really enjoyed speaking with Rachel Weissman about topics including advocating for others in the classroom and the workplace. Talk a listen on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0FCYPuMDJTsmyQvFn3N5pO?si=dadf1a47d9034248">Spotify</a>.</p>
<h2 id="talking-about-inclusive-design-communities-on-shoptalk-show">Talking about Inclusive Design Communities on ShopTalk Show</h2>
<p>I was back on ShopTalk Show for the third time! Chris Coyier, Dave Rupert, and I talked about the book (<a href="https://abookapart.com/products/inclusive-design-communities">Inclusive Design Communities—on sale NOW</a>), Netlify, and ways we can reframe our thinking in various design spaces. <a href="https://shoptalkshow.com/539/">Check it out</a>!</p>
<h2 id="talking-about-design-education-on-code-and-pixels">Talking about design education on Code and Pixels</h2>
<p>A very candid chat with Kelly and Adekunle on Code and Pixels about my designer-who-codes background, moving my site from Jekyll to <a href="https://www.11ty.dev/">11ty</a> and how I used Netlify for both (yes, that’s where I work!), moving from advertising to teaching in traditional education (and writing the first Responsive Web Design university course whilst dealing with curriculum hurdles) and Bootcamp education at The Iron Yard which included executive management for the first time and <a href="https://samkapila.com/2016/09/10/the-tech-opportunity-fund-and-the-white-house/">running a scholarship with the White House</a>, consulting and building DEI initiatives with the folks at thoughtbot, my new book, and so much more.</p>
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<br>
<p>
I’m available in 2023 for more podcasts, so let me know if you'd like to chat!
</p>A conversation about building inclusive spaces through everyday allyship with Indeed’s design team2022-11-15T02:44:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2022/11/15/a-conversation-about-building-inclusive-spaces-through-everyday-allyship-with-indeed's-design-team/<p>Recently, Indeed’s Design team interviewed me about Inclusive Design Communities, my new book with A Book Apart. The interview is called “Sam Kapila: Small acts can invite more voices into design communities.”</p>
<p>In the interview, the Indeed design team and I spoke about inclusion in many different ways including:</p>
<ul>
<li>Trying to balance going back and forth between wanting to talk or educate on marginalization and wanting to shut down, especially when I was feeling it myself,</li>
<li>why thinking or requiring a design degree as the only viable form of design education is harmful to everyone,</li>
<li>if systemic changes feel overwhelming, starting with one small step is a great way to start making an impact,</li>
<li>how over the last few years, marginalized have had to comfort dominant identities (and our having to comfort or own their burden),</li>
<li>characteristics of inclusive leaders,</li>
<li>and, dealing with grief</li>
</ul>
<p>I’m so grateful to Bet and Amy for including me, Katel for the introduction, and Sean for this incredible illustration. <a href="https://indeed.design/article/sam-kapila-small-acts-can-invite-more-voices-into-design-communities">Check it out!</a></p>
<p></p>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/indeed-design-illus.webp" alt="Illustration by Sean Loose">Clarity 2022: Virtual Emcee2022-11-09T22:58:55Zhttps://samkapila.com/2022/11/09/clarity-2022:-virtual-emcee/<p>It’s once again time for <a href="https://www.clarityconf.com/">Clarity</a>! This conference has become my favorite every year, whether remote or in-person, or if I attend as an attendee, speaker, and now virtual emcee! Clarity is THE design systems conference, run by <a href="https://twitter.com/jina">Jina</a> and a <a href="https://twitter.com/kickassconf">fantastic team of producers</a>.</p>
<p>I look forward to it every year, and I’m excited to be the virtual emcee who’ll ask virtual speakers questions after their talks, host some giveaways, and post as many puns as I can into the chat!</p>
<p>There are a LOT of great topics this year and if you can't attend there is an option to receive all of the recordings. Find out more at <a href="https://www.clarityconf.com/">clarityconf.com</a></p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/clarity22-cover.jpeg" alt="Graphic of clarity conference’s website and hashtag and my name (Sam Kapila) and photo" title="Clarity 2022 Graphic"></p>
Good intentions in diversity and inclusion work2022-11-02T01:25:54Zhttps://samkapila.com/2022/11/02/good-intentions-in-diversity-and-inclusion-work/<p>In <a href="https://abookapart.com/products/inclusive-design-communities">Inclusive Design Communities</a>, I address how intent and impact are two different things. No matter how good our intent is, the harm caused can be much, much worse. I recently talked to some people about the myth of good intentions and finally came across a blog post that I think covers it well: “<a href="https://thebias.com/2017/09/26/how-good-intent-undermines-diversity-and-inclusion/">How ‘Good Intent’ Undermines Diversity and Inclusion</a>” by Annalee, a safety consultant.</p>
<p>The things that Annalee talks about in this work are what I’ve seen regularly:</p>
<ul>
<li>invalidating or policing of feelings or voices of those harmed</li>
<li>protecting those in leadership roles and not anyone else</li>
<li>misusing codes of conduct</li>
<li>power dynamics and gaslighting</li>
</ul>
<p>Here are some of the really good parts of this blog post that I know I’ll be citing in future conversations:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Telling people to ‘assume good intent’ is telling them that no matter how badly they hurt, they still need to smile and be nice so the person who hurt them won’t feel blamed.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>Including “assume good intent” in your code of conduct tells victims that they aren’t safe in your space, because if they do anything to make others feel bad about harming them, they will be held accountable for breaking the rules.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>When you tell people in your community to “assume good intent,” you’re reinforcing the notion that marginalized people shouldn’t trust their instincts.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>Marginalized people already know that we’re supposed to “assume good intent” in others. We are told every day that we’re “paranoid,” “overreacting,” or just plain “crazy” if we don’t feel good about being treated badly. This process is called ‘gaslighting,’ and it’s a way of making marginalized people distrust our own perceptions so we won’t object to being mistreated.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>One of the best ways to be an ally is to stop centering yourself and instead listen to and support those who say they’re being harmed. It reminds me of some of the <a href="https://samkapila.com/2014/12/10/five-tips-on-how-to-be-an-ally-video/">allyship-related topics I wrote about eight years ago</a></p>
Things I learned as an immigrant designer2022-10-21T02:24:49Zhttps://samkapila.com/2022/10/21/things-i-learned-as-an-immigrant-designer/<p><em>I’m sharing what I learned in the process. This is not legal advice about how to get a visa.</em></p>
<p>Immigration can make working in design or development a lot more stressful. In the US, there are generally two work visa categories: temporary and permanent workers. Some designers and developers start in one category and end in the other. Others may be able to get permanent worker visas. Temporary work visas, like the H1-B, have time limits, and in some cases, have a limit to how many can be awarded a year and requirements like having a master’s degree or higher from a US institution. A fairly common one is the OPT (Optional Practical Training), which typically starts around or after completing a degree program and requires students to get a job in the area they studied to continue their education. It does not, however, require the employer to hire you after the first year. Permanent worker visas also have their own set of restrictions and sometimes have more requirements to prove that a foreign worker has the qualifications to be a permanent worker.</p>
<p>Additionally, there’s so much cognitive load, extra worrying, and huge life-changing worry that exists when they're to work as an immigrant. There’s so much that can go wrong in the scary and jarring process and it’s almost like you’re punished if you don’t have the privilege to have things in place throughout the process. It absolutely breaks my heart that it’s not an option for so many people. Even with privilege it still takes work.</p>
<p>Here’s a few things I learned.</p>
<h2 id="be-patient%2C-be-prepared"><strong>Be patient, be prepared</strong></h2>
<p>No matter what the immigration process is, in a lot of cases, it takes time, a lot of time. Sometimes it can take years. In some rare cases, it could take months. Get a sense from your lawyer and employer about their estimates on the timeline of the process moving forward. Come up with a plan for if it doesn’t work out. With caps on some visas, you may not be awarded a visa. Or the company backs out, or you get laid off. Work with lawyers ahead of time to find out what your opens are and plan ahead, so you’re not waiting for something to go wrong with the process. If you’re the company making the hire, know that it takes time, check in with your teams on their timeline, and stay communicative with the potential hire.</p>
<h2 id="understand-the-financials"><strong>Understand the financials</strong></h2>
<p>Seeking immigration is a pretty expensive thing for both the immigrant and the companies that sponsor them. Immigrants may accrue costs for applications, biometrics, legal fees, passport photos, photocopies, notaries, transportation to interview(s) costs, and, in some cases, vaccinations and medical exams. Companies may accrue legal fees, costs related to government compliance requirements, notaries, photocopies, and more. It isn't cheap for any party involved. It’s important to have a plan for your financials if you're a part of the immigration process. If you're the applicant, save as much as you can, and if able, ask what fees and costs you and your potential employer may accrue. It’s also important to understand that it takes time for companies who may have never hired an immigrant before, to understand how to navigate the process and see if it is financially feasible to hire you. If you're the company, budgeting immigration fees into quarterly and yearly budgets can be a huge help for current and future hires.</p>
<h2 id="writing-and-speaking-helps"><strong>Writing and speaking helps</strong></h2>
<p>As much as you can, write and speak about your work or areas of design you’re really interested in. It could include tutorials you put together about a plugin you made for Figma to writing for a design magazine. If you have opportunities to speak at a conference or submit conference talk ideas, go for it. Get on a design or development podcast and talk about the work you're doing in or out of work. Write and share about things you’re learning or experimenting with. Not only can it be helpful from an immigration experience, but help you grow your communication and presentation skills as a designer. It can help you network and be more open to new opportunities to speak, write, or work. You may want to check with your lawyer if you can be compensated by the conference, as some visas may not allow that. As the company sponsoring a worker, it can be beneficial to encourage employees to write and speak about design and development, not just for one worker but also for all. It’s a great way to show what your company is doing from different perspectives. If your budget allows it, having resources for employees to improve or support their writing and speaking, like workshops or time to work on talks and writing, makes their work not just better but provides benefits employees would want.</p>
<h2 id="keep-pay-records%2C-screenshots-of-work%2C-and-tax-info"><strong>Keep pay records, screenshots of work, and tax info</strong></h2>
<p>For applicants, certain visas require having evidence of contributions you’ve made to the industry, so keeping records of the work you’ve done as a designer is important. I kept them in a folder on Dropbox, organized by project. Some are photos of magazine columns and design awards and screenshots of web design and mobile design work. Others are screenshots of published writing online, design shows I’ve judged, podcasts I’ve hosted or been a guest on, and websites or programs from conferences I’ve spoken at. Always, always digitalize or have copies of your taxes and payslips. For companies, see how you can help applicants get together what they need. Sometimes you may need records of their pay stubs (and more than a few months back at that), an offer letter, or even a job posting with specific details for the application.</p>
<h2 id="nurture-relationships-with-others-in-the-industry"><strong>Nurture relationships with others in the industry</strong></h2>
<p>For applicants, nurturing relationships in design and development is important in general. It’s a good practice, not only for your own benefit but also when you’re in the position to help someone else. It’s important to have people you trust, and that trust you as well. People who may hear of a role that might be perfect for you, or people who may be open to writing a letter of support for certain times of visas. Just be good to others and thank them when they help you out. For employers, its good to check in with other companies you partner with, to see if you can learn anything from their experiences.</p>
<h2 id="have-frank-and-honest-conversations%2C-and-ask-questions%2C-a-lot."><strong>Have frank and honest conversations, and ask questions, a lot.</strong></h2>
<p>For applicants, it’s crucial to stay in touch and communicative with the company, and even with the lawyers, if possible. Ask a lot of questions, especially regarding changing immigration laws (it can be helpful to follow a few immigration-related accounts on social media like legal firms, government immigration departments, etc.), and your specific scenario. Your birthplace, your citizenship, your place of residency, your previous work experiences, the degree and/or money you may or may not have, and so much more all play into what you can and can’t do and what needs to be done for your process. Ask questions and learn as much as you can. Keep your address up to date.</p>
<p>Be prepared that others may know about your application since some visas require companies to disclose the intent to hire. That part really sucks and it makes you worry that others know things about you that you didn’t consent to. The company might share your potential salary with others at the company.</p>
<p>As an employer, asking questions to lawyers and government agencies helps you stay in compliance. Communicating regularly with potential employees is also really important and helps build trust and keep them at ease. While it may be common for HR to know the intent to hire with a public document stating the name, role, and offered salary of the applicant, they may not know that, and giving them the heads up on what to expect, as they may face questions from other employees can help keep the process moving smoothly.</p>
<hr>
<p>The best place to get advice on immigration and design and development jobs is from an immigration lawyer or firm, no matter what country you’re planning on going to or what country your business is in. I am not a lawyer. I just wish someone had shared what to expect with me, as a designer. But that’s tough and each situation is different. I also hope that this shows some of the extra pressures immigrants in the tech workforce face—even before sweeping, sudden laws or global crises.</p>
Button, the content design conference2022-10-08T18:50:33Zhttps://samkapila.com/2022/10/08/button-the-content-design-conference/<p>I’m so excited to join <a href="https://twitter.com/ButtonConf">Button’s</a> book club on Monday, October 10th, to talk about Inclusive Design Communities, the book I wrote with <a href="https://twitter.com/abookapart">A Book Apart</a>. I’ll be joining the Button Book Club segment remotely. Other books and authors featured include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Natalie Dunbar, <em><a href="https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/from-solo-to-scaled-building-a-sustainable-content-strategy-practice/">From Solo to Scaled: Building a Sustainable Content Strategy</a></em></li>
<li>Rebecca Evanhoe, <a href="https://samkapila.com/2022/10/08/button-the-content-design-conference/*%20https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/conversations-with-things/">Conversations with Things</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The lovely <a href="https://twitter.com/torreybird">Torrey Podmajersky</a> hosts the book club! More info <a href="https://www.buttonconf.com/2022-segments/the-button-book-club">here</a> and info to register <a href="https://braintraffic.swoogo.com/button2022">here</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/buttonconfbanner.png" alt="Banner graphic that reads Button: the content design conference, Seattle WA and online, October 10 through 12th, 2022 with some abstract button illustrations on both sides of the white text and blue date on a dark blue background." title="Button Conf Banner"></p>
What it was like to write a book (part 2)2022-10-01T22:56:37Zhttps://samkapila.com/2022/10/01/what-it-was-like-to-write-a-book-(part-2)/<p><strong>Note:</strong> This is part 2 of a <a href="https://samkapila.com/2022/09/27/what-it-was-like-to-write-a-book-(part-1)/">short series</a> about the experience of writing my book, <a href="https://abookapart.com/products/inclusive-design-communities">Inclusive Design Communities</a>, out on October 4th.</p>
<hr>
<p>I wanted to write more about the writing process and what worked for me. I’m not a confident writer; my brain tends to go faster than my hand can write or type. In design work, my brain connects and notices patterns, but as I write, not all patterns make it down in the first go. I tend to lose the reader and end up feeling like that meme of Charlie Day attempting to solve a crime while looking forward wildly.</p>
<div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:63%;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/l0IylOPCNkiqOgMyA" width="100%" height="100%" style="position:absolute" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen=""></iframe></div><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/fx-charlie-always-sunny-l0IylOPCNkiqOgMyA">via GIPHY</a></p>
<p>There are a few things that I noticed or learned while writing.</p>
<h2 id="different-tools-for-different-needs">Different tools for different needs</h2>
<p>Initially, I wrote everything in a few notebooks by hand and usually at my usual coffee shops. The outline I originally submitted for my proposal and random paragraphs were in my notebooks. Then the pandemic hit. For ideas, I wrote in <a href="https://samkapila.com/2022/10/01/what-it-was-like-to-write-a-book-(part-2)/notion.so/">Notion</a>. I like writing in Notion generally and find the clean UI helpful in staying focused on ideas. Plus, it’s on my phone, too, so I could jot down ideas and make to-do lists while walking my dog. I also had endless links on another Notion doc that was easy to reference. When they started taking chapter section forms, I moved them into Word (through Office365). Finally, I used here and there <a href="https://samkapila.com/2022/10/01/what-it-was-like-to-write-a-book-(part-2)/grammarly.com">Grammarly</a> just when I was editting: before turning in a draft or the final stages. Grammarly plus Word, though, were very buggy, and Grammarly couldn’t support extensive docs (and neither could my CPU). Notion’s web app and Grammarly’s browser extension were probably smoother.</p>
<h2 id="separate-building-and-editting">Separate building and editting</h2>
<p>A lesson about writing is also true about the design process: There is a phase for building the core concepts and another stage for editing and making everything flow together. My editors and publisher knew that, but I hadn’t made the connection with design. I wish I could recall where I heard something decades ago: that design was about 90% planning and problem-solving and 10% of design software. The software didn’t solve the problem or make the design good. It was for composing the other 90%.</p>
<p>In design, if we made things pixel perfect from the start, we’d take forever to get anything done. When you’re working on putting something together, that’s not the editting phase. It’s like sculpting or ceramics; the details aren’t there at the start, they’re a part of the final stages, and the first parts are clumpy blobs building the structure. The clumpy blobs are good. That’s where the story is. When the story feels like it’s got all the pieces, <em>then</em> we can edit. This process also helped with imposter syndrome because I wasn’t focused on language when I needed to focus on the idea. English trips me up a lot.</p>
<h2 id="understanding-the-process">Understanding the process</h2>
<p>I asked a small number of authors I knew or admired what it was like for them. And everyone’s experiences were uniquely different. I also wanted to know more about what to expect; I’m the person who studies a restaurant menu before she goes in. What courses was I going to eat on this journey?</p>
<p>I read two books in particular that helped me understand the process:</p>
<ul>
<li><em><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/before-and-after-the-book-deal-a-writer-s-guide-to-finishing-publishing-promoting-and-surviving-your-first-book-67a64da2-29cb-480b-9142-1355f857c3b2/9781948226400">Before and After The Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book</a></em> by Courtney Maum. I read Maum’s book very early in the process, and it helped outline what to expect in the book process from start to finish. I found the bookends of the process most fascinating since I didn’t know much about book deals and promoting books.</li>
<li><em><a href="https://abookapart.com/products/you-should-write-a-book">You Should Write A Book</a></em> by Katel Ledû and Lisa Maria Marquis, both at A Book Apart and such brilliant people to work with on this process. I read Katel and Lisa Maria’s book once I was already getting into the editting, or copy stage, of A Book Apart’s process. It is clear how much they care about their authors, and they focus a lot on the everyday thoughts authors feel through the process. Their advice in the book is as supportive as they are in person/remotely. There were endless times I felt like giving up or that I wasn’t good enough, and these two kept me going.</li>
</ul>
<p>Besides these two, I reread a handful of books I enjoyed that were non-fiction and books about race to understand how authors varied in their voices as a way to find mine. It took until one of my editors, Sally, wrote me an email that included edits for a manuscript and that she sensed the speed difference between my head and my hand. She shared what she thought my intention was and asked me if that was accurate. It was. To have someone see something you couldn’t put into words suddenly clears the fog. The voice I was looking for was already in me: a combination of friendliness but not mincing words and urgency and patience simultaneously. I wanted to be honest but not scare people away, and I wanted them to know that the <em>time is now</em> while also giving them space to figure it out.</p>
<p>Thanks for reading this part of the series on the writing process. We’re just a few days away from <strong>October 4th</strong>, when my book will be out in the world! <a href="https://abookapart.com/products/inclusive-design-communities">It’s on sale here at A Book Apart</a>.</p>
What it was like to write a book (part 1)2022-09-27T17:33:05Zhttps://samkapila.com/2022/09/27/what-it-was-like-to-write-a-book-(part-1)/<p>Note: It won’t be like this for everyone.</p>
<p>Note #2: This post is about what I needed to be able to write. In a follow-up post, I’ll write about <em>writing</em> itself.</p>
<hr>
<p>I wrote most of this book during the pandemic and the erasure of the disabled community, grieving the loss of a parent, endless stories of police brutality, politics, and feeling very disconnected from community. There was a lot of crying before, during, after, and orbiting around the writing process. It’s hard to write about communities when you don’t have access to them. It’s hard when your entire being is going through so much heartache.</p>
<p>For the first year of writing, it felt like an out-of-body experience; when I wrote and sent in a draft, I immediately forgot what I had written—every time. I had to look back at drafts or use Find/Replace to see if I had already covered something. Everything in the news kept giving me more to write (and scream) about, and that’s not what I wanted in my book.</p>
<p>I had to find ways to connect with others and find joy in the process of writing. And luckily, I found quite a few ways to do that, even if they appeared later in the process in the second year of writing and beyond.</p>
<h2 id="accountability-and-people-to-write-with">Accountability and people to write with</h2>
<p>My friends, Eric and Melanie, invited me to write with their writing group, which meets once a month, to write for a few hours. The group meets for the first 30 minutes to talk about what they’re going to write, write on our own for a few hours, and check in during the last 30 minutes to share what we wrote or what we need help with or talk about snacks. This group helped by adding accountability, community, routine, and support. I’m so grateful for their support throughout the entire writing process. It came when I was so blocked and got me unblocked in the best ways.</p>
<h2 id="music-to-write-to">Music to write to</h2>
<p>For the most part, I stuck to three playlists through various periods of writing. Almost all of the playlists have instrumental music. I needed this because it was so hard to let the sounds of the neighbor, notification pings, and life interrupt what I was trying to do, but because my focus has been hard to tame, probably since about 2016. Not hearing words helped me not type them. One of my editors quickly noticed that the speed of my thoughts was quicker than my typing. <em>Much</em> quicker. Words would disappear into the blank air of MS Word.</p>
<p><strong>Writing</strong> (<a href="https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/writing/pl.u-oZylDyZt9jqE3">Apple</a>) (<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/77gkuNLcqZTWsH3i0ScZq7?si=e56eadcf0a1243c9">Spotify</a>)<br>
The first playlist was great. It was perfect for the first phase I was in, as I crafted concepts and the general story I wanted to cover. It felt SO right to include the soundtracks to the Monument Valley games. I loved those games because they were so creative, and the music helped get me in the right mindset. I also include Tycho, which I know many designers love to design. And I included Washed Out, which did include vocals, but they were vocals that took me to the places I had dreamt of writing instead of at home, by myself in the pandemic.</p>
<p><strong>Writing #2</strong> (<a href="https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/writing-2/pl.u-2aoq8yesgpkB8">Apple</a>) (<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/14PX4dbBpOvHxnLZ4d2OkW?si=bb93a084687846fd">Spotify</a>)<br>
The second playlist included recommendations from a designer with a lot of pianos or what I call desert music. That worked until I got tired of hearing the same songs. And some of them stressed me out as I wrote.</p>
<p><strong>Writing #3</strong> (<a href="https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/writing-3/pl.u-KVXBkP3s3B1Mv">Apple</a>) (<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1cfPxwvHKJxkbGZrf9yD6I?si=3e62e84cf62249ff">Spotify</a>)<br>
The last playlist satisfied my creative flow the way the first playlist did. It had songs from things I had enjoyed creatively. Like music from TV shows such as Succession and White Lotus and games such as Donut County. There’s more jazz in here. I wasn’t writing as much as editing, rereading, cutting things, and cleaning up my passive sentences. It ended with Hermanos Gutierrez’s <em>El Camino de mi alma</em> album, which felt soft and urgent at the same time and took me over the finish line of submitting my manuscripts.</p>
<h2 id="puppppppppppppppppppppppy">PUPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPY</h2>
<p>In my first draft round, I got a puppy, a beautiful, sassy golden-haired pup, who I named Gemma. While she isn’t certified, she is my emotional support dog as much as the cutest and most mischievous little brat. We snuggled after long writing sessions, and I planned my writing schedule around here because—frankly—I had no choice. She only started to calm down after she turned two. But she’s been with me for almost the whole process as a one-sided therapist, guest editor, distracter, friend, child, chewer, foot warmer, alarm system, and occasional draft eater. Earlier this year, she was even a <a href="https://twitter.com/abookapart/status/1547204613564256257/photo/1">marketing specialist turned model for A Book Apart’s dog days of summer campaign</a>, posing with a draft, which was in a binder labeled “IDC-copy-1.3-sk”. She can’t wait to chew on her first copy of the book and work on her first book with the publisher A Book A<em>paw</em> (kidding!).</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Did you know that the phrase “dog days of summer” has to do with astronomy rather than our best friends?<br><br>☀️🐕 Inspired by the stars, we're putting on a dog days of summer flash sale today only—just use code DOGDAYS at checkout and save 20% sitewide!<a href="https://t.co/urCZrswYIa">https://t.co/urCZrswYIa</a> <a href="https://t.co/bc91wY4ura">pic.twitter.com/bc91wY4ura</a></p>— A Book Apart (@abookapart) <a href="https://twitter.com/abookapart/status/1547204613564256257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<p>Thanks for reading. Again, in the next post, I’ll share more about the writing itself. Until then, I’m counting down because a week from today, <strong>on October 4th</strong>, my book will be out in the world! <a href="https://abookapart.com/products/inclusive-design-communities">It’s on sale here at A Book Apart</a>.</p>
Inclusive Design Communities, a book I wrote2022-09-07T22:45:26Zhttps://samkapila.com/2022/09/07/inclusive-design-communities-a-book-i-wrote/<p>Today, the pre-orders opened for my new book, <a href="https://abookapart.com/products/inclusive-design-communities">Inclusive Design Communities</a>. YES! That means you can pre-order a book TODAY! Paperbacks are $29, E-books are $19, or you can get them both for $43.20. The book launches on October 4th, so you won’t have to wait too long. I worked on this book for years, through the pandemic, and I cannot wait to share it with you and see how we can all impact and improve the design community so it’s more inclusive with steps that anyone in any role can take.</p>
<p>This book covers a lot of ground. My friend, <a href="https://twitter.com/Brilliantcrank/status/1567583690557128704">Greg, said its about a 4-hour read</a>. I’ll be sharing more in the coming weeks, but to start, here’s an interview about the book that I did with the most amazing publishers an author could ask for, <a href="https://abookapart.com/">A Book Apart</a>. <a href="https://abookapart.com/blogs/press/meet-the-book-inclusive-design-communities">Check it out</a> to learn more about the book!</p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/idc-book-cover.png" alt="A aqua-colored cover for the book "Inclusive Design Communities by Sameera Kapila, published with A Book Apart (their 42th book), and a foreword by Danielle Barnes" title="IDC book cover"></p>
Crash Course’s Black American History with Clint Smith2022-08-16T03:11:31Zhttps://samkapila.com/2022/08/16/crash-course's-black-american-history-with-clint-smith/<p>Clint Smith, author of <a href="https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/clint-smith/how-the-word-is-passed/9780316492935/">How The World Has Passed</a>, hosts a series of videos on <a href="https://youtu.be/xPx5aRuWCtc">Black American history on Crash Course</a> including: the transatlantic slave trade, slavery, Elizabeth Key, slave codes, the Germantown Petition Against Slavery, The Stono Rebellion, Phyllis Wheatley, and so much more in 44 short lessons. Everything is explained in great detail and are an invaluable resource.</p>
<p>You can watch in order, but these stand on their own—the first video I was introduced to was #4, the history of slave codes. Everyone should watch these. If you're worried about oppressive actions in schools against teaching American History (including Black American History), these will help fill in the gaps and you can share with others dealing with the same bans and restrictions. This history needs to be known.</p>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gu9RIGGXeNo" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>TV shows that teach us more about American History2022-08-13T02:57:46Zhttps://samkapila.com/2022/08/13/tv-shows-that-teach-us-more-about-american-history/<p>I genuinely miss Anthony Bourdain’s <a href="https://www.cnn.com/shows/anthony-bourdain-parts-unknown/">Parts Unknown</a>. A show on CNN showed up parts of the world many of us didn’t get the chance to know or visit in our lifetimes. His passing left a big hole in what we could learn about the world. As someone who didn’t grow up in the US, it also taught me about where I live.</p>
<p>In the years since, TV shows about food have touched on American history and parts of this country that we don’t know. If you’re interested in food and finding out about American history you didn’t get taught in school; I can’t recommend these shows enough:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Taste the Nation</strong> on <a href="https://www.hulu.com/series/taste-the-nation-with-padma-lakshmi-53d48a66-d254-4e4f-89a1-277ec6c57368">Hulu</a>. Taste the Nation, hosted by Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi covers food and culture in different cities.</li>
<li><strong>No Passport Required</strong> on <a href="https://www.pbs.org/show/no-passport-required/">PBS</a> or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B082QPRBKY/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r">Prime</a>. Chef Marcus Samuelsson shines the light on immigrant communities in the US through food.</li>
<li><strong>Take Out</strong> on <a href="https://www.hbomax.com/series/urn:hbo:series:GYdN9VQZruMMbwwEAAAAY">HBOmax</a> is hosted by Lisa Ling and covers the food and culture of Asian-Americans and multiple generations of them, and grasps a unique part of the immigrant experience: how different it is for each generation, even within families.</li>
<li><strong>High on Hog</strong> on <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81034518">Netflix</a> details African American cuisine—something we should all learn more about.</li>
<li>And—while not a food show—W. Kamau Bell’s <strong>United Shades of America</strong> on <a href="https://www.cnn.com/shows/united-shades-of-america">CNN</a>, which follows racial and political conflicts around the United States. At the time of writing, this show airs every Sunday night.</li>
</ul>
<p>And on the subject of race in America, W. Kamau Bell’s new book, <a href="https://bookshop.org/books/do-the-work-an-antiracist-activity-book/9781523514281">Doing The Work</a>, along with Katie Schatz, is an excellent workbook for personal work on anti-racism. This is a pivotal book, and everyone should buy it. Trust me.</p>
<p>I hope these show you something new about the US and its history. It’s a crucial time to ensure history, in its entirety, is shared.</p>
Changelog v36.7.02022-07-17T05:36:42Zhttps://samkapila.com/2022/07/17/changelog-v36.7.0/<p>Howdy! It’s been a while since I’ve written much on here, and lately, I’ve wanted to but delayed writing anything down. Part of the reason is that it takes a lot of work for me to write because I have insecurities about my writing and the state of the world. The other part is that I have been busy.</p>
<p>So instead, I’ll write a short <a href="https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/">changelog</a>... let’s say we're on <code>v36.7.0</code>. Yes, its a bit cheesy, but I’m cheesy so it makes sense. Here’s some of what’s been up.</p>
<h2 id="added">Added</h2>
<ul>
<li>Returning Paradise Valley, Arizona for <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc14lGjLNAJ/">Within</a>, where I spoke with Mia and Jess about Resilience and lessons learned as leaders through the hardship of the last few years.</li>
<li>Spoke remotely (and pre-recorded for Clarity) in 2020. Here’s <a href="https://youtu.be/hcqed7cIhj4">my talk about designing for happiness</a>.</li>
<li>Evolving my food prepping, cooking, and Super Smash Brothers skills, thanks to my partner (a chef).</li>
<li>Added more focus time towards the book I’m writing, which is progressing towards being done soon and another reason I’ve been quiet here.</li>
<li>Added some small practices to help me reset or unwind a bit more at the end of the day.</li>
<li>Got roller skates but need protective gear so I can leave the house with them on but it’s SO HOT in Texas.</li>
<li>A morning or lunch routine that includes Wordle or games like it</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="changed">Changed</h2>
<ul>
<li>Dropped Jekyll and moved my site to 11ty with Netlify (+ Netlify CMS set up!). There’s still work to be done—I’d like to refactor some CSS and redesign—but this has been a long-term goal that finally happened.</li>
<li>My perspective on what I want next in my career (more on that another time... see I’m giving myself homework for future blog posts).</li>
<li>I left my Design Director role at thoughtbot where I managed a design team that focused on complex MVPs (from day one to post-launch). It was beyond difficult leaving the team I managed because the designers and senior designers are absolutely wonderful as is the client I worked with. They’re all going to do great things!</li>
<li>I joined the growing Product Design and Research team at Netlify! I am so excited to be working on a product that I am also a user of (see first ”changed“ point) with so many people I’ve admired for a long time and to focus just on design for a bit.</li>
<li>Added Firefox back as my default browser since I don’t have to use Google Meet that much.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="deprecated">Deprecated</h2>
<ul>
<li>I miss in-person yoga classes. Pre-lockdown I was going twice to three times a week and my back stopped hurting. That pain is back in full swing, so this is more a note for myself to get back into it before my next changelog. My friend, Trent, introduced me to an app that will allow me to do this from home since I’m not comfortable with being in-person for a class yet, but also making it a routine will be a fun challenge.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="removed">Removed</h2>
<ul>
<li>The shorter fence and two rosemary that didn't survive the 2021 winter storm here in Texas. Replaced with a taller fence so my dog can't easily jump it.</li>
</ul>
<p>Well, that’s all for now. I’ll share more soon.</p>
Against all odds2021-01-03T18:20:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2021/01/03/against-all-odds/<p>I heard an episode of <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/">Marketplace</a> the other day, and it was <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/2020/12/29/how-grief-manifests-economy/">about grief</a>, something that has been the theme of 2020 for myself and so many other people, and the definition for a phrase I had never heard struck me. The term was “resilience porn”. At first, my mind struggled to comprehend these two words together. When I thought of the word “resilience,” I thought of the Within Leadership Retreat I attended in 2019. At the retreat, we talked about resilience in ourselves as design managers and how we could support our teams and help them build resilience. I was in the car when I heard this, returning home from driving my one-year-old dog around, so she’d tire out a bit more, even though we had just walked. My dog seems resilient. I try to be resilient. What possibly could “resilience porn” mean? Was it some version of self-help that put the word up on a pedestal or a new thing people might be into—I wasn’t sure.</p>
<p>Well, the guest on the show, psychotherapist, Megan Devine explained:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I have a really hard time with the pairing of the words crisis and opportunity. And I’m not saying that there isn’t opportunity; there is opportunity. But when we stitch required opportunity into a crisis, and this is sort of what we’re talking about, right? Like, the second something is difficult, we’re supposed to look for the gift inside of it. And all that really does is erase the very human pain that’s at the core. This is related really to resilience porn, right? Where we really hold up <strong>these stories of people who triumph against all odds, instead of looking at the systems that create the injustices or the situations for which they need to be resilient</strong>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This last sentence hit me like a ton of bricks. Instantly, it reminded me of so many seemingly harmless examples of Instagram posts or news stories or tweets about how people have made it through the odds. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/19/politics/elderly-woman-travels-300-miles-to-vote-trnd/index.html">The son who drove their older 94-year-old mother over 300+ miles to vote</a>. <em>Against all odds!</em> <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/23/this-108-year-old-woman-survived-two-pandemics-the-1918-spanish-flu-and-covid-19.html">The 102-year-old woman who beat the 1918 Flu and Covid</a>. <em>Against all odds!</em> Another <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-minnesota-woman-covid-spanish-flu-survive-20201217-fvacplko25brhkf3uefotoudfa-story.html">108-year-old woman did the same and also beat cancer at 95</a>. <em>Against all odds!</em></p>
<p>And while there are many successes and happy endings or continuations to these stories, Devine brings up the excellent point that we’re not looking at the systems. The odds here are a broken electoral system and a broken health care system, which, itself, is <strong>odd</strong>. Too drive 300+ miles to vote; for these women to have to go through two to three illnesses 100 years apart and see very similar worlds makes me wonder, like Devine, how much has even changed and think about how much has to change.</p>
<p>Even as I take a quick distraction break in writing, the top tweet in my (organized by latest tweet, again) timeline was a link to a TikTok where an adult son climbed a ladder to see his parent in isolation through a window. They were failed by people in public office who swore to protect them or work for them and didn’t.</p>
<p>What happens when we become resistant to this? What happens when we become immune to the stories of resilience? Resilience in these stories isn’t the end game, right? I hope it’s motivation to question the systems, to change the systems. To use them as examples of what needs to change. Hope is the energy to fight these systems. To know that these systems should be better. We can celebrate humans’ resiliency, but we have to dismantle why this is happening. Against all odds.</p>
New year site tweaks2021-01-01T21:15:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2021/01/01/new-year-site-tweaks/<p>Happy new year!</p>
<p>This morning, I realized that I was using liquid code that didn't automatically update my site footer’s copyright year. Thanks to friends, <a href="https://twitter.com/piccalilli_/status/1344799360098435075?s=20">Andy</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ericwbailey/status/1345013452381810688?s=20">Eric</a>, I just happened to check my site and say that the liquid code only updated if there was a new version of the site compiled AKA I had to write something new. I followed the instructions on the link Eric posted and made the update as not to have to depend on a new post for the footer to update to the right year.</p>
<p>I also realized that while I had been pushing to rename all <code>master</code> branches at work, I hadn't really worked on my site in a while and hadn't updated my branch to <code>main</code>. So I did so this morning following <a href="https://www.hanselman.com/blog/easily-rename-your-git-default-branch-from-master-to-main">Scott’s advice</a> that required some quick updates in the terminal and in my site repo settings. I use a bookmarklet to add links to my site, so I updated the branch in its settings, as well. Finally, I moseyed over to Netlify and updated my deploy settings there.<br>
Quick and easy, and all of this took under 30 minutes.</p>
<p>And, I cleaned up a few tags that had funky formatting.</p>
<p>Here’s to starting the new year right!</p>
iOS linking2020-01-21T06:01:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2020/01/21/ios-linking/<p>I’m working on a native iOS app at work. It’s been an incredible awesome project for so many reasons. One of the reasons it’s so fascinating is because it’s given me a chance to understand more about how apps are put together on the backend and native development. Working mostly on web apps, React Native apps (which feel so webby in process), and websites, I mostly understood where front end and back end meet in the middle. In working with iOS developers, I’m learning a lot more about where back end and native meet, and where design needs to be in that conversation, specifically the user experience side.</p>
<p>Yesterday, I shared a playlist of music, that came together after asking friends on multiple social media about what music they'd recommend for a person spending her day off doing yard work, then later enjoying a sunset, and making some dinner to enjoy in said back yard. I took everyone’s recommendations and put them into the following almost-five-hour Spotify list:</p>
<iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/3Tcwnx3ikFvyyRuM39etLd" width="300" height="380" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe>
<p>It was a joy to put together and a few asked if I’d share the playlist, so I did—on both Twitter and Instagram. And then I tested both links, because, that’s just something I always check. When I posted the link to Twitter, the following happened:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Twitter embeds a playlist badge, which is clickable.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>When clicked the embed plays the first 30 seconds of the song, and encourages you to "Listen on Spotify"</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>When you do, Twitter prompts with a '“Twitter” wants to open “Spotify“' prompt which in turn, opens Spotify.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Playlist played</p>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="limit">
<div class="embed-container"><iframe src="https://youtube.com/embed/X6V1QP4n43w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>However, when it came to posting to Instagram, the following happened:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Add link to bio</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>In-app browser opens a link, a link from <a href="http://adjust.com/">adjust.com</a>, which suggests downloading the app</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>If you click "download the app", it doesn't open the app (Spotify) if you already have it. It takes you to the App Store.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>If you click the top right "more options" to expose an action sheet, then you can open in Safari—or another default browser—and then load the web preview on the playlist with a large button reading "Play on Spotify"</p>
</li>
</ul>
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<div class="embed-container"><iframe src="https://youtube.com/embed/Ge0RQYqfUjc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>Neither of these options is perfect, however, one is severely less user-friendly than the other.</p>
<p>And then I found something even weirder. I tried going back to Twitter and deep press the playlist, and it opened the share action sheet (I’ll spare from sharing it because it exposes contact names and photos). When I selected "Open in Safari", it opened Safari for a split second before rerouting to Spotify without the '“Twitter” wants to open “Spotify“' prompt.</p>
<p>And it gets worse for Instagram/Spotify from there. When I deep press the link to the playlist in the bio, it opens the same <a href="http://adjust.com/">adjust.com</a> "download app" link. When I use the share sheet to reopen in Safari, it opens the playlist without re-opening in Spotify.</p>
<p>There are a few things that fascinate me about this.</p>
<p>It’s so interesting to me that this behavior is so different between the two apps that tried to access a third. I’m curious why they have a different experience. Is it the technology behind each app (are they both native?)?. Is this happening because of constraints set by Instagram and Twitter? Is it the fact that Instagram/Spotify might be using a service like <a href="http://adjust.com/">adjust.com</a> that is now making the user experience clunky? Which apps made these decisions and are they at the mercy of the other? Is it because Instagram is processing links in profile in a different way than the way Twitter has to (probably!)? I do not know the answer to either of these questions. What I do know is its making me think about how linking works in the app I’m working on.</p>
<p>Another thing that fascinating about this is that it gives me flashbacks to conversations about <code>href</code> targets in HTML and whether <code>_blank</code> was okay to use and when. It’s fascinating watching the young adult field of web building, watch its teenage sibling grapple with the same thing they went through years before.</p>
<p>Finally, the last thing that really fascinated me is the type of music everyone shared. Hope y'all enjoy the playlist.</p>
<p>Also, if you're into Apple Music, my internet friend <a href="https://twitter.com/charlesv/status/1219534732066770944?s=20">Charles</a> made the Apple Music of the list!</p>
<iframe allow="autoplay *; encrypted-media *;" frameborder="0" height="450" style="width:100%;max-width:660px;overflow:hidden;background:transparent;" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" src="https://embed.music.apple.com/us/playlist/patio-e-pepe/pl.u-qpaRaFogEP4"></iframe>
The Communal Cycle of Sharing, now on CSS-Tricks2019-11-19T06:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2019/11/19/the-communal-cycle-of-sharing-now-on-css-tricks/<p>This week, <a href="https://www.css-tricks.com/">CSS-Tricks</a> rolled out a new series of posts about what web builders are excited about this year (2019/2020). I crossed a career bucket list item off my list by contributing a short read on what I’m excited about. And, as you may be able to guess by the title, it’s about how we share on the web. In the piece, I talk about how opportune it is of a time to build on the web; the web is fairly young and its one of few mediums that we can say really say is collaborative.</p>
<p>Checking out <a href="https://css-tricks.com/the-communal-cycle-of-sharing/">the post</a> on CSS-Tricks along with all of the other <a href="https://css-tricks.com/category/2019-end-of-year-thoughts/">ongoing series</a>.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The beauty of our work, as <a href="https://twitter.com/SamKap?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SamKap</a> tells us, is that we're all building on each other's work. Much more productive that way instead of us all building in bubbles.<br><br>The Communal Cycle of Sharing: <a href="https://t.co/CvcmvmDtBZ">https://t.co/CvcmvmDtBZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/Pfz6P7K5OF">pic.twitter.com/Pfz6P7K5OF</a></p>— CSS-Tricks (@css) <a href="https://twitter.com/css/status/1196945511259017216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Notes from going down the rabbit hole: Esther Perel2019-05-20T05:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2019/05/20/notes-from-going-down-the-rabbit-hole:-esther-perel/<p>I’ve gone down a really good rabbit hole. Today, I was catching up with a friend and even bookmarked some things we talked about on my site bookmarks list.</p>
<p>We talked about Esther Perel being on <a href="https://armchairexpertpod.com/pods/esther-perel">Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast</a>. From there I immediately got on the audiobook loan list at my library, and watched not one, but two long features of her talks.</p>
<p>She’s a therapist and author to works with and writes about relationships, infidelity, trust, and more. Some romantic, some self. A whole lot of growth-related topics.</p>
<p>I didn't take notes for all of this, as I was also <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BxtYDnMFGAY/?igshid=psgflf9suu4h">making dinner</a> but thought I’d share what I gathered while watching and listening from at least one of her talks.</p>
<div class="limit">
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</div>
<h2 id="notes">Notes</h2>
<ul>
<li>What you did is what your [parent] did</li>
<li>We have unprecedented freedom yet we have to negotiate <strong>everything.</strong> Who’s picking up the baby? Who should I date?</li>
<li>Every (American/Western-raised) person wants a solution, but rather it demands the understanding of the past</li>
<li>In community we got a lot of continuity, consistence, and were never alone. Now we look to our partners for the existential aloneness to be solved.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>You don't solve this with Victoria’s Secret. And there isn't a Victor’s Secret, so we all know where the responsibility lies</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Intimacy = into me see. I show you my inner life.</li>
<li>Everyone struggle with change in stability. The thriving ones know how to reconcile that.</li>
<li>Some need more protection, some need more space. And if you're in relationships sometimes there in a two-person couple, there is usually one who is each. One afraid of abandonment, and one afraid of suffocation.</li>
<li>Romantic love, presently, has replaced all the things we used to look for in the perfect world of the divine.</li>
<li>In the swiping culture, "when I find you, I no longer think I can do better." And, <strong>"When I find you, I will delete my app"</strong></li>
<li>Too many options, more uncertainty and more self-doubt</li>
<li>Sex was for reproduction, and now its for wanting. There are a lot of conditions to fill now. There is a lot more pressure</li>
<li>Patriarchy dismantles men’s vulnerability, makes them less likely to live long, and not be the best partners. For women, we know a lot of what it does. <strong>If we have a paradigm change then we can leave this binary gender construct.</strong></li>
<li>In the village you could hear every fight and every fuck. The walls were porous. Her podcast works to react the village in a virtual sence.</li>
<li>When we listen deeply to other people, we reach deep into their humanity... ...We get to listen to their <strong>otherness</strong>.</li>
<li>When we listen deeply to other people, we end up standing in front of ourselves in the mirror</li>
<li>Every conference talks about the future of food, the future of tech, but none on the future of relationships</li>
<li><strong>Write well, and edit often.</strong></li>
<li>The life of women will not change, until men come along with them.</li>
<li>We need our relationships to exist in a larger social context. When the thought of not being ab</li>
<li>The ultimatum to the other person. You need to know what you can live with.</li>
<li>Stable ambiguity: we're together just enough to be together, not to feel alone. Stuck in a SA state. Have this conversation with other people.</li>
<li>Post traumatic growth: intergenerational trauma can go through generation</li>
<li>Give yourself the permission to thrive and experience joy from that</li>
<li>In long distance relationships: understand the difference between intimacy and surveillance. Instead of "what did you do today?", focus on the distance and make it the front and center. Write a letter. When you write a letter, you're with yourself and the other person.</li>
<li>Monogamy used to be one person for life, not one person at a time.</li>
</ul>
<p>Her talk at Bumble at SXSW also stood out to me. For one, it was in Austin. Secondly, <a href="https://bumble.com/the-buzz/esther-perel-intimacy-infidelity-panel">Bumble posted about the panel they hosted</a> featuring here and shared this quote:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Perhaps the most impactful thing Perel said in light of the outpouring of sexual harassment allegations in the current news cycle was that ‘men need a place where men can be safely vulnerable and women can be safely angry.’ Perel doesn’t claim that this can easily be done, but she does suggest it’s the only way for our society to compassionately heal and move forward.</p>
</blockquote>
<h3 id="other-videos-and-links-found-during-the-jump-into-the-rabbit-hole">Other videos and links found during the jump into the rabbit hole</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://armchairexpertpod.com/pods/esther-perel">Esther Perel</a> on Armchair Expert</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iu9_8Vsmtk" title="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iu9_8Vsmtk">Summit Co 2018</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/love-is-not-a-permanent-state-of-enthusiasm-an-interview-with-esther-perel">Love Is Not a Permanent State of Enthusiasm: An Interview with Esther Perel</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.ted.com/speakers/esther_perel">Esther Perel</a> on TED (two TED talks, too!)</li>
</ul>
Shop Talk Show: How to think like a front-end developer2018-11-02T06:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2018/11/02/shop-talk-show:-how-to-think-like-a-front-end-developer/<p>Recently, <a href="https://shoptalkshow.com/">Shop Talk Show</a> came out with a mini series on "How to think like a front-end developer". While I may not consider myself one—well, not exactly that—I was honored to be asked, and we spent a lovely and hilarious hour talking about job titles, expectations, education, the way we work at <a href="https://www.thoughtbot.com/">thoughtbot</a> and <a href="https://thoughtbot.com/playbook">our playbook</a>, and a rapid fire chat about various Dribbble shots. I went back and also checked out the <a href="https://shoptalkshow.com/episodes/121-sam-kapila/">last time I was on the show</a>, while I was still teaching.</p>
<p>Check out the <a href="https://shoptalkshow.com/episodes/335/">episode</a>, and other great episodes of people I admire, like <a href="https://shoptalkshow.com/episodes/332-how-to-think-like-a-front-end-developer-with-mina-markham/">Mina</a>, <a href="https://shoptalkshow.com/episodes/334/">Brad</a>, and <a href="https://shoptalkshow.com/episodes/333-how-to-think-like-a-front-end-developer-with-trent-walton/">Trent</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://shoptalkshow.com/episodes/335/"><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts.shoptalk_logo.png" alt="logo of Shop Talk show podcast"></a></p>
Watching “No Passport Required”2018-09-17T05:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2018/09/17/watching-%22no-passport-required%22/<p>I just wrapped up listening to the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Yes-Chef-Memoir-Marcus-Samuelsson/dp/0385342616">audiobook of Chef Samuelsson</a>’s memoir yesterday, where he talks so much of his third culture kid/adult life. When you've been raised in multiple cultures like him and I have, you can't help but chase food stories and geography/world history because of the will to learn about people.</p>
<p>That being said, along with the chef’s memoir, I cannot recommend the docu-series, "<a href="https://www.eater.com/2018/7/11/17540010/no-passport-required">No Passport Required</a>" enough (PBS subscription required if you don't have cable like I do, or Amazong or iTunes have it). It’s just as touching as Bourdain’s "<a href="https://explorepartsunknown.com/">Parts Unknown</a>", instead led by his friend, chef Marcus Samuelsson. It’s touching, it beautiful representation of immigrant communities in the United States. The DC/Ethiopia episode taught me so much about Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Miami episode made me miss days of finding food in Little Haiti. The New Orleans episode is making me crave cooking for others. It’s beautiful.</p>
<p>Get some takeout you've never gotten before, or try to cook something new, and watch this whole series. Chef Marcus Samuelsson has done an amazing job of documenting the richness of immigration communities in the United States. You can't help but feel humbled and inspired by the vast stories that foods have. These food stories are stories of resilience.</p>
Introducing Developurrs2018-09-16T05:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2018/09/16/introducing-developurrs/<p>Earlier this week, my web friend, <a href="https://hankchizljaw.io/">Andy</a>, interviewed me for his new project, <a href="https://developur.rs/">Developur.rs</a>, a series of interviews about people making the web and their pets. It was so enjoyable to be a part of and also to read the other interviews.</p>
<p>Ink and Leela were more than happy to be a the subject of any interview. Andy asked for photos of them, and I went through so many before landing on two that fit their sassy personalities.</p>
<p>Andy and I emailed questions and answers back and forth for a few days over email. This was my favorite part. It made emails actually fun to use again. It felt like we were catching up at pub.</p>
<p><a href="https://developur.rs/"><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/developurrs.png" alt="Logo for developurrs with a cat. "></a></p>
Tentative Episode 562018-09-06T06:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2018/09/06/tentative-episode-56/<p>My amazing <a href="https://www.thoughtbot.com/">thoughtbot</a> coworker and former Iron Yard student, Dawn, and I have a new episode of Tentative, filling in for regular hosts, Kyle and Jaclyn. Dawn and I spoke about Emoji day, our latest projects, entomology and etymology, Dawn’s expertise on designing filter systems, and how design and business goals align. It was such a fun episode to record.</p>
<p><a href="https://tentative.fm/56" title="Tentative Episode 56">Take a listen, subscribe, and let us know what you think</a></p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/tentative.jpg" alt="tentative podcast logo"></p>
Jazz Vibes on Spotify2018-08-20T06:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2018/08/20/jazz-vibes-on-spotify/<p>There is a <a href="https://open.spotify.com/user/spotify/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX0SM0LYsmbMT?si=6tzalt14TwisRU6xUpa2mA">Jazz playlist on Spotify</a> that I’ve repeatedly played the last few weeks. It’s really nice while coding or designing, and its even lovelier in the evening with low lights and <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-year-of-hygge-the-danish-obsession-with-getting-cozy">hygge</a>. The list is updated weekly by Spotify which makes it even better. Check it out.</p>
<iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/user/spotify/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX0SM0LYsmbMT" width="300" height="380" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe>
Heart Talk: An evening of openness, vulnerability, love, and hope2018-03-14T06:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2018/03/14/heart-talk:-an-evening-of-openness-vulnerability-love-and-hope/<p>On Monday, I attended the <a href="https://www.bookpeople.com/event/cleo-wade-heart-talk-poetic-wisdom-better-life">BookPeople</a> book launch for artist and poet Cleo Wade’s <em><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B074ZGQYGC">Heart Talk</a></em>, which released in the first week of March. I subscribe to <a href="https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001JQr8xJsldyzmqrE1gtNswNYGXYav0sK4yw_T3OEUVm-T1oCbCvUh2jTyvBhUurFLwUEP3xSuvR0JRlUfg5bB4ktPzsHxLktG2zzQELZsyxM%3D">BookPeople’s email list</a>, and was excited that a person I follow on Instagram was coming to my town. I was so excited I didn't even realize this would take place during the tenth SXSW in this city since I moved to Texas.</p>
<p>In addition to hearing Cleo speak, she was joined by her friend, Elaine Welteroth, who many of us know as the first African American Editor-in-Chief at Teen Vogue, helping reshape the magazine into one that <a href="https://www.teenvogue.com/contributor/elaine-welteroth">covered women’s rights and the rights of those frequently marginalized</a>. She also holds the other barrier-breaking title of the youngest editor Condé Nast has ever seen.</p>
<p>Many people showed up early and secured good seats, and I was one of those people. It’s probably the earliest I’ve ever shown up for anything, coming in at about 90 minutes before the event was scheduled to begin. Immediately, the others who came in, mostly women and women of color at that, started talking to each other and complimenting each other. One woman, named Fontaine, helped set the friendly tone. She was visiting from DC, and she spoke to everyone around her. Her friendly nature opened up the rest of us. Kalissa and I spoke about how she’s a second year design students and feels like she had to choose a track. I told her I was a designer, too, and was told to do the same, and advised her to stay open. Berdanette was someone I was already following on Instagram. We were cracking jokes, sharing our interest in the conversation coming towards us, and sharing where we purchased our coats on this windy, cloudy day. A man I met, wearing a full-sleeve shirt designed with graphics and words from Solange’s Seat at the table brought gcopies of activity books based on some of her lyrics as a gift to both the speakers we were about to see. A open-minded father accompanied his teenage daughter, and I watched his expression go from happy to experience this with his daughter to completely in awe that his daughter and him got to share the energy of the room and the two women.</p>
<p>They came down the stairs, and popped out from behind the curtains. We all waved and smiled, ready for the Instagram stories and boomerangs that we knew Elaine would be capturing. We nudged each other to gasp in unison at Cleo’s shiny heels. We adored that they both wore black berets with their hair down; they were put together and laid back in their own skin, and we felt it, too.</p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/IMG_5514.jpg" alt="IMG_5514.jpg"></p>
<p>Cleo shared a poem titled "I think about love". Then, they spoke about self love and self intimacy, the latter being vulnerable enough with yourself to be honest and open to yourself. They spoke about the energy we put out in the world, listening to the whispers the world gives in return. They spoke about creating habits and rituals for that self care, and then the same habits and rituals for creating that for others. They encouraged us to allow ourselves to dream and to take the time to do so, even if its for a minute a day. They emphasized <em>giving</em>, not taking away, without the expectation of something in return. It was meta in way, as they kept giving us so much throughout the evening.</p>
<p>BookPeople let them speak for twice as long as they originally intended. They opened up their conversation to us, their audience, and questions came pouring out of all of us, myself included. Everyone felt gratitude. Us for the ability to ask questions and get advice. And we felt their gratitude, as they fully committed to be present and there for us. I told them about taking a sabbatical, and how necessary it was. How I made a very set schedule for each of my four months off with a monthly theme on things I focused on. They encouraged me to write a book. They gave everyone at least two hugs and were gracious and patient as all of us took photos and boomerangs with them (after all, Elaine is the queen of Boomerangs).</p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/IMG_5518.jpg" alt="Cleo Wade and I at the book signing"></p>
<p><em>Cleo and I at the book signing.</em></p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/elaine.gif" alt="Animation of Elaine and I shaking Cleo’s book"></p>
<p><em>Making Heart Talk Boomerangs with Elaine.</em></p>
<p>Their words and Cleo’s book have sat with me for the last 48 hours. As I traveled to work staring out of the commuter train I love to be on, spoke with clients, had lunch with my colleagues, met up with my friends for music showcases, spoke to my loved ones, and in my time alone, things they said and things they didn't stayed with me. And I clutched it like the bag of things I take everyday. But it wasn't baggage. It was a toolkit and reminder. <strong>A reminder to live intently and to interact with other intently stored in a toolkit of openness, vulnerability, love, and hope to use.</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Be the reason someone realizes how simple it is to be nice.</p>
<p>— from Cleo’s book, in <strong>Heart Talk,</strong> page 111.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>On a day like today, when thousands of students across the US are walking out of schools in favor of safer schools, the idea of giving and living intently speaks volumes. These children and teenagers are giving us hope and teaching us, perhaps more than we can teach them. They are marching with openness and vulnerability channeling and giving us love and hope. We should listen intently, because they're giving intently. With that, here is Cleo’s TED talk from 2017, that I just watched, and is so aptly called "Want to change the world? Start by being brave enough to care".</p>
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</div>
The Year of The Diversity Council2018-02-26T06:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2018/02/26/the-year-of-the-diversity-council/<p><em>This is the second part in a series about the experience of starting and running a diversity council. If you missed the first post, it can be found <a href="https://samkapila.com/2018/02/07/creating-an-internal-diversity-council.html">here</a>. In the second post, I share the importance of creating structure and communication, the importance of achievable tasks, and what we achieved in one year. In the next post, I’ll share lessons learned along the way.</em></p>
<h2 id="starting-the-council-with-a-communication-strategy">Starting the Council with a Communication Strategy</h2>
<p>Before starting our Diversity Council, Jessica and I focused on our structure and communication because our were a dispersed company. We needed a consistent structure and open communication so we could make strides, hold each other accountable and move Diversity initiatives forward through achievable goals. The council needed to be a well-oiled machine. We both managed large teams, so we adopted our 30-60-90 day goals check-ins for the council. We built out our week-by-week template of communication: call for agenda items, formal meeting agenda items, quarterly meetings and recording minutes, scheduling individual pillar group conversations, and finally, publishing our meeting minutes with the rest of the company.</p>
<p>To achieve these goals, get external support, and help each other grow, we needed to vocalize them with each other and the rest of our company. As a learning institution, we realized that the best way for us to learn to be more inclusive is through transparency. We started a Slack channel called #Diversity_Council that was open not just for council constituents, but to every member of the company, part- or full-time. Along with our minutes on the internal blog, this helped us establish full transparency with each other and the whole company. Finally, we assigned pre-work to the new council members (who had been nominated or self-nominated, and had accepted a council role), to write about why they wanted to be a part of the council to share during the first meeting. We wanted to build a good habit of open communication.</p>
<h2 id="a-rhythm-for-goal-setting-and-meetings">A Rhythm for Goal Setting and Meetings</h2>
<p>We wanted our council to make an impact starting from day one. In our first meeting, we highlighted the importance of respectful but hard conversations. We acknowledged that everyone committed to put in extra time for the council; everyone had their company roles to focus on as well. If we tried to completely change diversity and inclusion overnight, we’d be overwhelmed and unsuccessful. So we encouraged smaller manageable goals. Finally, we committed to save time for open dialogue outside of the meeting agenda items for each meeting. This was crucial step, and probably one of our most important in running a council, as it set the tone.</p>
<p>Now that everyone was aligned on the “how”, we wanted to align on the “why”. In the same first meeting, every council member shared their pre-work (why they joined). As each person shared, we began to understand and see how unique our reasons for being committed to diversity are. It showed us that our collective definition of diversity was inclusive and, more importantly, intersectional. Collectively we defined diversity and inclusion in a way that included race, gender identity, and orientation, much like a lot of the industry. However, for our staff and students, we believed that definition included anyone who may have been discriminated against in tech, including those with accessibility needs and disability, those outside of the 20-30 year-old tech worker age group, and military personnel, to name a few. Together, we recognized and valued the overlap of these areas with each other. Together, we wrote our council’s definitions of diversity and inclusion, our mission, and our rules of engagement together.</p>
<p>We met quarterly as a team, and monthly as needed for each task force (Staff, Students, Community, Scholarships, and Communication). In team quarterlies, we discussed procedures, website language usage, inclusive student events, ethics, and D&I onboarding for new staff. For example, one of our biggest goals included formal D&I curriculum for our corporate training and immersive students, a large undertaking. In monthly focused meetings, we focused on next steps for each goal. For example, reviewing language on our website to ensure it was inclusive. Using the 30-60-90 day goal forecasting helped us move ourselves forward as a company and as a school.</p>
<p>Half way through the year, I transitioned from Director of Instruction, to Director of Academic Operations and Diversity. I focused on running our council and projects that needed more attention, like scholarships. As the year went on, we adapted our needs, grew some additional support from non-council team members, and stayed focused on our achievable goals and got a lot done. Looking back at our small steps, I’m pretty proud. Of course, we had a lot more we wanted to get to, but we left things better than when we started and we stayed honest with ourselves about what we were capable of.</p>
<h2 id="a-year-of-steps">A Year of Steps</h2>
<p>In July 2017, we announced a company closure slated for November 2017. Our council concluded its first year in September, with one last meeting as a group. Inspired by <a href="https://zapier.com/jobs/working-on-diversity-and-inclusivity/">Zapier’s timeline of diversity initiatives</a>, which is absolutely fantastic, here are a few things we achieved in our year:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>September 2016: <strong>Creation of the Diversity Council</strong>, with about 20 members representing all areas of the organization explore and finalize Mission, bylaws, and definitions.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>October 2016: <strong><a href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2016/09/09/listen-vice-president-biden-training-americans-jobs-future">Vice President, Joe Biden announces the Tech Opportunity Fund</a></strong>, in St. Louis, Missouri. The scholarship, founded by TIY and others, provides access to bootcamp education to underrepresented people of color and women who are low income.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>October 2016: Visit to <strong>White House for the #CS4All Summit</strong>, where Tech Opportunity Fund announced again.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/meghan-sam-jessica.jpg" alt="Megan Smith, Sam Kapila, and Jessica Mitsch at The White House"><br>
<em>Megan Smith, former CTO for the United States (left), Jessica (right), and I at the #CS4All Summit at The White House, October 2016.</em></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>October 2016: The <strong>White House invites student, Patrick, (and instructor, Tom) to share their #OpportunityProject</strong>, at an onsite, science fair style event. Patrick presented their project to Megan Smith, instructor was present, as well.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>October 2016: Staff Diversity Chair attends <strong>Google’s in-person Unconscious Bias training</strong>, leading to council training and review of company hiring policies.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>November 2016: <strong>Corporate Training staff work with students and American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters</strong> on policies for the classroom.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>November 2016: Operations Team <strong>adds D&I training to onboarding</strong></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>December 2016: Event at DC campus where <strong>Meghan Smith, CTO for the US, announces 20 new <a href="https://techhire.com/">TechHire</a> cities</strong>.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/codemovie.jpg" alt="Code: Debugging the Gender Gap"></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>February — March 2017: All campuses host a <strong><a href="https://codedoc.co/">licensed screenings of CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap</a></strong>, some followed by a panelists of speakers and with local partnerships including AllState, Women Who Code, Girl Develop It.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>February 2017: Indianapolis campus <strong>enrolls a <a href="https://techpoint.org/2017/02/prioritizing-diversity-inclusion">50/50 female-to-male ratio</a></strong> Front End Engineering class.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>March 2017: Requirements for <strong>1k Diversity Scholarship reviewed</strong>, leading to removal of addition steps for applicants from discriminated groups.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>March 2017: <strong>The Tech Opportunity Fund re-launches as the #YesWeCode Fund</strong>. $100k raised in pledges at the SXSW announcement during HBCU and TechJobs tracks.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/yeswecodeannouncement.jpg" alt="Photo of speakers at SXSW"></p>
<p><em>HBCU track at SXSW 2017, announcing the #YesWeCode Fund. From left: Felix Flores, National Director for #YesWeCode; Sam Kapila, Director of Academic Operations & Diversity at TIY, Van Jones Founder of DreamCorps & #YesWeCode; Tess Posner, Managing Director of TechHire; Felecia Hatcher, White House 2014 Champion of Change, Co-Founder of CodeFeverMiami and Tech; Rodney Sampson, partner at TechSquare Labs; and John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE, March 2017, SXSW.</em></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>April 2017: <strong>Attendance at <a href="https://samkapila.com/2018/02/26/the-year-of-the-diversity-council/hopeglobalforums.org">HOPE Global Forum 2017</a></strong>, “Uplifting the Invisible Class”, to learn more about the socio-economic barriers our students below the poverty line could face.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>May 2017: Student Diversity Task Force co-chairs <strong>attend the <a href="https://samkapila.com/2018/02/26/the-year-of-the-diversity-council/knowbility.org/education/accessu/">Knowbility Conference</a> in Austin, TX</strong>, bringing back resources, best practices, and actionable items for the council.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>May 2017: Our Director of Student Experience leads a task group which <strong>launches D&I Curriculum for Immersive Students</strong> with learning objectives throughout all 12 weeks.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>June 2017: Staff Diversity Task Force <strong>roll out new Classroom Diversity Training for Operational Staff</strong>.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>June 2017: Council and Product Team collaborate to add options to switch to a <strong>Dyslexia-friendly typeface</strong>, OpenDyslexic, on internally-built learning management system.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>June 2017: Student Co-chairs collaborate with Product team to create a <strong>deployment accessibility checklist</strong> for future code deployments.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>As a council and as a company, we were extremely committed to improving the state of diversity and inclusion. Hopefully, by sharing this, it can help you, the reader, take something our year, and bring change to your workplace and our industry. This isn't easy work, but the much needed impact it can make is worth it.</p>
<p><em>Stay tuned for the next post about lessons learned. For more D&I resources, stop by <a href="https://samkapila.com/inclusion">here</a>, or <a href="https://creativemornings.com/talks/sam-kapila/">watch my Creative Mornings talk</a>.</em></p>
Creating an Internal Diversity Council2018-02-07T06:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2018/02/07/creating-an-internal-diversity-council/<p><em>This is the first part in a series about the experience of starting and running a diversity council. In the first post, I share what inspired us and how we got started. In future posts, I’ll share what we achieved in the year we operated and lessons learned along the way.</em></p>
<p>In the late Spring of 2016, my TIY colleague, <a href="https://twitter.com/JessicaMitsch">Jessica</a> (now CEO and co-founder of <a href="https://www.momentumlearn.com/">Momentum Learning</a> in the Research Triangle), and I worked on another project together like we had for years; across state lines or together on trains, planes, and automobiles. Jessica came to me with the idea of starting an internal Diversity Council. For months before the council began, we worked on our ideal council structure, our mission, measurable goals for staff and students, and transparency with the rest of the team. We were committed to creating the first ERG, or employee resource group, at work.</p>
<h2 id="the-right-time-to-get-started">The right time to get started</h2>
<p>In March 2016, we visited the White House to pledge our participation for The Opportunity Project (<a href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/03/07/fact-sheet-white-house-launches-opportunity-project-utilizing-open-data">White House Fact Sheet</a>). We were involved with some <a href="https://techhire.org/">TechHire</a> initiatives at the time, so we were excited to be a part of this another initiative. The project included private and government organizations sharing their collective data to create new civic apps and tools that could impact access to transportation, jobs, healthcare, and more. This was an eye-opening event that paralleled conversations in the tech community; discussions revolved around diversity and inclusion, gender pay disparities, ethics in tech, and inequality for minorities or the LGBTQIA+ community. Jessica and I already worked in our individual departments (Operations and Academics, respectively) to increase diversity awareness among our team members and students, so starting a council was timely. Further, I spoke to my sister about the time she started a diversity council at a prior company. She said the first step was having leadership or executive sponsorship, which is a key point in <a href="https://twitter.com/ekp">Ellen K. Pao</a>’s 2017 book, “<a href="https://a.co/goZ328J">Reset</a>”. Both Jessica and I were members of the Executive Team and deeply invested in our large teams, so we couldn’t wait to get started.</p>
<h2 id="setting-up-the-council">Setting up the Council</h2>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/diversitycouncil-tiy.png" alt="diversitycouncil-tiy.png"></p>
<p>In the early summer of 2016, we strategized the formation of the council. Through brainstorming and reflecting with our company, we focused the Council on five pillars: Staff, Students, Community, Scholarships, and Communication. <strong>By organizing into these five focus areas was instrumental, each pillar task force is able to focus on tangible and achievable goals.</strong> We officially began our work on September 1st, 2016. Weeks earlier, in a company-wide email, we shared the goals and intended structure for the council and our one-year minimum appointment. We shared our quarterly schedule, definitions of each pillar, and the nomination process. The council included members of Academics, Operations, Human Resources, Corporate Training, Marketing, and Product.</p>
<p>For each of the pillars, two team members served as co-chairs to provide backup when needed and a sounding board for initiatives. The remaining team members volunteered to help in areas they felt most equipped. When we formed, we had about 20 members in our council, while our company was just over 100. This was incredibly encouraging and energizing.</p>
<p><em>The next post will include our kick-off and council actions. For more D&I resources, stop by <a href="https://samkapila.com/inclusion">here</a>, or <a href="https://creativemornings.com/talks/sam-kapila/">watch my Creative Mornings talk</a>.</em></p>
Global Diversity CFP Day — Austin edition2018-02-05T06:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2018/02/05/global-diversity-cfp-day-austin-edition/<p>Over the weekend, my sister, Dee (a Product Manager at VISA) and I mentored a workshop at the Austin event for <a href="https://www.globaldiversitycfpday.com/">Global Diversity CFP Day</a>, a worldwide, day-long event featuring "numerous workshops hosted around the globe encouraging and advising newbie speakers to put together [their] very first talk proposal and share [their] own individual perspective on any subject of interest to people in tech".</p>
<p>Dee and I love collaborating when we can (we've both served on tech panels together here and there), and it was great to mentor and share our different ways of approaching public speaking. We have different ways that we approach topic ideas, framing a talk, gathering feedback, creating day-of-speaking routines, and addressing audience questions and comments.</p>
<p>I shared a bit on how one approach I take to finding a topic based on the Japanese concept of being, called "ikigai".</p>
<p>Simply, ikigai is about the overlap of a few different areas, that work well in identifying a good speaking topic and also reach a good sense of purpose:</p>
<ol>
<li>
<p>What you love.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>What you're good at.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>What the world needs.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>What you can get paid for.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p><img src="https://assets.weforum.org/editor/tyvToPYsyaZXtaFiUISw-P6abde6j84YSh5o3tXq81c.jpg" alt="A Venn diagram from the Toronto Start illustrating the overlaps of the 4 principles of ikigai"><em>From <a href="https://chaaipani.com/ikigai/">Chaaipani</a></em></p>
<br>
<br>
<p>I also spoke about how I use a simplified version of the Scientific Metholody to hypothesize, create a process, test, analyze, and conclude in a talk. It’s sort of an approach I took on the design process in my <a href="https://ecommons.txstate.edu/handle/10877/4271">master’s thesis</a>.</p>
<p>Organizer, Cecy Correa, who also organizes <abbr title="Girl Develop It">GDI</abbr> Austin caught of a few moments from the workshop, including a gif of my "teaching arms" flailing around.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Captured an awesome gif of <a href="https://twitter.com/samkap?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@samkap</a> mentoring speakers for <a href="https://twitter.com/gdcfpday?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gdcfpday</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/atx?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#atx</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gdcfpday?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#gdcfpday</a> <a href="https://t.co/qF9hVryC9i">pic.twitter.com/qF9hVryC9i</a></p>— Cecy Correa ⭐️ (@cecycorrea) <a href="https://twitter.com/cecycorrea/status/959920106594885633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">HUGE thanks to our speakers for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gdcfpday?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#gdcfpday</a> in Austin <a href="https://twitter.com/jlengstorf?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jlengstorf</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/marisamorby?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@marisamorby</a> and our mentors <a href="https://twitter.com/tehviking?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tehviking</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/deekapila?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@deekapila</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/samkap?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@samkap</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/elyseholladay?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elyseholladay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/rubynpearl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rubynpearl</a>! <br><br>And thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/returnpath?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ReturnPath</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ContextIO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ContextIO</a> for hosting and sponsoring!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MakeTheTalkHappen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MakeTheTalkHappen</a> <a href="https://t.co/O4Aisgfz8H">pic.twitter.com/O4Aisgfz8H</a></p>— GDI.ATX (@gdiatx) <a href="https://twitter.com/gdiatx/status/959923108248514563?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
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<p>If you're looking for speaking resources, there are a few in my <a href="https://samkapila.com/2014/08/03/speaking-up.html">first post about public speaking</a>.</p>
No, You Go! A new must-listen podcast2018-01-29T06:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2018/01/29/no-you-go!-a-new-must-listen-podcast/<p>Last week, a new podcast launched called <a href="https://www.noyougoshow.com/">No, You Go</a>, hosted by three AMAZING people, <a href="https://twitter.com/jennlukas">Jenn Lukas</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/theledu">Katel Ledû</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/sara_ann_marie">Sara Wachter-Boettcher</a>. I am beyond honored that they reached out and asked me to contribute a clip for the first episode, which I gladly did. (<em>Note: They did not ask me to write about their podcast, but I’m going to because I’m really appreciate their message so far</em>). I shared tidbits below without spoiling anything, because you're going to have to pour yourself a glass of wine or tea, and enjoy the episodes on your own.</p>
<p>In the first episode, myself and other women in tech shared how they know when it’s time to start something new. This episode was a great reminder of the different ways we know or go about starting something new. I didn't really want the episode to end, because hearing other people’s perspectives on change is so refreshing. Here’s one of the parts that stood out to me the most, from <a href="https://twitter.com/MinaMarkham">Mina Markham</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When I’m presented with some new opportunity, I kind of do a gut check and see, is this something that I will regret not doing. And if the answer is yes, then I know what I have to do. I have to go ahead and make that change.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>They also talked about important things like motherhood, celebratory donuts, and Riverdale.</p>
<p>I particularly loved episode two because I really enjoyed listening to <a href="https://twitter.com/webmeadow">Eileen Webb</a>’s perspectives of balancing personal and work time. I think her approach of asking the right questions and approaching each day is pretty awesome.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I don’t like doing work that people won’t use, and so it got to a point where, when people would ask me, “Oh, will you build me a blog section on this site?” I’d be like, “Why? Prove to me that you need it. Prove to me that you have the internal capacity to fill a blog on a regular basis.” And sort of that type of attitude ended up spilling over into full-time strategic work.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I remember the first site I professionally worked on, and I asked the CMO of the client company why they wanted to add a blog to their site company site. They had a forum for their customers that the CMO moderated in his free time, and my boss glared at me for asking this question. We ended up having meaningful conversations about it that led to refocusing their idea of a blog and communication completely. It led to them approving a new focus on the full-page editorial monthly ads I worked on, that had an in-person and online component. That question I blurted out was right.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If I block stuff off on my calendar…like, my calendar, if I click over to my calendar right now, On Tuesday morning, it just has a big block of time, that is a recurring block of time every week, that says “Tuesday Adventure.” And so when I am going to schedule things, when I am looking at when people want to have calls and things like that, it is already blocked off. And like, even though it is just blocked by me, right, it’s not like there’s an invitation with lots of other people on it, literally having that visual block in my calendar graphics really helps me remember that that is what I am supposed to be doing on Tuesday mornings. I do that with all my calendar stuff.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>My Thursday mornings are blocked off for what I call “work selfies,” which right now is usually a writing project, but sometimes is like taking a class in git, or whatever random thing I want to do. And I like to block things off. I usually try to keep my mornings free for intense brain work, and then my afternoons are calls and meetings, just because that’s how my brain works best. So like, building the structure in is really important for me.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Here’s to reworking my entire calendar, though. This sounds insanely doable and usable right now. I think I’m going to add set time with no multi-tasking (maybe except cleaning, because my retention is great then) to enjoy podcasts. I’m definitely going to take Eileen’s advice, and pair it with <a href="https://larahogan.me/blog/manager-energy-drain/#calendar-color-coding-and-defragging">Lara’s advice on calendar defragmenting.</a> Hey look—full circle—I’m starting something new (an organized calendar)!</p>
The new Austin Central Library2018-01-11T06:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2018/01/11/the-new-austin-central-library/<p>My friends and I spend a lot of time at the new Austin Central Library, one of the gorgeous, new buildings in town. Every time, I take photo after photo of the walls, windows, reflections, and its mysteries (more on this below). I threw my favorite photos into <a href="https://codepen.io/samkap/pen/BJmaor/">CodePen</a> and tinkered with CSS <code>Grid</code> and responsive grid-columns (<a href="https://caniuse.com/#search=grid">if supported</a>).</p>
<p data-height="700" data-theme-id="light" data-slug-hash="BJmaor" data-default-tab="result" data-user="samkap" data-embed-version="2" data-pen-title="image-grid" class="codepen">See the Pen <a href="https://codepen.io/samkap/pen/BJmaor/">image-grid</a> by samkap (<a href="https://codepen.io/samkap">@samkap</a>) on <a href="https://codepen.io/">CodePen</a>.</p>
<script async="" src="https://production-assets.codepen.io/assets/embed/ei.js"></script>
<p>This Grid plays with a one- to three-column system. I’m getting used to the syntax, but I do like the column gap features, and think that could be handy in so many scenarios. Still CSS Grid feels like a bit of a mystery I yet have to do a deep dive.</p>
<p>One mystery I can say has been solve in the mysterious roof-top door that goes to nowhere. You can see this in the top left of the second photo. Last week, KUT got to the bottom of this mysterious door. <a href="https://kut.org/post/whats-deal-doors-nowhere-new-austin-central-library">Check out the reveal</a> of why door goes to nowhere, and what it’s for.</p>
Converting Gem-based themes on Jekyll2018-01-03T02:12:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2018/01/03/converting-gem-based-themes-on-jekyll/<p>Today, Greg was sharing an issue he was having with Jekyll installs and builds. I thought was something tied to Bundler or Jekyll 3.0 issues I’ve had in the past, but Ethan figured out that the <code>_site</code> folder wasn't building correctly and that a pretty awesome solution is working around the gem-based themes.</p>
<p>This site is built on Jekyll, but I want tinker with this more on a new project, rather than mess with this one. Check out the Twitter conversation and Ethan’s helpful suggestions below. I’m bookmarking this, here, for myself and anyone else who adores Jekyll.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dear Jekyll users,<br><br>When I try to create a new site, only one directory gets created and a gem file is left. I’ve installed all of the things required in the getting started doc and confirmed they are recent versions.<br><br>What am I doing wrong? <a href="https://t.co/sqoyhb97Cc">pic.twitter.com/sqoyhb97Cc</a></p>— Greg Storey (@Brilliantcrank) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brilliantcrank/status/948284261362216960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<p>Ethan’s Solution from Jekyll’s docs:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Those files are in the gem for the default theme. It sounds like you want to do this: <a href="https://t.co/BgPvhBL0fz">https://t.co/BgPvhBL0fz</a></p>— Ethan Leon (@ethangl) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethangl/status/948296299270590464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<p>And then Uncle Dave pops in and teaches us all how to start a new Jekyll project sans-theme at all. Where has this been my entire Jekyll-using life?</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If you want no theme to start off with, you have to do `jekyll new myblog --blank` I wish this was the default but guhck.</p>— Dave Rupert (@davatron5000) <a href="https://twitter.com/davatron5000/status/948297978233720834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
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Zaha Hadid’s buildings2017-12-20T00:46:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2017/12/20/zaha-hadid's-buildings/<p>Thinking about this Zaha Hadid building near the New York Highline in West Chelsea. Saw in while on a 10+ yrs reunion trip in friends from college. It’s a residence, and her last building in New York. It reminds me of The Jetsons and Interstellar (in a time-bending sort of way) at the same time, and not at all of hours spent playing SimCity2000. I was reminded that I took this photo after reading about <a href="https://www.wallpaper.com/tags/zaha-hadid">Hadid on Wallpaper Magazine</a> via a link from <a href="https://www.wallpaper.com/tags/zaha-hadid">Swiss-Miss</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/IMG_1964.JPG" alt="A residential building"><br>
<em>Photo from the Highline, with my friends in October</em></p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/jetsons.jpg" alt="A Google image search of the retro, yet futuristic buildings from The Jetsons"></p>
<p><em>A Google image search of buildings from The Jetsons</em></p>
Conference notes from a roundtable about SendGrid’s values2017-12-10T18:20:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2017/12/10/conference-notes-from-a-roundtable-about-sendgrid's-values/<p>I revisited notes at the plethora of conferences I ended this year. In the Spring, I attended <a href="https://collisionconf.com/">Collision Conference</a> in one of my favorite cities, New Orleans. While the conference felt disconnected, some of the facilitated roundtables were beneficial. For over two years, I managed over 40 people (most, remote), so the team culture tracks piqued my interest. Sameer Dholakia, the CEO of SendGrid facilitated for a session about leadership values. He shared how he approached creating a culture at SendGrid and value-guiding questions. He shared insights about recruiting, psychometric assessments, and team-building camps. For Dholakia <a href="https://sendgrid.com/about/">and SendGrid</a>, the culture came down to their 4H’s that are :</p>
<ul>
<li>Happy</li>
<li>Hungry</li>
<li>Humble</li>
<li>Honest</li>
</ul>
<p>While <strong>Happy</strong> isn't easy to measure, company leaders should commit to it as a value, rather than physical things like kegs or ping pong tables. If people are burnt out, stressed, and overworked, the work suffers, and so do we. Life is about happiness, after all, and the perfect job that makes it all not seem like work at all. What is the perfect intersection of happiness and developer or designer’s role, and can we achieve it? How can we encourage that as leaders?</p>
<p>The value of <strong>Honest</strong> is not the same transparency, as many tech CEOs oversimplify it. For any leader and team member, it reads as being honest not only with each other but with ourselves. Honesty on the work, challenges, and missteps along the way. For example, acknowledging a scope creep delay or saying a project isn't doable. Honesty is about asking for help.</p>
<p>We’ve heard Steve Jobs’ <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/steve-jobs-told-students-stay-hungry-stay-foolish/2011/10/05/gIQA1qVjOL_blog.html">famous quote</a> about hunger before. It reads as always needing a challenge If we’re coasting through the same thing, what are we learning or solving? <strong>Hungry</strong> is an underestimated value. We talk about hiring and pipelines, have yet to improve retention. We lose handfuls of tech employees within 2-3 years. I learned as a manager that so many are looking for challenges and learning more in a different way. It’s crucial for managers and companies to encourage employees who seek new roles, teams, and challenges.</p>
<p><strong>Humble</strong> is my favorite value. It ties a lot of the others into one. Humility and being honest with ourselves can lead to people to accept who they are and dream of who they can be. It can be humbling to realize you’re not an expert at something and then be hungry learn more about it. A humble team, or its members, aren’t driven by self-praise. Instead, they're driven by reaching an ideal outcome with a splash of having humility as a gut check.</p>
<p>In the brief time I’ve taken off this past month, I’ve explored what personal and professional values I hold. More, on that, in the future.</p>
Quick performance boost on the site2017-11-15T01:16:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2017/11/15/quick-performance-boost-on-the-site/<p>I’m sitting at home, with a sore throat and an almost-gone fever. I loathe feeling unproductive. And, with Firefox’s new blazing fast, Quantum, I can't help but feel level more sick and tired. In order to cheer myself up and feel mildly productive, I thought I’d pick apart my site with a few performance speed tools, but briefly. I know better than to get too deep into code when not in a focused state of mind. So, I’ll keep this brief and write I go through each step. The following are the steps I took:</p>
<h2 id="1.-first%2C-re-read-dave%E2%80%99s-posts-on-rwd-bloats.">1. First, re-read Dave’s posts on RWD Bloats.</h2>
<p>Dave’s posts are <a href="https://samkapila.com/2017/11/15/quick-performance-boost-on-the-site/daverupert.com/2014/07/rwd-bloat/">one</a> and <a href="https://daverupert.com/2014/07/rwd-bloat-part-ii/">two</a> on RWD bloat. I don't fully suspect RWD being the main culprit, but let’s see. Based on Dave’s advice, check my grades with quick tests from <a href="https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/">Google PageSpeed</a> and <a href="https://www.webpagetest.org/">WebPageTest</a>.</p>
<h3 id="google-pagespeed">Google PageSpeed</h3>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/desktop-01-start.png" alt="Google PageSpeed when I started, showing two suggestions"></p>
<p>Both Mobile and Desktop have the same issues. According to Google, two important things to fix are: "Eliminate render-blocking JavaScript and CSS in above-the-fold content" that can be broken up into a few steps, and "Leverage browser caching", which I have no idea how to do, yet. So, this, friends, I will not be doing at this time. I would hate to misread something while sick and make a big mistake. So I’ll return to this later.</p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/desktop-02-start.png" alt="Google PageSpeed when I started, showing what was optimized "></p>
<p>These are things I’m not being lazy about, at least on this page, but I’m glad that images are optimized (yay <a href="https://imageoptim.com/">ImageOptim</a> but if you know of a great Jekyll plug-in that could do this, let me know!</p>
<h3 id="webpagetest">WebPageTest</h3>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/webpagetest-start.png" alt="webpagetest-start.png"></p>
<p>Yay! Only one F! This is <strong>just</strong> like school all over again. Kidding. But according to this Typekit is out of control, making up over 54-point-freaking-7-percent (54.7%) of my site’s bytes. That seems like a lot and I don't like. Also, I have six images on home, and I don't quite see why until favicons have anything to do with it. Now armed with knowledge, let’s see what we can do about it. Here goes!</p>
<h2 id="1.-moved-typekit-to-below-my-content">1. Moved Typekit to below my content</h2>
<p>So, before you get mad at me, know that I’m mad at me. I do know better, I was being lazy for a long time. So now my Typekit codes, live in a <code>scripts</code> includes file that is included after my <code></body></code> tag.</p>
<h2 id="2.-mess-with-typekit-settings">2. Mess with Typekit Settings</h2>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/typekit-01.png" alt="typekit-01.png"></p>
<p>Log into Typekit and see if I’m missing any optimization settings there. My kit is 64k, 54k if I don't keep the OpenType feature. For now, I will keep it on and maybe come back to this later.</p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/typekit-02.png" alt="typekit-02.png"></p>
<p>I jumped into my Kit Settings and saw a "Optimize performance" option. It links to <a href="https://helpx.adobe.com/typekit/using/optimizing-performance.html">more info</a>, which states:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Increasing the cache timeout means that you will no longer be able to make quick changes to this kit. When this option is enabled, updates may take up to a week to be visible to all your visitors; disabling the option won’t take full effect until after a week, either. Use this option only if you don't plan to make any further changes to your kit.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This is interesting and I don't need to change my fonts anytime soon, so I check it.</p>
<h2 id="3.-now%2C-this-six-image-thing">3. Now, this six image thing</h2>
<p>Okay, so it is favicons. I don't need six. I should only have three, I think. One favicon, that photo of me, and my logo. The other three are coming, mainly for the purpose of serving as icons on mobile devices. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't even have my own site on my home screen. I feel like this is unnecessary to keep, so I take it out of my <code>head</code> includes, and in the process, clean up spaces and unused code in six other includes. I feel better about it, but I’m not sure if it’s actually helping yet.</p>
<p>I also, re-optimized my logo (7k, no change) and the photo at the bottom of me (15.8k to 14.3k).</p>
<h2 id="quick-results">Quick Results</h2>
<p>After taking maybe 45-90min with a few random breaks and about six commits, here’s how the page did:</p>
<h3 id="google-pagespeed-results">Google PageSpeed Results</h3>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/desktop-01-end.png" alt="Google PageSpeed Results"></p>
<p>I went from a 75 on Mobile and 87 on Desktop, to 87 on Mobile and 95 on Desktop! Yay, so that makes me excited for when my brain and body aren't all fever-y and I can dive into this caching stuff.</p>
<h3 id="webpage-test-results">WebPage Test Results</h3>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/webpagetest-end.png" alt="webpagetest results which went from 1.487s to 1.168s, fully loaded"></p>
<p>For this I was able to shave off a few hundredths of a second, to reduce load time. I did get rid of some images and added Disqus back in. Not sure how much all of this is playing into it. On the first run, load time came down from 1.363s to 1.125s, with the first byte at down from 0.230s to 0.168s. Fully loaded came down the most from 1.487s to 1.168s. I took out favicons and down-saved my images. The fonts in bytes were still in the 50s but I know 10kb came out from unchecking OpenType features. My sleepy and now hungry guess is the remaining 5kb came from image optimizing and making removing other favicons.</p>
<style>
article img {
border: 2px #004A55 solid;
}
</style>
Dan Rather Lecture at UT2017-10-09T19:27:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2017/10/09/dan-rather-lecture-at-ut/<p>Last week, I attended the Liz Carpenter lecture at University of Texas, Austin,<br>
with Dan Rather. It was a delightful, informative, and humbling evening. <!--more--></p>
<p>Check it out below:</p>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PR9iIAWJAeE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Where to Donate for Harvey Relief2017-08-27T23:24:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2017/08/27/where-to-donate-for-harvey-relief/<p>I’m seeing a lot of great tweets about where to donate, so I thought I’d share a list here of what I’ve come across or donated to thus far. <strong>Last Updated: Tuesday, 29th of August, at 10:31pm, Texas Standard Time (CDT)</strong></p>
<h2 id="general">General</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.rebuildtx.org/">The Rebuild Texas Fund</a></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.launchgood.com/project/storm_harvey_emergency_response#!/">Launch Good</a></strong>. Launch Good is a Muslim crowdfunding site. They're raising 10k.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://give.salvationarmyusa.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app340b?df_id=27651&mfc_pref=T&27651.donation=form1&NONCE_TOKEN=09144B4DDAFD7687A8B0C5937B421EC6">Salvation Army Austin</a></strong></li>
<li>Local to Houston, <strong><a href="https://my.reason2race.com/DNicol/HurricaneHarveyLGBTQDisasterReliefFund2017">The Montrose Center</a></strong>. TMC specifically helps the LGBTQ community but is helping everyone during this time.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://teamrubiconusa.org/">Team Rubicon</a></strong></li>
<li>Multiple <strong><a href="https://www.gofundme.com/hurricaneharvey">GoFundMe accounts raising funds</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://austintexas.gov/help">Local volunteer info in Austin, TX</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://adrn.org/disaster-relief/hurricaneharvey/">Austin Disaster Relief Network</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://secure.americares.org/site/Donation2?df_id=22188&mfc_pref=T&22188.donation=form1&_ga=2.27797372.1946876975.1503855566-771809081.1503855566">Americares</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://ghcf.org/hurricane-relief/">Greater Houston Community Foundation</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://samkapila.com/2017/08/27/where-to-donate-for-harvey-relief/unitedwayvictoria.org/help">UnitedWay Victoria, TX</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.redcross.org/donate/hurricane-harvey?campname=Harvey&campmedium=aspot">American Red Cross</a>.</strong> I know there are some articles on Twitter going around about this, but in Texas we're seeing them feed displaced families and individuals. Please help. It’s easy.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.lazarusbrewing.com/">Lazarus Brewing</a> in Austin is taking vans over with donated items.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.churchproject.org/hurricaneharveyresponse">Church Project</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="support-for-the-lgbtq-community">Support for the LGBTQ community</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.latinatranstexas.org/">Casa de Ana y Organizacion Latina de Trans en Texas</a></strong> are helping house trans communities members. They need monetary or physical goods like mattresses</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://my.reason2race.com/DNicol/HurricaneHarveyLGBTQDisasterReliefFund2017">Montrose Center</a></strong> started a LGBTQ Disaster Relief Fund which includes housing, counseling, and so much more. (Yes I know it’s listed twice).</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.tfahouston.com/all-catagories/news/trans-relief-fund/">Trans Foundation of America<br>
</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.stedwards.edu/campus-living/housing/housing-services">St. Edward’s in Austin</a></strong> is collecting the following items by Friday 9/1 in their Residence Life Office: water, non-perishable food, non-prescription drugs, hygiene products, feminine products, baby products</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="food%2C-diaper%2C-woman%E2%80%99s-health%2C-and-blood-banks">Food, Diaper, Woman’s Health, and Blood Banks</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://samkapila.com/2017/08/27/where-to-donate-for-harvey-relief/texasdiaperbank.org/">Texas Diaper Bank</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.houstonfoodbank.org/donate/donate-money/">Houston Food Bank</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.foodbankcc.com/">Corpus Christi Food Bank</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.galvestoncountyfoodbank.org/">Galveston Food Bank</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.unitedwayvictoria.org/help">United Way Victoria</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.victoriafoodbank.org/">Victoria Food Bank</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://samkapila.com/2017/08/27/where-to-donate-for-harvey-relief/www.weareblood.org/donate-blood/donation-locations">We are Blood</a></strong>. A blood bank local to Austin, TX.</li>
<li>Latest updates from <strong><a href="https://www.heb.com/static-page/Disaster-Relief">H-E-B and where they're open</a></strong></li>
<li><a href="https://www.youcaring.com/frontstepshomelessshelter-785947">The Homeless PERIOD Project ATX</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="children%E2%80%99s-hospitals">Children’s Hospitals</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://co.clickandpledge.com/advanced/default.aspx?wid=45664">Driscoll Children’s Hospital</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="helping-schools-and-students">Helping Schools and Students</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.donorschoose.org/hurricane-harvey">Donor’s Choose</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.houstonisd.org/Page/164281">Houston Independent School District Family Support</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="shelter">Shelter</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.airbnb.com/disaster/hurricaneharveyevacuees?sf109003285=1">AirBnB</a></strong> has free places to stay with no service fees.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="boats-needed-for-rescue">Boats needed for rescue</h2>
<ul>
<li>Harris County rescue efforts need to borrow boats/high water vehicles: <strong>call 713-881-3100</strong></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="for-our-fuzzy-pet-friends">For our fuzzy pet friends</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://spca.org/give">SPCA of Texas</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.austinpetsalive.org/hurricane-harvey-evacuations/">Austin Pet Alive!</a>.</strong> Their site seems to be having high traffic outages, so <a href="https://t.co/pGfccAoGQe">this is an alternative for APA!</a>. And you can donate directly to their <a href="https://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/E82TAHUQLYW8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_ws_o.dOzb4M9214S">Amazon Wishlist</a>.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.dallasdogrrr.org/">Dallas DogsRRR</a></strong> - Dogs were trapped in flooded kennels and boats turned away.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://adltexas.org/">Animal Defense League of Texas</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.sanantoniopetsalive.org/">San Antonio Pets Alive!</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="for-the-disabled">For the disabled</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://portlight.org/">Portlight</a>.</strong> Disaster relief for disabled people.</li>
<li>If you know disabled people who need help, they can call <strong>800-626-4959</strong>, a <strong><a href="https://disasterstrategies.org/application/files/3815/0370/1936/DisasterSurvivors-Hotline.pdf">Disability Disaster Hotline from Disaster Strategies</a></strong>.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.lhwassociation.org/donate">Living Hope WheelChair Association</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="for-people-of-color">For People of Color</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://blackamericaweb.com/black-america-web-relief-fund/">Black America Web </a></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://southtexashumanrights.org/make-a-donation/">South Texas Human Rights</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.icnarelief.org/wp/">ICNA Relief</a></strong>. Muslims for Humanity</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="for-the-homeless">For the homeless</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.homelesshouston.org/take-action/donate/">Houston Coalition for the Homeless</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.covenanthouse.org/donation-options/donate-now">Covenant House</a></strong>. They've got about 70 homeless youth to feed so far.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="financial-support-and-attorneys-for-disaster-relief">Financial Support and Attorneys for Disaster Relief</h2>
<p>Note: Attorneys will be needed because officials in Texas changed the laws on how much people can claim due to natural disasters. Learn more about that <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/MsSamAdams/status/902202431542525953">here</a></strong> on Twitter and <strong><a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas-legislature/2017/08/28/lawyers-harvey-victims-file-insurance-claims-law-changes-sept-1-risk-losing-money">here</a></strong> from The Dallas Morning News.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.texasbar.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Disaster_Relief_Resources1&Template=%2FCM%2FHTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=29730">State Bar of Texas</a></strong>. Came across <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ivan.turingan/posts/1649329761766524">this in a status update on Facebook</a> on why legal help is needed.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.operationhope.org/hope-coalition-america">Operation Hope</a></strong>. They have free financial services for Harvey victims</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://communities.usaa.com/t5/USAA-News/USAA-Offers-Tips-on-How-to-File-Claims-After-Hurricane-Harvey/ba-p/135513?sf61899364=1">Tips on how to file claims from USAA</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.disasterlegalaid.org/">National Disaster Legal Aid</a></strong> — Update, their Houston location had a fire and explosion today causing reported injuries to local fire personnel.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="proceed-donations">Proceed Donations</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://txhumor.com/">Texas Humor</a></strong> has 100% of proceeds going to relief.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://abookapart.com/blogs/press/hurricane-harvey">A Book Apart</a></strong> is donating 15% of all sales from now until August 31st to various organizations.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://dining.blog.austin360.com/2017/08/28/austin-restaurants-and-bars-donating-to-hurricane-harvey-flood-relief/">Austin dining business</a></strong> with proceeds going to flood and hurricane relief from Eater Austin.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.cottonbureau.com/">Cotton Bureau</a></strong> has a few tees up with designer proceeds going to Texas <strong><a href="https://cottonbureau.com/products/texas-4">here</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://cottonbureau.com/products/lets-do-it-for-texas-yall">here</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="scams-to-be-aware-of">Scams to be aware of</h2>
<ul>
<li>Info from NPR’s <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/2017/08/29/life/hurricane-harvey-flooding-dredges-scams-and-hoaxes">Marketplace</a></li>
<li>Info from <strong><a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/mbvd/false-information-about-texas-storm?utm_term=.lw2r7A4lV#.btx8xAWlX">BuzzFeed about scams and actual fake news</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<h3 id="additional-resources">Additional Resources</h3>
<ul>
<li>A lot of these links came from social media, mostly from <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/jiatolentino/status/901851531577884674">@jiatolentino</a></strong>.</li>
<li>See more <strong><a href="https://medium.com/@Celeste_pewter/how-to-help-the-victims-of-hurricane-harvey-f876ae7e7ed">here</a></strong> by Celeste Pewter and <strong><a href="https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/ways-can-help-people-hurricane-harvey/">Texas Monthly</a></strong>.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ETBukCFXjV6hhSfKU2qE0tjvas6PqFt2pKhmKkg2f5A/edit">Creative Mornings Austin</a></strong> has an extensive list of places to donate</li>
<li>A <strong><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1t-qHvcOa7ukKi2pqqDdSFhAj-w8vXhbvtIib0rT7MYA/edit#gid=0">growing list of Austin businesses with proceeds being donated</a></strong>, as well.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.colorlines.com/articles/how-donate-money-and-other-aid-communities-color-houston">How to Help Communities of Color</a></strong></li>
</ul>
How to be an Ally2017-08-10T05:28:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2017/08/10/how-to-be-an-ally/<p>I’m not going to read the Google memo. Like many other women in tech have said, it’s just reading what we experience on the daily. The "oh you code"'s, the very conscious bias, the "how can you do conferences? Don't you have children?" judgey question, the fact that we have to support each other in meetings or meet-ups with Shine Theory, taking credit for their work, etc the list goes on—it’s all very tiring and exhausting.</p>
<p>One of the parts that’s really hard is watching people post something about Google memo guy or some of the other hundreds of horrible things that happen to women, POCs (people of color), and immigrants in tech, yet, in their lives away from likable FB post, aren't standing up for them, let alone listening to what they have to say.</p>
<p>It’s all exhausting, but I have good news! If you'd like to be an active ally for the the underrepresented or discriminated, here are eight simple suggestions (okay here goes!):</p>
<ol>
<li>
<p><strong>Jokes about women, POCs, ethnicities, generalizations, and immigration—stop—they're not funny and people have enough to deal with</strong>. Hear other people make them even when the joke doesn't apply to you? Call them the bleep out. Speaking as a woman, POC, and immigrant, we could use your help if you're in the position to stand up for us. The "my other ____ friends think its funny" is a pretty crappy way to say that you think of all members in the same group in the same way. Those are generalizations, assumptions, and ignoring the individuality of the people around you.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Lesson #1 in Design and Development (and Inclusion): <strong>Realize that just because you don't experience something, doesn't mean it isn't someone else’s experience</strong>. Validate that person’s experience with listening to them. That’s it. So you've never heard that friend or coworker say that awful thing to you? Believe someone else when they said it’s been said to them. That’s enough. That’s what empathy can be. Hashtag buzzword.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Listen to how you interact with women, POCs and minorities in meetings, in group settings. <strong>Ask yourself if you're waiting to let them finish a sentence or thought in a group setting</strong>. Are you cutting them off? Are you walking into that group setting with assumptions on how they're going to be? Are you noticing that members of these underrepresented groups are shining the light on each other, or trying to speak up for each other? If so, help them.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>If someone in any of the categories listed, says "hey, that thing you said was hurtful", actually <strong>take a minute to try to understand why it was, even if you didn't think it was</strong>. If its hurtful to someone you know or care about, that’s enough. Take them at their word and use it to learn something. Your ego will be better for it.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Part two of #4, <strong>try to believe that those who are standing up to you</strong> when you'd being a butthead, <strong>are courageous</strong> for taking that step, and not playing victims. Try not to be defensive, but use it as an opportunity to learn something.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>If they (whoever they are) ask for a <strong>Code of Conduct</strong>, and you're in the position to create, co-write, co-sign, or request one, consider doing it over worrying about making others mad. And then stick to it. People feeling safe is way better that a few people feeling bad that they can't stay discriminatory things.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>If you're in the position to bring someone up, especially someone who has been ignored even with the slightest discrimination, <strong>speak up for them</strong>, not at them or over them, and call out those ignoring them (respectfully, if you can).</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Ask people what pronoun they use</strong> (via <a href="https://twitter.com/angelacdumlao/status/886698018279444480">this tweet</a> from Angela Dumlao)<strong>, not what they prefer</strong>, and then try not to say "guys". Y'all works. They works. Everybody/one works.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>Want more?</strong> See videos and links below</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><a href="https://samkapila.com/2014/12/09/five-tips-on-how-to-be-an-ally-video.html">Video 1: How to be an ally</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8xJXKYL8pU">Video 2: Getting Called out: How to Apologize</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="https://www.guidetoallyship.com/">Guide to Allyship</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="https://everydayfeminism.com/2013/11/things-allies-need-to-know/">10 ways to be an ally</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="https://www.glaad.org/resources/ally/2">GLAAD’s 10 ways to be an ally</a></p>
</li>
</ul>
Creative Mornings Austin — Equality talk2017-08-07T04:02:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2017/08/07/creative-mornings-austin-equality-talk/<p>On August 21st, I spoke at <a href="https://creativemornings.com/talks/sam-kapila">Creative Mornings</a> in Austin, for their global theme, “equality”.</p>
<p>This was something I’ve only dreamed of since Creative Mornings began—as I was reminded by one of the organizers—so getting to speak in my home city in front of people I love and people I admire, was a honor.</p>
<p>Creative Mornings uploaded the edited video of my talk, some awesome attendees made sketches, and I felt really lucky to be able to speak about a topic I care about deeply. The audience asked great question and I got to share a lot of what I did at TIY, with overseeing the academic side of a national scholarship, and what I learned along the way. Check out some parts of the event below!</p>
<iframe width="1080" height="630" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5pj8E-XbRzE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<p>Here are some AWESOME sketches from the talk, by artist, <a href="https://amidrawstx.tumblr.com/post/163541590683/creativemorningsaustin-72117-on-the-topic-of">Ami Plasse</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/tumblr_ottry9Mh1U1s5q8eso4_1280.jpg" alt="Creative Mornings Sketch notes"></p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/tumblr_ottry9Mh1U1s5q8eso3_1280.jpg" alt="Creative Mornings Sketch notes"></p>
Notes from ACT-W2017-08-06T16:42:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2017/08/06/notes-from-act-w/<h2 id="intro-to-positive-leadership-and-flourishing-organizations">Intro to Positive Leadership and Flourishing Organizations</h2>
<p>Speaker: Evan Schmiedehaus</p>
<h3 id="characteristics-of-positive-leadership">Characteristics of positive leadership</h3>
<ul>
<li>resilient</li>
<li>flexible</li>
<li>adaptive</li>
<li>unbiased</li>
<li>EQ</li>
<li>Purposeful</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="choosing-your-leadership-identity">Choosing your leadership identity</h3>
<ul>
<li>what re the difference between characteristics of leadership and competencies of leadership?</li>
<li>Can competencies be taught and developed?</li>
<li>what are the habits of positive leaders? Meditation, willingness to try and fail, set intention and establish clear goals</li>
<li>meditations are about focus. Set intentions. Who do I chose to be? What I choose to let go?</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">5 tenants of flourishing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ACTWATX?src=hash">#ACTWATX</a> <a href="https://t.co/kcgT3C5JeO">pic.twitter.com/kcgT3C5JeO</a></p>— Claire Flanagan (@cflanagan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cflanagan/status/894238626699251712">August 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<h3 id="remap">REMAP</h3>
<ul>
<li>Relationships: vested, genuine, shared values</li>
<li>in relationships: avoid the four horsemen: criticism, stonewalling, defensiveness, contempt—sarcasm is a for of contempt/</li>
<li>Engagement and flow</li>
<li>purpose and meaning: why do we do what we do and our connection to the greater good.</li>
<li>attainment: clear goals, measurable, resources, adaptability, and resilience.</li>
<li>positive emotion</li>
<li>five positive exchanges make up for one negative one to get a relationship back to neutral.</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="culture-of-positive-emotional">Culture of Positive Emotional</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trust-building</li>
<li>Honesty, then trust? Not in organizations</li>
<li>Be honest, be vulnerable</li>
<li>Transparency</li>
<li>Process praise vs people praise</li>
<li>Gratitude</li>
<li>3 Good things</li>
<li>Wonderment board</li>
<li>Journaling</li>
<li>Mindfulness</li>
<li>Best possible future self</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>A good idea for mid-level managers is to post three good things that happened. Gratitude advances positive results. Do this in the morning, publicly.</p>
</blockquote>
<h3 id="purpose-and-meaning-in-practice">Purpose and Meaning in practice</h3>
<ul>
<li>Purpose and meaning, defined</li>
<li>affirm and reward pro-social efforts</li>
<li>build cross-departmental collaboration</li>
<li>altruism: help because you can</li>
<li>challenge transactional thinking—no quid pro quo</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="positive-emotion">Positive Emotion</h3>
<ul>
<li>Positive primers increases resistance to negativity</li>
<li>priming helps us connect to positive outcomes</li>
<li>primers help activate our memory</li>
<li>primers help achieve focus</li>
<li>how can we use positive primers in our relationships and on our teams?</li>
</ul>
<p>Contact info:<br>
<a href="https://samkapila.com/2017/08/06/notes-from-act-w/growflourishlead.com">growflourishlead.com</a><br>
<a href="https://samkapila.com/2017/08/06/notes-from-act-w/leadershipandreasoning.com">leadershipandreasoning.com</a></p>
<h2 id="everything-i-learned-about-navigating-my-career%2C-i-learned-from-female-superheroes">Everything I Learned About Navigating My Career, I Learned From Female Superheroes</h2>
<p>Speaker: Dee Kapila (my amazing sister)</p>
<h3 id="what-do-secondary-mutations-have-to-do-with-your-career%3F">what do secondary mutations have to do with your career?</h3>
<ul>
<li>lifelong learning</li>
<li>reinvention, relevance</li>
<li>interdisciplinary skills</li>
<li>adapt to a rapidly changing landscape</li>
<li>you're a better, safer bet</li>
<li>grater flexibility and a fun, varied career</li>
<li>career insurance</li>
<li>you become in demand by the X-men</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>In order to succeed you have to adapt</p>
</blockquote>
<h3 id="suggested-secondary-mutations">Suggested Secondary mutations</h3>
<ul>
<li>you can learn a little bit of code - star with what you want to do and work backwards to determine a skill st you want to pursue</li>
<li>vertical and lateral skill spread, think of T-shaped people.</li>
<li>keep track of customer requests</li>
<li>accountability</li>
<li>don't undervalue ‘soft’ skills</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hiring Mgrs looking for T-shaped people: You have have lots of breadth across many topics while deep in one area <a href="https://twitter.com/deekapila">@deekapila</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ACTWATX?src=hash">#ACTWATX</a></p>— Claire Flanagan (@cflanagan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cflanagan/status/894246363998846976">August 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<h3 id="skills">Skills</h3>
<ul>
<li>lynda, udacity, coursera, local meetups, orgs, tech book clubs, slack channels, create your own learning community at work, majority of people do not use their education allowance/benefit at work.</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="dora-milaje">Dora Milaje</h3>
<ul>
<li>Dora Milaje, from <em>Black Panther</em> : not just mentors or sponsors, but also <em>peers</em></li>
<li>they don't have to be older than you</li>
<li>they don't have to be in your industry</li>
<li>should be a mutually beneficial relationship</li>
<li>stand up for each other, speak up in meetings</li>
<li>vent/safe space</li>
<li>share tips that helps, do retros on what didn’t</li>
<li>celebrate your Dora Milaje’s accomplishments!</li>
<li>help each other gain more visibility (at work, in the community, within each others’ network)</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="what-is-this-hype-(things-are-are-no-bueno)">what is this hype (things are are no bueno)</h3>
<ul>
<li>remote work is a must. I am currently working from the beach in my flip flops and you're not. LOL see you on insta.</li>
<li>really love to work. I feel so bad for people who dread Mondays. workaholics are so mis-understood</li>
<li>free lunches : they want u to stay there</li>
<li>failure is amaze.</li>
<li>entrepreneurship is for the most special amazing people ever.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Cassandra Anderson: focus</li>
<li><em>Negosh the sitch</em>: She-Hulk, lawyer, tactical strategy, handles stress well, her flight instinct doesn’t kick in.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Conversations-Talking-Stakes-Second/dp/1469266822">Crucial Conversations</a> books</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>What would be better than that free lunch is if you paid me market rate</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“What would be better than that free lunch is if you paid me market rate” — <a href="https://twitter.com/deekapila">@deekapila</a>, my sister on negotiation. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/actwatx?src=hash">#actwatx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ChickTechATX">@ChickTechATX</a></p>— Sam Kap (@samkap) <a href="https://twitter.com/samkap/status/894250374013607936">August 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Join Tech Ladies2017-07-29T16:39:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2017/07/29/join-tech-ladies/<p>Identify as a lady in tech? Check out <a href="https://www.hiretechladies.com/join/?kid=GDT52">Tech Ladies®</a>. Tech Ladies® is a community that connects women to the best jobs and opportunities in tech.</p>
<p>Members of Tech Ladies get access to a secret job board for members-only, a weekly newsletter, invites to exclusive events, and more.</p>
<p>I’m the City Organizer for the city of Austin (keep an eye out for the first event this fall) but if you're job searching anywhere else, definitely check it out by <a href="https://www.hiretechladies.com/join/?kid=GDT52">signing up</a>.</p>
CODE: Next Steps in Debugging2017-04-18T04:42:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2017/04/18/code:-next-steps-in-debugging/<p>Originally posted on <a href="https://blog.theironyard.com/2017/04/17/code-next-steps-debugging/">The Iron Yard Blog</a>.<br>
Over the last few months, each Iron Yard campus held a movie screening for <a href="https://www.codedoc.co/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap</span></a>for our students and communities. Released in 2016 with critical acclaim, the movie talks about three huge gaps in the tech industry—a gender gap, a race gap, and a pay gap—what causes them, and how to start working through them.</p>
<h2 id="gender-representation">Gender representation</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first programmers were female. Women such as </span><a href="https://www.biography.com/people/ada-lovelace-20825323"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ada Lovelace</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.space.com/34851-margaret-hamilton-biography.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Margaret Hamilton</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://www.biography.com/people/grace-hopper-21406809"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Grace Hopper</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">were</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> all featured in the film. Some of our classrooms across Iron Yard campuses are named after them. These women were some of the first pioneers—not only the “firsts" in their field—but also the “</span><b>she</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">ros” of people with similar backgrounds like </span><a href="https://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/chawla.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kalpana Chawla</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://www.nasa.gov/content/katherine-johnson-biography"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Katherine Johnson</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, advertising and other media representation pushed women and minorities away by messaging around tech as a tool for suit-wearing businessmen. Almost 30 years later, we’re starting to see TV shows and movies provide strong female leads in tech roles, such as </span><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543312/"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Halt and Catch Fire</span></i></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4846340/"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hidden Figures</span></i></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, to name a few. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The more women and people of color we see represented in tech and developer roles on TV, but also in real life, the more we can change toxic stereotypes that currently exist with being a developer and person in the tech industry.</span></p>
<h2 id="the-meritocracy-vs.-access-problem">The meritocracy vs. access problem</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the movie, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/triketora"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tracy Chou</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the former senior engineer for Pinterest spoke about the issue with the current state of making jobs available for all backgrounds. With a meritocracy system, the best developers would presumably get the best jobs because they meet the qualifications. And for a lot of the tech industry, this makes sense as an end goal. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What Chou brings more light to is the idea that not everyone can reach the job, because while the qualifications are the same, the starting point for many developers and designs from a diverse background is not. Exposure, for example, is a big part of this. In one way, exposure to technology plays a big part in someone experience level with it. In low-income communities, access to those devices can be a problem, so the playing field is already unleveled. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Exposure to those people who do represent a more diverse population is also a big part of this. Exposure to opportunities, to education, funding, problem-solving skills, etc. all are critical too. We cannot fully say the tech industry can be a merit-based industry until we level the playing field and increase exposure to opportunity for all, not just those already exposed.</span></p>
<h2 id="mentorship-stages">Mentorship stages</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to various women in the movie, and a reality of our industry, mentorship needs to improve in various stages of the working world. From education (access to technology, access to funding education, and access to soft skills training) to the workplace (hiring, recruiting, and retention), there isn’t enough mentorship and support. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mentors are needed just as much in the early phases if a computer course as they are in the first few months of a new role. Navigating technical, business, and social parts of the tech industry can be daunting and lead to feeling like an imposter or fake, known as the imposter syndrome. Having a mentor who has been through it, and can help developers overcome some challenges can be extremely helpful. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We need more mentors in the form of developers in various stages of their career and with different passions </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">outside</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of development. We need mentors to help find common ground and help break barriers and uplift those that did not have a standard path to development and design. We need to provide regular check-ins or mentorship sessions with developers who don't fit the stereotype. This can be done at work with regular check-ins, code reviews, and feedback loops.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In closing, the tech industry is becoming more aware of how to improve on inclusion efforts with the diverse communities. Our work, our empathy for our team members, and for the users that use our apps are all greatly enriched by the inviting everyone in. As I’ve heard over and over, diversity is inviting everyone over for dinner, inclusion is inviting everyone to the table to break bread. </span></p>
The hidden history of NASA’s black female scientists2017-02-05T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2017/02/05/the-hidden-history-of-nasa's-black-female-scientists/<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/05/hidden-figures-black-female-scientists-african-americans-margot-lee-shetterly-space-race">The hidden history of Nasa’s black female scientists</a> via The Guardian</p>
Tech Point: $100 million fund launched for code school diversity scholarships2016-09-14T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2016/09/14/tech-point:-dollar100-million-fund-launched-for-code-school-diversity-scholarships/<p><a href="https://techpoint.org/2016/09/code-school-diversity-scholarships/">TechPoint: $100 million fund launched for code school diversity scholarships</a></p>
The Tech Opportunity Fund & The White House2016-09-10T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2016/09/10/the-tech-opportunity-fund-and-the-white-house/<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/tech-opportunity-fund.jpg" alt="Meghan Smith, CTO for the US, Jessica, and Sam"></p>
<p>We're back at The White House to rep The Iron Yard and join in on the announcement of <a href="https://techopportunityfund.org/">The Tech Opportunity Fund</a> that we are so excited and passionate about:</p>
<p>"The Iron Yard and Code Fellows, in collaboration with Operation Hope, last week launched Tech Opportunity Fund with $45 million in diversity scholarships, and goal of awarding $100 million in scholarships over five years."</p>
<p>Jessica Mitsch, our Executive Director of the Code School, and I, were at the White House today for the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=csforall&src=typd">#CSforAll</a> event where more announcements related to President Obama’s Computer Science initiatives were made.</p>
<p>Check out <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/09/14/fact-sheet-new-progress-and-momentum-support-president-obamas-computer">The White House press release</a>, and check out the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9xy8muYC5Q&feature=youtu.be&t=2h54m51s">last few minutes of the event</a>, where Meghan Smith, the CTO for the United States (pictured with Jessica Mitsch and I), makes the announcement.</p>
Announcing the Tech Opportunity Fund2016-09-09T05:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2016/09/09/announcing-the-tech-opportunity-fund/<p>Today, we are excited to announce the launch of the <a href="https://www.techopportunityfund.org/">Tech Opportunity Fund</a>, a partnership of organizations committed to providing $100 million in diversity scholarships to deserving students who want to enter the tech industry. We’ve joined with Code Fellows and OperationHOPE to lead this effort, and this morning, Vice President Joe Biden included the Fund in a speech he gave in St. Louis!</p>
<p>At The Iron Yard, we’ve committed to $40 million in full-tuition scholarships over the next five years. Code Fellows has committed to $5 million in scholarships and Operation HOPE will serve as the Fund’s financial literacy and entrepreneur training partner. To reach our goal of $100 million in scholarships, we’ll need even more employers, code schools and civic organizations to join us.</p>
<p>Click <a href="https://blog.theironyard.com/2016/09/09/tech-opportunity-fund-launched-award-100-million-code-school-diversity-scholarships/" target="_blank">here</a> for the full press release.</p>
<p>Click <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2016/09/09/listen-vice-president-biden-training-americans-jobs-future" target="_blank">here</a> to read the White House blog post including the Tech Opportunity Fund.</p>
<p>Want to join us? Visit <a href="https://www.techopportunityfund.org/">https://www.techopportunityfund.org/</a>.</p>
<p> </p>Tech Opportunity Fund Launched to Award $100 Million in Code School Diversity Scholarships2016-09-09T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2016/09/09/tech-opportunity-fund-launched-to-award-dollar100-million-in-code-school-diversity-scholarships/<ul>
<li><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Partnership created by The Iron Yard, Code Fellows and Operation HOPE</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over the next five years, the Tech Opportunity Fund aims to award $100 million in full-tuition diversity scholarships to participating code school programs</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Operation HOPE, and other nonprofits and government agencies, will provide financial literacy education and support services to propel students through their transition into tech careers</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Announcement mentioned today in speech by Vice President Joe Biden in St. Louis</span></i></li>
</ul>
<br>
<p><b>WASHINGTON – (September 9, 2016) –</b><a href="https://www.theironyard.com/" target="_blank"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Iron Yard</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the largest immersive code school in the U.S., today launched the </span><a href="https://www.techopportunityfund.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tech Opportunity Fund</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in collaboration with with </span><a href="https://www.codefellows.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Code Fellows</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://www.operationhope.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Operation HOPE</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">By unifying</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the efforts of code schools, government, civic organizations and employers, the goal of the Tech Opportunity Fund is to increase diversity in the tech industry by </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">removing financial barriers and increasing access to tech education for all. In addition to technical skills training, the initiative will include core financial literacy education and entrepreneurship training through programming partner Operation HOPE. The Tech Opportunity Fund was mentioned this morning in a speech by Vice President Joe Biden in St. Louis.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“To maximize the potential of the tech industry, we must maximize the potential of a diverse tech workforce,” said Peter Barth, CEO of The Iron Yard. “The Tech Opportunity Fund builds off of the momentum generated by innovative initiatives like TechHire to ensure Americans of all backgrounds have access to tech training programs that can open the door to a career in tech. There is a true need in the industry for an organization to unite the many groups that are working toward this goal and by coordinating our efforts, we can truly change the industry for the better.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over the next five years, the Tech Opportunity Fund aims to award $100 million in diversity scholarships to in-need students from groups that are currently underrepresented in the tech workforce including women and minorities</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Iron Yard has committed</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> $40 million in full-tuition scholarships to the school’s immersive programs over the next five years, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Code Fellows has committed $5 million in full-tuition scholarships, and Operation HOPE will serve as the Fund’s financial literacy and entrepreneur training partner. To reach the goal of awarding $100 million in scholarships, the Tech Opportunity Fund is calling on employers, code schools and civic organizations across the country to join the Fund by providing funding for scholarships and contributing resources that will support for scholarship recipients. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The creation of the Tech Opportunity Fund is unprecedented,” said Rodney Sampson, a</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">partner of the Tech Opportunity Fund and partner at TechSquare Labs. “By far, it is the largest tangible strategic financial commitment to diversify the technical talent and workforce that will drive our nation toward an inclusive innovation economy for all. I look forward to working with all of the stakeholders to ensure that these scholarships are distributed with integrity and authenticity.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In addition to providing full-tuition scholarships to code school programs, the Tech Opportunity Fund will work to remove other barriers that can prevent people from pursuing a code school education. Partnerships with city-level government bodies and civic organizations will assist scholarship recipients by addressing needs such as affordable housing, financial literacy, counseling and transportation as needed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There is no one-size-fits-all solution that will increase access to tech education and improve diversity in the workforce,” said Barth. “The Tech Opportunity Fund approaches these issues holistically and coordinates local and national resources to provide students with both academic opportunity and the support system they need to be successful.” </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Access to opportunity is the hallmark of an inclusive global economy, and access to digital opportunity and jobs in the digital space is the door to the future,” said John Hope Bryant, Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO. “This extraordinary collaborative will help develop life skills in deserving students, many, in underserved communities throughout the nation—creating a generation of tech leaders and job creators to power us forward.” </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Applications for Tech Opportunity Fund scholarships will open by January 2017. To receive a scholarship, applicants will need to first be accepted into a participating code school through that program’s standard admissions process. After their acceptance, students will apply for a Tech Opportunity Fund scholarship through the website, </span><a href="https://www.techopportunityfund.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.techopportunityfund.org</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Scholarships will be awarded to qualified students on a first come, first served basis. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Over the last 12 months, we’ve provided over $600,000 in scholarships, from direct funds and from great partners like Expedia and Zillow Group. These funds have given over a hundred students the chance to learn relevant, highly desirable skills, and continue on to join great companies in the local tech markets,” said Dave Parker, Code Fellows CEO. “The Tech Opportunity Fund program helps us expand that impact.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scholarships will be available on all of The Iron Yard and Code Fellows’ campuses:</span></p>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Atlanta, GA</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Durham, NC</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Orlando, FL</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Austin, TX</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Greenville, SC</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Portland, OR</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Charleston, SC</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Houston, TX</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Raleigh, NC</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Charlotte, NC</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Indianapolis, IN</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Salt Lake City, UT</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cincinnati, OH</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Las Vegas, NV</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">San Antonio, TX</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Columbia, SC</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Minneapolis, MN</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Seattle, WA</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dallas, TX</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nashville, TN</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tampa, FL</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Detroit, MI</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">New York, NY</span></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Washington, DC</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For more information and to learn more about how your organization or code school can be involved, visit: </span><a href="https://www.techopportunityfund.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.techopportunityfund.org</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span></p>
<p><b><i>About The Iron Yard</i></b></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Iron Yard is one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing code schools. It exists to create real, lasting change for people, companies and communities through technology education. The school offers full-time programs in Back-End Engineering, Front-End Engineering, Mobile Engineering and Design. The Iron Yard operates more than 20 campuses in the U.S. For more information, visit</span></i> <a href="https://www.theironyard.com/"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.theironyard.com</span></i></a></p>
<p><b><i>About Code Fellows</i></b></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Code Fellows is an immersive coding bootcamp in Seattle, WA, training aspiring software developers of all levels in industry-relevant technologies and helping them transition into high-value tech careers. They have over 270 hiring partners and 650 graduates in the industry, with an average starting salary of $71k and a 95% successful placement rate.</span></i> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">To learn more about Code Fellows, visit</span></i> <a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.codefellows.org&esheet=50799027&newsitemid=20140206005943&lan=en-US&anchor=www.codefellows.org&index=3&md5=fc342d877386693431dee24feff201ea"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.codefellows.org</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></i></p>
<p><b><i>About Operation HOPE</i></b></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since 1992, Operation HOPE has been moving America from civil rights to “silver rights” with the mission of making free enterprise and capitalism work for the underserved. Through its core programs, the nonprofit has provided financial dignity and economic empowerment to over 2.6 million individuals worldwide, and $2 billion in economic activity for the disenfranchised—turning check cashing customers into banking customers, renters into homeowners, small business dreamers into small business owners and minimum wage workers into living wage consumers. Project 5117 is HOPE’s multi-year four-pronged approach to combating economic inequality that aims to improve financial literacy, increase business role models and business internships for youth, and stabilize the American dream by boosting credit scores. Operation HOPE recently received its second consecutive 4-star charity rating for fiscal management and commitment to transparency and accountability by the prestigious non-profit evaluator, Charity Navigator—further establishing it as a best-in-class organization. For more information:</span></i><a href="https://www.operationhope.org/"> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.OperationHOPE.org </span></i></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">###</span></p>You've got this!2015-12-10T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2015/12/10/you've-got-this!/<p><em>This piece was originally written and published for <a href="https://the-pastry-box-project.net/sameera-kapila/2015-december-10">The Pastry Box Project</a></em></p>
<p>2014 was a pivotal year for me. I changed jobs, I stepped up my Sass and JavaScript game, lived away from Austin for a few months, and saw parts of the domestic United States I had never seen before. I never could have guessed that was what was in store for me in 2014. I also never could have guessed that towards the end of the year, I’d have the opportunity to be a part of something that I had only dreamed of, but had convinced myself I shouldn’t even try. In a complete state of disbelief, I responded to an email I received exactly 365 days before the day of this post and I said “yes”. That email came from the Pastry Box Project. I still can’t believe six posts and a year later that Alex and Katy asked me to be a part of this. I read the PBP a lot—religiously almost. It makes me feel connected to our industry, it made me see that a lot of my own curiosities and fears about design and development are shared by others. I look up to a number of the writers, many who may or may not know the impact they’ve had on readers.</p>
<p>But with that, I want to touch on something I mentioned above, and I think this post is the perfect time to write about it. I “had convinced myself I shouldn’t even try”. I think back to that when I felt that way, and I think it was such a stupid idea (I don’t like using the word ‘stupid’ often but I think in this case, it’s exactly the right word). For a while I let the open submissions deadlines whoosh by and convinced myself I wasn’t worthy. And that is a stupid, stupid notion. Gosh, if it weren’t for Alex and Katy, who reached out to me, I would have missed out on something I always wanted to do. Now, a year later, I can’t help but wonder how many other things I’ve let go by because I didn’t think I was capable of doing it. This frustrates me now to no end. It makes we want to go back in time in some fancy <em>Back 2 the Future</em> car and find that version of myself and shake her.</p>
<p><img src="https://i.imgflip.com/vhnwl.jpg" alt="Batman and Robin, without self confidence, made at imgflip.com"></p>
<p>It’s a little ridiculous how we convince ourselves that we can’t do something. We’re so sure because we supposedly know ourselves better than anyone else, yet, we’re frequently wrong about our own capabilities. We frequently settle for less, convince ourselves not to do something because it’s easier and doesn’t involve rejection. We become complacent and think we made the right choice before ever having a chance to fail. The interesting part is <em>that</em> is when we fail. We’ve written the ending before writing the story.</p>
<p>Do yourselves a favor, fellow readers: try as much as you can to believe that you can do it. Sign up for that thing you’ve wanted to do. Say yes to the scary, exciting stuff. Say no to the soul-sucking, not exciting stuff. I think of Marie Kondo’s golden rule from her <a href="https://www.amazon.com/The-Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering/dp/1607747308">popular book</a>: if it doesn’t bring you joy don’t keep it. Fear or self-doubt doesn’t bring you joy, so get rid of it. Don’t let your own fear stop you this coming year. You may have no idea what your 2016 is going to look like, but you have the chance to actually write it, yourself. At the risk of sounding like a motivational poster with an eagle on it, you won’t actually know until you try. Don’t wait for someone to ask you, but rather seek out what you’ve always wanted to do. Make a list and put it somewhere public, like <a href="https://github.com/una/personal-goals">Una did</a> and before you <em>actually</em> do it, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg">be like Jennifer</a> and convince yourself—repeatedly—that you can do anything. Because you can and should. I hope the end of the year wraps up nicely, and I’m looking forward to what we do this coming year.</p>
Choosing Nothing - Be Kind, Please Unwind2015-10-07T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2015/10/07/choosing-nothing-be-kind-please-unwind/<p><em>This piece was originally written and published for <a href="https://the-pastry-box-project.net/sameera-kapila/2015-october-7">The Pastry Box Project</a></em></p>
<p>Every day, we make decisions on how we want to spend our time. I choose to keep coding and designing away, <em>while</em> watching tv. I choose to listen to audiobooks more than I curl up with a perfect-bound novel with a musky smell, just so I can also clean up the kitchen or chop some veggies at the same time. I choose to multi-task and feel more productive because of it. I feel like I’ve ultimately hacked “the system”. I keep myself busy, because I like doing things. But, I’ve realized something: I’ve forgotten how to unwind. Or rather, I had chosen to not unwind properly. I don’t mean unwind in the spa or vacation sense, but in a molecular sense of just a day, on a regular basis. Something that is routine, not something I wait to do weeks or months later once I’m utterly exhausted. An unwind that is a not a bandaid, but a regular process that isn’t packaged with another action. Rather, it’s a little bit of time every day that is reserved for choosing to do absolutely nothing.</p>
<p>A few months back, a coworker from NC was making arrangements to visit The Iron Yard campus I taught at in Austin. She asked where the closest yoga studio was and there happened to be one near campus, so I sent links her way and didn’t give it another thought. When she got to town, she asked if I wanted to go with her the next day to the yoga studio for a class she had signed up for. I was perplexed. <em>I don’t do yoga and I’m busy</em>, I thought. I also didn’t really know where to start or what to expect. As that thought crossed my mind I realized I hadn’t given yoga a chance, so I agreed, with a “sure, why not”. I had no idea what I was in for.</p>
<p>We went to a restorative yoga class, a type of yoga that helps reset the body and mind, and has more to do with resting in a pose than it does stretching or exerting oneself. Sounded easy enough. At first, I felt awkward, and within the first few poses, that’s when it hit me. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. As I sat there in a basic seated position resting between two other poses, I thought of nothing. My mind was blank and I felt completely rested and calm. As we moved to different poses, my mind continued to follow the directions our instructor calmly stated and my mind continued to stay blank. By the end of the class, I felt like I was floating as I took in and let out each breathe. As we walked back to the campus, my arms and legs moved with a purpose and my thoughts were organized. I felt in-sync between what my body and mind were doing together. Within a week, I was doing daily yoga poses by screen-sharing Yoga Studio, an app I downloaded on my phone, onto my TV. In every session, the instructor starts seats calmly breathing for a few minutes, reminding users to listen to their breathe. Most workouts end with the corpse pose, laying flat on the mat, with arms on the side, and eyes—whether open or closed—facing upwards, again, listening to breathing.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, it’s a lessoned learned from yoga, not necessarily a requirement or recommendation to do yoga, but to just do nothing. It works in any room. It works when staring out onto a neighborhood street. It’s a great idea if you need a break from code or while watching a rare eclipse. Sitting still and listening to our breath. It’s the simplest thing and it works wonders and can become a regular routine. We all make choices about how we spend our time. I choose to not give up my cooking, cleaning, and audiobook habits, because I very much so enjoy cooking <em>and</em> enjoying a book. Now, I’m also consciously choosing to stare at a wall and listen to my breathing, sometimes in yoga poses and sometimes just sitting on the couch. If we put the phones and devices away sooner, ignore all the noise, and pause for these unitasking breaks, I think we can remind ourselves to unwind in a more productive way, all while doing <em>nothing</em>.</p>
Design, Dinner, and A Show2015-08-14T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2015/08/14/design-dinner-and-a-show/<p><em>This piece was originally written and published for <a href="https://the-pastry-box-project.net/sameera-kapila/2015-august-14">The Pastry Box Project</a></em></p>
<p>Whenever I worked on design projects, I always used to get stuck. I’d become nervous, vulnerable, and incapable, questioning the project, comparing my work to others, and beating myself up. I’d do what a lot of fresh out of school designers would do, which was something that we were taught. In art school, I remember being told that to become a better artist and designer, my peers and I should try to emulate the greats, so we could learn their process and see a piece through the artist’s eye. There was a promise of being able to get back on track after that. As an UI Design Instructor at The Iron Yard for the past year, and as a university lecturer for the previous six years, I’ve uttered the exact same advice I received in school—except now, students are emulating Codepens and tracing over icons and illustrations on Dribble, and then getting back on track.</p>
<p>I uttered the same words, because in a way, I believe it’s true. I think we can learn a lot about process by learning from others, and finding out what works for us, and have a better understanding of our process. I’ve looked at Dribbble, design award sites, and other inspirational design resources. But in the past two years, I’ve realized that looking at other design only takes me so far. Things start to look the same, and I don’t feel as connected with them. I’ve also realized that when I get to that level of stuck, I’ve been subconsciously distracting myself with one of two other things: cooking and music.</p>
<p>I used to hate cooking, and now it’s something I <em>love</em> to do. From my friends’ <em>MAD MENu</em> watch party theme nights, to Caribbean dinner parties (when I’m homesick for Curaçao), to ramen nights for my design friends where they assemble their toppings, a lot of my creative process goes into that. I start with plain, unseasoned ingredients and work with them in different ways to get the flavors I want. Trying a new oil (coconut is wonderful!) or investing in a better pan has allowed me to experiment more, and usually with a delicious result. Some recipes take longer, and simmer for hours before I can serve a pork belly ramen broth with instant noodles (they hold the broth, well). In the kitchen I’ve become a lot less fearless, a bit more trusting of my five senses, and stopped trying to follow a recipe down to the exact measurements. If a lamb curry smells like my mom and dad’s kitchen, I know it’s right. I’ve started taking this approach with design, trusting my senses, and I’ve found myself less stuck. Part of it is also taking a break from design. A lot of design problems just need time to marinate and sort themselves out in our mind. And then, like any food enthusiast, I take photos and painstakingly edit them on my phone and post them somewhere. <em>Hey, food pics are just a modern day still life. No one yelled at the greats for ‘ugh, making another cornucopia’</em>. </p>
<p>With music, it’s a bit different, and its fairly new. I’ve always loved most types of music (yes, even electronic music from my Dutch island upbringing), and I’ve always been a not so great musician, a decent singer, or a dancer since I was young. I have three students right now who are musicians outside of their code school lives. We’ve spent days talking about design, and I always try to relate design to other areas outside of it. My students have helped me realize something else: design is a lot like music. If we think of mastering and editing, there are different tracks that are recorded on their own, and then brought together and adjusted to all work together. To me, that sounds a lot like Samantha Warren’s Style Tiles (a presentable collection of visual elements inventoried for a design concept) and definitely a lot like design, and a good way to go about it. Rather than just throwing elements on a page, bringing elements together and then making adjustments to them so they all play the same design song is our goal, isn’t it? For me, it was such an a-ha moment, and it has changed how I sketch, Codepen tinker, and experiment in the browser. </p>
<p>What these two things have taught me is that when we’re stuck, we need to look outside of design, not just at other design. We need to draw inspiration more and more from other outlets that allow us to make and that allow us to get unstuck. We can learn something new, see something different, and make something interesting that way. </p>Jobs at the Iron Yard2015-07-08T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2015/07/08/jobs-at-the-iron-yard/<p>We're hiring a UI Designer at The Iron Yard! The role is remote too! Apply if you're interested or send me questions if you have them, about <a href="https://the-iron-yard.workable.com/jobs/84721">this role</a>, or any <a href="https://the-iron-yard.workable.com/">others that we have</a>. Come work with me!</p>
Like Fruits to A Ripe Mango2015-06-11T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2015/06/11/like-fruits-to-a-ripe-mango/<p><em>This piece was originally writen and published for <a href="https://the-pastry-box-project.net/sameera-kapila/2015-june-11">The Pastry Box Project</a></em></p>
<p>On April 14th, 2015, everyone was in a frenzy on Twitter. No, it wasn’t because tax day was creeping up on us. It was because a presidential campaign released a logo. One single logo. And from the moment it was released, designers were on it like fruit flies to a ripe mango! And designers were mean. It seemed like one designer after another tried to one-up each other and see who could be the meanest of them all in 140 characters. But this isn’t about stopping feelings or opinions; we do this all the time, right? We live tweet WWDC, TV shows, NBA finals, those awkward first dates we overhear at coffee shops, and now design, which is <em>sort of</em> what social media is for. I get all of that. But as I read this, I can’t help but think about where Design (capital D, as in the industry) is currently, where it was, and where it will continue to go. And I was extremely frustrated with Twitter that day. After reading everyone’s opinions on the letter H and an arrow, I went on my own <a href="https://twitter.com/samkap/status/588117779242442753">140-character-times-like-10 rant</a>. Design isn’t just about end-result visuals—we know that, right? We have a lot more to think about these days, and countless books, conference talks, and workshops are focusing more on experience, the user, and design research. So why were be ripping one design apart like this? After all, we are designers, too.</p>
<p>I can agree that a bold sans-serif capital ‘H’ reminds me of a hospital sign. That critique is not far off, because designers know that what we put into design still has connotations of past experiences and other design and art we’re exposed to. That plays into design research and history, intentionally or not. But some of the other critiques that came from that day on Twitter made designers look unprofessional and whiny, and said a lot about where we are as an industry. Some of the feedback that I came across that day:</p>
<ol>
<li>What is that!? Arial? Ugh.</li>
<li>Those colors are dumb.</li>
<li>Looks like it was made in MS Paint</li>
</ol>
<p>I shudder when I read feedback like that. In 7 years of teaching, I’ve had a simple rule in my in-class critiques: Do not start a critique with “I like” or “I dislike”. I have this rule, because ‘like’ is about personal opinion, not about feedback that is productive or right for the project. Yet, this sort of personal opinion critique isn’t new; even Michael Beirut who worked on that H logo with Pentagram, <a href="https://designobserver.com/feature/graphic-design-criticism-as-a-spectator-sport/37607/">wrote about design as a spectator sport</a> back in 2013. </p>
<p>What bothers me about those particular examples above are what they mean for what we think of our own industry. For #1, there is nothing wrong with Arial or something ‘plain’ like it (I don’t actually believe it’s Arial). It may be overused, but it’s accessible to many (cost and device-wise) and it’s stood the test of time. It has its historical connotations and it’s readable. Typography isn’t about picking a specific family just because it is there or trendy, but because it is right for the job. And, unless we sat with that campaign team and Pentagram’s design teams, we don’t know what their research, let alone their end goals were or are. At that time we didn’t know that this logo would end up changing from solid colors to overlaid photos representative of each state Mrs. H C happens to visit during her campaign trail. They needed a bold enough letter and thick enough arrow that the imagery is visible when set on the shapes. I’m okay with the function dictating the form here.</p>
<p>For #2, those colors aren’t dumb, but sure, they do remind us of the most primary color shades of red and blue, <em>maybe</em> making someone think of grade school more than presidency. Saying colors are dumb is just like saying we like it. The strange thing here is that we designers gave a critique we would shudder to hear from clients. Some designers share those pieces of feedback on awful sites like Clients from Hell, poking fun at the their clients’ lack of design education (even though that is not the client’s job or area of study), rather than taking the time to sit down with their clients and talking them through the process. Great designers teach their clients about the design process, including how to give constructive feedback other than “I like arrows” or “<a href="https://alistapart.com/article/design-criticism-creative-process#section5">I don’t like purple</a>”. And when that not-helpful feedback does occur, we should be asking why and coach them through it, patiently. And we should set that example.</p>
<p>For #3, this one ate away at me the most. I kept seeing tweets that said, “they must have used MS Paint”. I’d feel comfortable betting at least a delicious sandwich that Pentagram didn’t use MS Paint. But even so, <em>SO WHAT</em>? Saying the tools we have (like Creative Cloud or Sketch) are better than a tool someone else has feels wrong on a lot of levels. It makes it sound like good design is solely dependent on the tools, rather than designers being creative enough and solving a problem with what they’ve got. We’re not slaves to our tools. We’re better than that. These tools absolutely help us get the job done, but saying that someone’s paintbrush is better than someone else’s paintbrush is a problem. It’s how we use the paintbrush. Further, MS Paint comes standard on many computers and Creative Cloud does not. So we’re also not better because we have a subscription-based, more expensive, industry-specific tool.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, I feel like we’ve forgotten how to be critically thinking designers and just defaulted to being critical designers. I can’t help but wonder what we look like from an outside perspective when we belittle others’ work in our own profession. I think it does a major disservice to each other and eventually to ourselves when we just take the end product into account, and ignore the processes, research, testing, performance, etc that we bring into our own work with so much passion. We’re devaluing our own industry’s work. So, whether it’s a certain clothing brand’s logo redesign, a political campaign, a GoT episode, I think we can all be a bit more considerate and kinder to each other’s work openly, and then maybe humbly approach design parties involved with constructive, doable suggestions for next time. Heck, maybe we can collaborate on something, working through it together with understanding, or at least collaborate on something we all find agreeably awful, you know, like online airline ticket purchase and customer service experiences.</p>
Grok in one photo2015-05-15T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2015/05/15/grok-in-one-photo/<p>Hugs with Draplin!</p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/draplin.gif" alt="Hugs with Draplin"><br>
(Photos by Nathan Spainhour)</p>
The World Wide Vulnerability2015-04-15T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2015/04/15/the-world-wide-vulnerability/<p><em>This piece was originally written and published for <a href="https://the-pastry-box-project.net/sameera-kapila/2015-april-15">The Pastry Box Project</a>.</em></p>
<p>There’s such a raw and present feeling that comes with vulnerability. It’s a burrito filled with doubt and self-criticism, wrapped (or, trapped) in a tortilla of fear. It’s looking at ourselves from an outside perspective as we feel small, weak, and helpless about everything around us. </p>
<p>The web makes us vulnerable in many ways, especially in what we share. We’re supposed to be that way, right? We’re <em>supposed</em> to share it all—the happy, the sad, the wedding, the baby picture, the breakup, the check-in, and the personal opinion which, for many voices, has lead to death threats. We put so much out there, sometimes as cries for help, a rant or rave, or a credit card number for a two-day delivery service. All of it is in a vulnerable state to attack, judgment, or exposure.</p>
<p>The web doesn’t care if we’re seasoned surfers or whether we’re new to it. Learning how to make a website for the very first time, sharing photos of our children, or expressing an unpopular opinion. Everything is amplified and permanent; the highs are high but the lows hurt more and linger. We’re vulnerable when that thing we’re making breaks and when we offend someone indirectly. We’re vulnerable when we don’t know how the person we know best—ourselves—may react to a new scenario, person, technology, or “blank-for-blank” startup. Usually, we end up okay and unscathed, or heal after a short time. <em>Usually</em>.</p>
<p>We purposely <em>use</em> vulnerability on the web, too. It has helped us become addicted to failure. We use it to say publicly that we failed so that we can stay in a state that is familiar and somehow safer than taking a risk, and as if it actually helped us overcome a hurdle. We use it to get support on a hard day. It’s all fleeting, yet, support flows in with other sharing that “they’ve been there” or that “it <em>will</em> be better next time”. It does make it better and we feel better.</p>
<p>We start being vulnerable naturally. I teach, and I watch students become vulnerable to the code—the unfamiliar. Not that they're going to break something on a site they’re designing, but I think their true fear is what that means. They feel vulnerable enough to think that I or a peer may be judging them, they fear the end of the learning period. They fear that they’ll be the first to not get it. Though, they always <em>do</em> get it! They have my support, the support of their peers, and the support of forums and search results revealing that we’re all dealing with the same battle. There is comfort in that.</p>
<p>Last year, I spoke at a conference. It wasn’t my first, but it wasn’t in my comfort zone of an extremely supportive, local community. So it was scary to me and I felt vulnerable. “What if they hate me, and then the web will know?”, I thought. “I’m sure I’ll say the wrong thing!”, I convinced myself. So, I kept working at it, even when ever ounce of me wanted to cower to the fear. Of course, it was fine, and the organizers, attendees, and especially the seasoned speakers, were supportive in person and on the web. They shared stories of their first talk. Ben, one of those speakers, told me I’d watch myself continue to feel more comfortable and that my fears will disappear the more I spoke. Of course I did, and, of course, Ben was right. Practice working with vulnerability and it becomes less scary.</p>
<p>Vulnerability has a reputation for being something bad. But, if the web is a tool, then vulnerability can be, too. We can use it in different ways. Sure, it can drive us to freak out, but it can also drive us to document, share, overshare, and speak up. Being vulnerable can allow us to let others learn from us, listen and react carefully, open our hearts and minds, and be understanding when others are going through something. We can use it to understand how users navigate a site, a get better feedback, or be okay with harsh criticism. It can help us learn, individually or together. When we’re vulnerable—and okay with it—we can be better, as a conference speaker or a new design student, an advocate for rights, or anything else we’re striving to be. Being vulnerable is very human, and it’s very okay. Vulnerability isn’t a weakness, it is in fact, it’s our strength.</p>SassConf 20152015-04-03T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2015/04/03/sassconf-2015/<p><a href="https://sassconf.com/">SassConf</a> is coming to Austin this year, and I’ve been asked to be a Call for Proposals mentor. I’ve fallen in love with Sass this past year so I’m excited to be a part of the CFP Mentoring Team and looking forward to attending it in town! If you have an idea for a talk, I encourage you to apply after learning more about <a href="https://sassconf.com/">the conference</a> and the <a href="https://sassconf.com/blog/posts/cfp-mentor-team">CFP Mentoring Team</a>.</p>
The net awards nominations are now open2015-03-21T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2015/03/21/the-net-awards-nominations-are-now-open/<p>Nominations are now open over at <a href="https://thenetawards.com/">the net awards</a>. I had a blast judging last year, and look forward to seeing the best of the best nominated. Run over and nominate for any or all of the following tags:</p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/netawardscategories.png" alt="Net Awards"></p>
Sketchnotes with Margot Bloomstein on NBSP2015-03-04T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2015/03/04/sketchnotes-with-margot-bloomstein-on-nbsp/<p>Check out <a href="https://goodstuff.fm/nbsp">audio</a> and sketchnotes (below) from an NBSP chat with content strategist, Margot Bloomstein!<br>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/margotsketches.jpg" alt="Margotsketchnotes"></p>
<p>And the live show below!</p>
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NBSP returns live with Micah Godbolt2015-02-24T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2015/02/24/nbsp-returns-live-with-micah-godbolt/<p>Good news, y’all! <a href="https://goodstuff.fm/nbsp">NBSP</a> is back on <a href="http://goodstuff.fm/">GoodStuff.fm</a> and recording live using Google Hangouts Air with Youtube.</p>
<p>This past Friday, <a href="https://www.twitter.com/teleject">Chris</a> and I went live with <a href="https://twitter.com/micahgodbolt">Micah Godbolt</a>. We spoke about Sass and Front End Architecture, and it a lot of what FE Architect is about blew my mind.</p>
<p>Check out the <a href="https://goodstuff.fm/nbsp/48">audio</a> and subscribe to our feed, or for those more visually-inclined, check out my sketchnotes or watch the live broadcast unedited below.</p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/sketchnotes.jpg" alt=""></p>
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Web Design at TIY Austin Week 12015-02-03T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2015/02/03/web-design-at-tiy-austin-week-1/<p>The Web Design class started last week in Austin, and it was really exciting to get the class going here. We moved into our second space at <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/penn+field+austin/@30.226462,-97.759832,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x5fffd51e74a7c8bd?sa=X&ei=ZcHQVIy4GcOqNpe8gogF&ved=0CIEBEPwSMAo">Penn Field</a>, and we're right next to Opal Divine's, which has a great selection of draft beers AND breakfast tacos with crispy hashbrowns in them.</p>
<p>The students have learned HTML, CSS, Git, Github, file naming and folder structural rules, and all the fun and equally annoying things about floats, displays, and positioning elements on a page. They've enjoyed eating pizza, penned a few CodePens, introduced themselves at the <a href="https://twitter.com/atxdribbble">ATX Dribbble Meetup</a>, worked during lab with our garage door wide open, and jammed out during #IronPints with the Front End and Ruby students. They've even said hello to our new fish! (I’m so glad my old fish tank is being used again!) It’s been a great week, and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the 11 weeks go.</p>
<p>Here are some of those moments:</p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/welcome.jpg" alt="Welcome sign in class"><br>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/welcome.jpg" alt="Introduction lunch at St. Philip"><br>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/vistors.jpg" alt="Visitors and open garage doors!"><br>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/helvetica.jpg" alt="Helvetica posters and couches"><br>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/common-room.jpg" alt="Our big yellow couch in our hang out room"><br>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/fish.jpg" alt="Our new fish"><br>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/outside.jpg" alt="Great weather"><br>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/atnight.jpg" alt="Goodnight"></p>
I saw and lettered the sign2015-02-01T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2015/02/01/i-saw-and-lettered-the-sign/<p>I found an old wood Texas sign at the <a href="https://austinantiquemall.com/">Austin Antique Mall</a>, and the inner-most parts of me got very excited about the ideas rushing through my head.<br>
I bought the sign and took it into the second space we were setting up at Penn Field for more Iron Yard classes, including mine, which was starting on Monday. I sanded down the five panels of wood, including the corners and stained them with a pecan finish. I set up my plan in Illustrator and used the classroom project to project the idea onto the sign itself, which leaned up against the wall. I outlined each letter with a white oil paint pen and then filled in the strokes. Finally, I used my coworker, <a href="https://twitter.com/JAH2488">Justin</a>’s badass collection of tools to drill a few holes and mount this baby! Check out the steps and a short time-lapse, below.<br>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/first-step.jpg" alt="first step"><br>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/second-step.jpg" alt="second step"><br>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/final-step.jpg" alt="final step"></p>
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IBM’s Design Language2014-12-26T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/12/26/ibm's-design-language/<p>Austin’s <a href="https://www.ibm.com/design">IBM Design</a> is doing some pretty cool stuff. I got a chance to visit their office in north Austin in August and got to see my former design students Miles Anderson and Austin Auth in their gorgeous and exciting workspace.</p>
<p>Recently, IBM Design released and shared their <a href="https://www.ibm.com/design/language/index.shtml">Design Language</a> site. It is a remarkable site with terms, <a href="https://www.ibm.com/design/language/framework.shtml">frameworks</a>, <a href="https://www.ibm.com/design/language/resources.shtml">resources</a>, and videos that clearly show how IBM communicates about design and their deep understanding of design systems.</p>
<p>Documentation within the interaction side of design (apps, websites, mobile...basically anything that isn't print) is becoming more popular, and we’re seeing the value of looking at and thinking about design elements as systems. Rather than designing page-by-page or screen-by-screen it’s about the shared and unique elements and how they may be recycled or reused from interaction-to-interaction. We see this, usually, in branding theories or modular grid systems, and in places where the goal is modular thinking (it’s being discussed in the use of online style guides and thoughts such as <a href="https://bradfrost.com/blog/post/atomic-web-design/">Atomic Web Design</a>), but it’s exciting to see this become everyday vernacular and process. Even Google’s <a href="https://www.google.com/design/spec/material-design/introduction.html">Material</a> flirts with this. A lot of this sort of thinking brings together a more cohesive design, considers accessibility, worships content, and shows just how much thought we can put into our process, proving that design is more than a pretty face (we knew this, but still).</p>
<p>Here is Miles, speaking about his process on the Design Language site. I’m one proud teacher.</p>
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Holiday Reading List2014-12-24T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/12/24/holiday-reading-list/<p>I just returned to Austin, TX after three months of working in Greenville, South Carolina at my awesome job at <a href="https://www.theironyard.com/">The Iron Yard</a> as a Web Design Instructor (more on this later!). During my brief time in SC, I’ve read in the green, green grass next to gushing waterfalls and pleasant rivers, gone on conference talk and day long vacation trips to Austin, the border where the Carolinas meet, Charleston and Columbia, SC, Louisville, KY, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA, Jacksonville, FL, and New Orleans, LA. I’ve seen parts of the country I’ve never seen before and been in airports I <em>actually</em> wish I had more time in (I’m looking at you, Detroit Metro). And in this time on (airport terminal) trains, planes, and automobiles, I read and listened to quite a few awesome books. I’ve knocked out 2.5 books in the last 5 days and they’ve all been amazing.</p>
<p>In April, I wrote that <a href="https://samkapila.com/journal/read-more">I wanted to read more and shared a list of books</a> that were recommended to me. This year, I’m glad to say that I’ve travelled more than ever, and hence, have read more than ever. I do spent a lot of time in my car, and it’s a lot easy to drive with a book to listen to. Both of these things make me extremely happy. Here’s what I’ve been reading since in case you're looking for some holiday reading:</p>
<h3 id="since-april%2C-i-read">Since April, I read</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/The-Power-Habit-What-Business/dp/B007EJSMC8/ref=tmm_aud_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1397665407&sr=8-1"><em>The Power of Habit</em></a>, this was on my last list.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pretend-Never-Happened-Mostly-Memoir/dp/B007UWP66O/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_audd?ie=UTF8&qid=1397665846&sr=8-1&keywords=let%27s+pretend+this+never+happened"><em>Let’s Pretend This Never Happened</em></a>, also on the last list, good for a road trip.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Paddle-Your-Own-Canoe-Fundamentals/dp/B00FFHINZM"><em>Paddle Your Own Canoe</em></a>, Everything I expected from Offerman, yet also a lot more...some of which was unexpected and weird.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Yes-Please/dp/B00MP22QRQ/ref=sr_1_1_twi_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419432664&sr=1-1&keywords=yes+please"><em>Yes, Please</em></a>, keeping the <em>Parks & Rec</em> thing going. This one more light and funny, and AP was vulnerable, honest, and goofy as she shared stories of <em>SNL</em>, her divorce, and what feminism really is.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/The-Leadership-Playbook/dp/B00LOOURLI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419432769&sr=1-1&keywords=the+leadership+playbook"><em>The Leadership Playbook</em></a> Leadership as coaching, not managing. A great book that’s opening my mind up to how organizations can/should work.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_p_n_feature_browse-b_mrr_0?fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Aboss+girl%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A1240885011&keywords=boss+girl&ie=UTF8&qid=1419432987&rnid=618072011"><em>#GirlBoss</em></a> This audiobook is amazing and I’m not even done with it. It’s a lot more practical advice than most bio books provide and it’s surprisely empowering. This is on par with Kelly Cutrone’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/If-You-Have-Cry-Outside-ebook/dp/B0034EJL54/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419433036&sr=1-3&keywords=kelly+cutrone"><em>If you're going to cry, go outside</em></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Manage-Your-Day---Day-Creative-ebook/dp/B00B77UE4W/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419433310&sr=1-1&keywords=manage+your+day+to+day"><em>Manage Your Day to Day</em></a>, the title says it all.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kentucky-Bourbon-Whiskey-American-Heritage/dp/B00DMF7O90/ref=tmm_aud_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1419433367&sr=1-1"><em>Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey</em></a>, a brief history of bourbon before my Kentucky trip. Under $5, too.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Like-Apologize-Every-Teacher-Ever/dp/B0098TUPSQ/ref=tmm_aud_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1419433465&sr=1-1"><em>I’d Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had</em></a>, Who’s the boss at telling great anecdotes? Tony Danza, that’s who.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Found-Pacific-Crest-Oprahs/dp/B007MIWUG0/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid="><em>Wild</em></a>, one of my favorite reads from our Ladies in Tech Book Club.</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="next-on-my-list">Next on my list</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Focus-Simplicity-Manifesto-Age-Distraction/dp/B005UJSL2A/ref=tmm_aud_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1419433574&sr=1-1"><em>Focus, A Simplicity Manifesto in the Age of Distraction</em></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kinfolk-Table-Nathan-Williams/dp/1579655327/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419433694&sr=1-1&keywords=kinfolk+table"><em>The Kinfolk Table</em></a>, a lovely gift from my dear South Carolina friend, Andrew.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Critical-Thinking-Practical-Wisdom/dp/0415968208/ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER"><em>Teaching Critical Thinking</em></a>, can't wait to get into this one.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Make-Stick-Science-Successful-Learning/dp/B00M1Z2THY/ref=sr_1_1_twi_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1419434035&sr=8-1&keywords=make+it+stick"><em>Make it Stick</em></a>, a book on teaching recommended by my awesome colleague, Jake.</li>
</ul>
<p>Hope you get some time to pour a drink, cozy up by the fireplace, and crack open or plug into a great book this holiday. If you're reading something currently, share it below.</p>
Five Tips on How to be an Ally [video]2014-12-10T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/12/10/five-tips-on-how-to-be-an-ally-video/<p>Blogger <a href="https://twitter.com/chescaleigh">Franchesca Ramsey</a> shares the perfect tips on how to be an ally. Ramsey defines an ally by “a person who wants to fight for the equality of a marginalized group that they're not a part of”. Given recent events—and given our history—I think its important to <strong>actively listen</strong> and try to understand what people are going through, and then be an advocate for change. Further, on the direct <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dg86g-QlM0#action=share">Youtube page</a>, Ramsey shares more resources for allies of all kinds: gender and sexual orientation allies, allies for race equality, and a whole lot more. It’s great advice and worth watching, reflecting upon, and sharing. This advice will help us get there.</p>
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The Write Mood2014-09-13T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/09/13/the-write-mood/<p>Sometimes (read: most of the time), I find it hard to write. Similar to my <a href="https://www.samkapila.com/journal/speaking-up">irrational fears before speaking</a>, writing feels like a very vulnerable exercise that get my stomach in knots. Part impostor syndrome, part fear of making all the grammar mistakes possible, I usually tend to put off writing. But sometimes, just sometimes, it’s easy to write—like right now.<br>
It’s been raining since yesterday, a rare occurrence in Austin. To make matters better, the storm came in with a cold front. It’s a perfect 60 degrees and drizzling. I’m in a sweater, jeans, and boots. I’m sitting at a coffee shop downtown; their large garage doors are open, and drowsy, but happy people keep coming in and looking for a place to curl up with their books, laptops, and each other. I have a cup of coffee—which I’ve managed to chug down, a cup of granola, and my stomach is mostly not in knots. The whirring sounds of the coffee grinders are pleasant and the music is too, so I delay headphones and repeat play of the <a href="https://www.samkapila.com/journal/monument-valley">Monument Valley Soundtrack</a>. Everything feels in sync.<br>
Then, just as quickly, a drill AND a jackhammer both go off near by, almost in perfect unison, and the moment has passed.</p>
National Geographic’s Deadly Beauty2014-09-06T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/09/06/national-geographic's-deadly-beauty/<p>National Geographic’s “Deadly Beauty” feature on Portuguese Man-of-War jellyfish is absolutely stunning. The jellyfish photos and videos captured by Aaron Ansarov show the anatomy of the deadly stingers like I’ve never seen. The <a href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/features/2014/08/140821-portuguese-man-of-war-animal-ocean-science-pictures/?utm_source=NatGeocom&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=inside_20140904&utm_campaign=Content">whole feature</a> is pretty awesome. In Curaçao, it was common for Man-of-War to take over my favorite beaches. I knew these dudes and dudettes were deadly, but I didn’t know too much about their feeding habits:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Once a man-of-war captures a meal, the tentacle brings its prey to one of several feeding bodies (the brown speckled structures across the center of the image above). Since the “individuals” within the colony are all connected, after a stomach digests the meal, the nutrients get spread throughout the colony.</p>
</blockquote>
<iframe style="display: block; margin: 0 auto;" width="609" height="375" src="https://player.d.nationalgeographic.com/players/ngsvideo/share/?feed=https://feed.theplatform.com/f/ngs/dCCn2isYZ9N9&guid=4803f47a-a093-4a28-a19f-a957531cb07a&link=https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" seamless=""></iframe>
Joining The Iron Yard2014-08-19T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/08/19/joining-the-iron-yard/<p>For the past six years, I’ve been teaching topics in <a href="https://www.finearts.txstate.edu/Art/">Communication Design at Texas State University</a> and getting my MFA for the first three years. As I finished <a href="https://digital.library.txstate.edu/handle/10877/4271">writing and designing my thesis</a>, which was brand, web-site, and content strategy redesign for a student-run and internationally recognized <a href="https://frontporchjournal.com/">online literary journal</a>, I was asked to stay on full-time for one year. That one year turned into three, and during that time, I worked an <a href="https://www.twitter.com/grayscaleTX">exceptional colleague</a> to build out the web courses that needed some serious updates. I was given full freedom to replace the "flash class" and explore a topic I was very interested in—Responsive Web Design—and have been teaching it ever since. The course went from having one section of 15 students to three sections of 20 each in three years, and the students have spoken to <a href="https://www.responsivewebdesign.com/">Ethan Marcotte</a>, designers from <a href="https://www.happycog.com/">Happy Cog</a>, <a href="https://www.bigspaceship.com/">Big Spaceship</a>, and <a href="https://www.paravelinc.com/">Paravel</a> about RWD. It amazes me that the course has grown as much as it has, and that it is a topic students <em>want</em> to learn.<br>
The students. They learned and I learned with them. They taught me patience, some taught me basic JS, we shared recipes (all my design metaphors are food-related), and one excitedly explained how binary numbers can be used to <a href="https://www.mathsisfun.com/hexadecimal-decimal-colors.html">convert hexademical and 0-255 RGB values</a>. Best of all, they taught me that I really did want to be a teacher.<br>
It’s been a great six years and I’ve enjoyed being a part of the Texas State family. The 2013-2014 school year was my last at the university. I’m thankful for the time I had there, and mentors and students that taught me so much more about design and life that I could ever imagine.</p>
<h3 id="the-iron-yard">The Iron Yard</h3>
<p>I am excited to announce that, starting in October, I am joining <a href="https://theironyard.com/">The Iron Yard</a> as a Web Design instructor. The Iron Yard is a start-up accelerator and a code academy that started in Greenville, SC, and has expanded to Spartanburg, Columbia and Charleston, SC, Asheville and Raleigh-Durham, NC, Atlanta, GA, Tampa and Orlando, FL, Houston and soon—AUSTIN, TX! The Iron Yard teaches 12-week immersive courses in <a href="https://theironyard.com/academy/front-end-engineering/">Front End Engineering</a> (I sat in on a few classes and it’s AWESOME), <a href="https://theironyard.com/academy/mobile-engineering/">Mobile Engineering</a>, <a href="https://theironyard.com/academy/rails-engineering/">Rails Engineering</a>, <a href="https://theironyard.com/academy/web-design/">Web Design</a>, and soon, <a href="https://blog.theironyard.com/post/92757029208/new-and-old-territory-python-at-the-iron-yard">Python</a>! I’m so impressed by the quantity, but especially the <em>quality</em> of work coming out of the courses and the students I’ve met. I, myself, want to teach every course they offer!<br>
I’m ecstatic about the <a href="https://theironyard.com/academy/web-design/">Web Design course</a> which will be a mix of both design and code. The course is designed in a way that allows students to understand the bigger picture and process of web design, from design history to principles, typography to color theory, HTML to CSS to Sass, Responsive Web Design (yay!), and Javascript from an interaction stand-point. It prepares students to wear the multiple hats designers frequently have to wear in this ever-changing industry. It’s going to teach design students a lot of different topics, but cover them deeply enough and reiterate them so they becomes second nature. Students will leave with a portfolio of work and The Iron Yard will help students with job placement after they complete the course. The Iron Yard is <a href="https://theironyard.com/academy/web-design/#class-schedule">currently taking applications</a> for the course in Greenville, SC this fall, and Columbia, SC and Austin, TX in January 2015!<br>
I can't wait to join the team and get started!<br>
<br></p>
<div>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/laptop.jpg" style="max-height: 400px;">
<small style="text-align:center;"> My laptop sticker arrangement, currently!</small>
</div>
Monument Valley2014-08-12T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/08/12/monument-valley/<p><a href="https://www.monumentvalleygame.com/">Monument Valley</a> is easily one of the best games<sup>1</sup> I’ve ever played. Every part of the game is perfection, and every detail is delightful and soothing. Even more, the Monument Valley Soundtrack (below) is absolutely stunning. It’s been out on iTunes for a while, but was just added today on <strike>Rdio,</strike> Spotify, and others according to <a href="https://kottke.org/14/08/monument-valley-soundtrack">Jason Kottke</a>.</p>
<p>If you haven’t already played the game by digital product studio, <a href="https://www.ustwo.com/">UsTwo</a>, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/monument-valley/id728293409?mt=8">download it</a> ASAP. It is worth every penny. The devs behind the game are working on the next level of stages, and I’ve found myself in a whole new place with my (excited) impatience.</p>
<p>And, if you’re super into this game like everyone I know are, here some other cool MV links:</p>
<ul>
<li>Kyle Rodderick and I discussing Monument Valley on an <a href="https://goodstuff.fm/transmission/13">episode of Transmission</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.clauaskee.com/works/monument-valley-inspired-alphabet">Monument Valley inspired alphabet</a></li>
</ul>
<iframe src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Aalbum%3A4PvakqSTVKDmAj0v0UEuC1" width="300" height="380" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe>
<p><sup>1</sup> Along with <a href="https://thatgamecompany.com/games/journey/">Journey</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/myst/id311941991?mt=8">Myst</a></p>
Speaking Up2014-08-04T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/08/04/speaking-up/<p>When I was asked to be a keynote speaker at <a href="https://www.convergese.com/">ConvergeSE</a>—a conference that brings together designers, developers, musicians, and other makers for a few days of merging ideas—I instantly said “yes”. I had already fallen in love with the conference series, after attending <a href="https://www.convergefl.com/">ConvergeFL</a> in Jacksonville the year prior. I learned more than I could imagine at the event, and met friends in the web industry that I will forever hold dear to my heart. Talk ideas started to ruminate in my head.</p>
<h3 id="prep-talk">Prep Talk</h3>
<p>As ConvergeSE drew closer, my outline turned into notes, notes into sentences, sentences into speech, and speech into slides. I knew what I wanted to say—mostly. I found myself preparing for the talk just as I would for a class lecture: well-structured and planned out, yet open enough to allow for the mood in the room or a random question to sway the conversation. I thought I was ready. And then, suddenly, I panicked. <strong>Unsuccessfully trying to control my nerves:</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Does this sound better?”, she asked her cats.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I was still in Austin when I panicked. I played it off at first, <a href="https://twitter.com/samkap/status/461710777179582464">joking about it</a> and local Austinites, like Elyse and Trent, and my former student Veronica, were all encouraging. But, eventually, the panic became more real. What was I panicking about? Speaking at a conference where the other keynotes are people who I admire and who wrote the textbooks I teach from. Just making a fool of myself in front of 300+ people. Feeling that no one could learn or benefit from what I had to say. Falling off the stage. Spilling coffee on myself. The list goes on. I started seeking out a lot of advice, thinking it would be helpful. My close friends encouraged me. I ran main points by my sister, who is a much better public speaker than I and also knows first-hand exactly what I wanted to cover in my talk (she, too has seen the challenges of trying to bring emerging practices in web design and development into higher education settings). She (and my cats) heard every single version of my talk, and she knows how scattered I can sound sometimes, and she’s honest enough to tell me when I can. That was also extremely helpful. I was still worried.</p>
<p>I couldn’t shake it, even after I got to the conference. I felt like I needed more advice and that I was unprepared. I think deep down I wanted to make sure I covered all bases and asked every single person what their advice was. I didn’t want my first time on a stage <em>by myself</em> to be a bust. So I asked <a href="https://www.twitter.com/danielmall">Dan Mall</a>, who has an amazing speaking style, what his advice was on conference talks. Since I asked on Twitter, I expected a concise reply, but Dan replied that he would email me in the morning. The next morning, I woke up early, as I usually do when I’m nervous about anything. I opened my computer as my hotel coffee brewed, and found an email sitting in my inbox from Dan. It’s like he knew each of my fears and had solutions on how to get over each one. The advice Dan gave me was not only helpful, but it extremely awesome of him to do so. People like Dan make this industry a better place. Recently, Dan shared his advice on <a href="https://v3.danmall.com/articles/get-comfortable/">his site</a>. The best parts of Dan’s advice were the parts where he suggested getting comfortable, scoping out the room prior to the talk, and building in pauses. In hindsight, those were the most helpful to me.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Doing a talk is like improvisational jazz. Jazz musicians improvise, not because they don’t know the song, but because they know the song so well that they know which spots allow them to deviate and when to come back to the theme. — <a href="https://v3.danmall.com/articles/get-comfortable/">Dan Mall</a></p>
</blockquote>
<h3 id="the-talk">The Talk</h3>
<p>When I spoke that Saturday morning, everything went smoothly. Supportive friends sat in the front row, and their smiles and thumbs ups were a great energy boost. I wore red pants, cobalt heels, and a blue polka dot button-down, which I felt comfortable in. I drank a cup of water, and sipped slowly on my coffee (usual ritual: chug coffee), and ate grits from the conference’s awesome grits bar. These little rituals weren’t pre-planned, but felt natural. I noticed this and realized that my own natural instinct was there to protect and prep me for the talk. That confidence paired with the encouragement and advice from multiple people I admire, allowed me to share what I was there to share that day.</p>
<h3 id="talk-back">Talk Back</h3>
<p>I got a lot of great feedback from people. A lot of other educators shared the same frustrations I did, non-higher ed folks and I chatted about ways we could resolve the gaps between the classroom and workplace. I felt good about the content covered. However, I remember looking at the time when my talk was done, and realized my rehearsed 30-minute keynote took 21 minutes. I must have sped up due to the awesome energy in the room, or natural nerves, or excitement about the topic. I wish I had built in more of the pauses Dan mentioned (I only built in one). I also felt a bit vulnerable—in a good way. I felt like I had shared a lot with the audience and learned a lot about them, even though they didn’t speak.</p>
<p>I was happy I spoke, and knew that I need to do this more. Speaking and writing are fears I’ve really wanted to get over for a while, and in many ways I’ve spent much of 2014 getting over those fears, or at least working towards them (I’m looking at you, blue level ski trails in Colorado). I hope these are things I continue to work on for the rest of my talks in 2014, and beyond. I hope that in sharing these fears, perhaps it will be helpful to someone else who wants to speak. If you’ve ever read any of my previous posts, you know I’m a hoarder of links. So, naturally, I have a list of links that I found had great advice and helped me in some way or another for this talk and the talks planned for the rest of the year. If you’ve gotten over the fears of public speaking, please share your experience in the comments. If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading and letting me share this story.</p>
<h3 id="links-i-found-extremely-helpful">Links I found extremely helpful</h3>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Daniel Mall’s “<a href="https://v3.danmall.com/articles/get-comfortable/">Get Comfortable</a>”</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="https://speaking.io/">Speaking.io</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Rachilli’s <a href="https://www.rachil.li/blog/on-speaking-my-personal-experiences-and-advice-for-getting-started">advice on speaking </a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Jenn Lukas’ <a href="https://www.thenerdary.net/post/84544230452/a-formula-for-speaking-fees">formula for speaking fees</a> ; this post also has a ton of resources at the end.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Scott Berkun’s plethora of <a href="https://scottberkun.com/category/public-speaking/">resources and posts about public speaking</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Chris Coyier’s <a href="https://chriscoyier.net/2013/09/17/speaking-tips/">speaking advice</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>A <a href="https://getspeak.in/public-speaking/">list of other speaking resources</a> shared by <a href="https://twitter.com/fehler">Christopher Murphy</a></p>
<p>I’m not good at keeping new year resolutions, but I am a fan of having goals for a new year. Some of my loose goals for 2014, were to get over a few of my fears. On my somewhat long list of fears is writing and speaking publicly, and skiing. As of August, I’ve tackled all of these fears in some way or another. Perhaps, I’m not over them, but I have moved in the right direction to be more at peace with them.</p>
</li>
</ul>
Systems In Design2014-07-22T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/07/22/systems-in-design/<p>It’s easy to get caught up in all the elements related to building a site: content, code, design, progressive enhancement, testing, etc. So much goes into that one final deliverable, that we can forget about how the site comes across to a user, how scalable it is, and how long it can last. These questions focus on the experience of what we create. The core of brand design is that experience. In his book, The Brand Gap, brand strategist Marty Neumeier defines a brand as “a person’s gut feeling about a product, service, or company”. By following this definition, it is safe to say that what we create needs to translate into a larger, global end product, where one deliverable—like a website—isn't the product, but just one component of the product, which is the overall system. The more brand- and system-based thinking we bring into web design, the better off web design will be.</p>
<p>Web design already includes many visual and interactive elements, but more of the jargon and theories of branding have become standard in the web design process. Element Collages and Style Tiles, for example, are two of many techniques that all call for the same thing: systems. There are a few goals worth reaching to achieve a systems-based outcome. Those beneficial goals include creating consistency, portraying authenticity, and striving for longevity. By focusing on these three key goals that are common in branding, all elements of an experience will come together and improve the industry and how we communicate.</p>
<h3 id="consistency">Consistency</h3>
<p>In branding, consistency is the common goal. As consumers, we know what to expect from brands we are loyal to, because they are consistent. Companies want consumers who will stay loyal to their brand, and many understand they need to maintain trust to keep us around. Web projects should work the same way. Treating similar elements on a project the same way make the user understand how to interact with that type of element. Underlined links, article sub-headers, or other consistently designed elements allow users to understand the design as a language. That language can be translated from deliverable to deliverable so the brand is consistent. Once we create consistency, we can become authentic.</p>
<h3 id="authenticity">Authenticity</h3>
<p>In 2013, we saw the rise of the flat design trend. Designers and non-designers head to social media to share their frustrations on sudden changes on their favorite brands’ websites and apps. While our industry benefits from the ability to have this conversation, it’s worrisome when a trend can send thousands to a redesigning frenzy. In this case, the brand was ignored. Trends aren’t authentic to every single brand. By riding the trend wave, brand authenticity at risk if the system of that brand comes and goes as frequently as trends do. Instead, define the goal of design and then build a design system that is based on a solving a problem or reaching that goal. When the design system stays authentic to that goal, authenticity towards users is maintained for the long run.</p>
<h3 id="longevity">Longevity</h3>
<p>Amazon is famous for maintaining a strong brand. They have a solid brand system in place and therefore are able to redesign iteratively without alienating their users. Unlike a lot of sudden big reveals where all elements change, Amazon has benefitted from adapting one element at a time. In fact, as a constant user, I didn’t even notice it until someone casually mentioned it. I was too busy buying books, which was Amazon’s long-term goal in the first place. Creating for the long-term not only requires understanding the system and creating a thoughtful strategy, this is a smart solution that extends the lifespan of a living system.</p>
<p>Design systems do not need to fit one mold. Many designers’ systems include various elements, both visual and interactive. Laura Kalbag’s <a href="https://24ways.org/2012/design-systems/">design systems</a> include typography, color, grid, and content, while Brad Frost’s <a href="https://bradfrostweb.com/blog/post/atomic-web-design/">Atomic Design</a> includes five levels of elements: atoms, molecules, organisms, templates, and pages. However you choose to define a design system, strengthen it by favoring consistency, authenticity, and longevity. Start by asking if each element helps reach the end goal and then, build a design system and language that speaks to the user’s gut the way you intended.</p>
<p><em>This article was originally published in net magazine issue 254, in June 2014, and on <a href="https://www.creativebloq.com/netmag/why-you-should-think-web-building-part-larger-system-71412395">Creative Bloq</a>, in July 2014.</em></p>
Case Crouwel on Dutch World Cup jerseys2014-07-05T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/07/05/case-crouwel-on-dutch-world-cup-jerseys/<p>My favorite national soccer team, the <a href="https://english.knvb.nl/">Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbalbond</a>, or KNVB, is playing against Costa Rica right now with hopes to advance to the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup. The last World Cup was hard for me, as I watched my boys lose to Spain in the final game and had tears running down my orange-painted face in a central Texas taproom. Still, I have a lot of hope for this team that I’ve loyally supported since I was a kid. There are lots of great players this year, including <a href="https://www.espnfc.com/player/113083/leroy-fer?season=2013">one from Curaçao</a>, along with the classic players, van Persie, Robben, and Sneijder.</p>
<p>One of the best things about the team this year is that Nike worked with Wim Crouwel, the godfather of Dutch design, to create the typeface on the Dutch jerseys, says <a href="https://www.designboom.com/design/nike-world-cup-fonts-07-01-2014/">Design Boom</a>. One of my favorite parts is how gorgeous the 'ij' Dutch ligature is in ‘Case Crouwel’, the name of the typeface design.</p>
<p><img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/dutch_home.gif" alt="The letters of Case Crouwel" title="The letters of case Crowel"><br>
Image from <a href="https://www.designboom.com/design/nike-world-cup-fonts-07-01-2014/">Design Boom</a>.</p>
Wrote, spoke, and two months later2014-07-04T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/07/04/wrote-spoke-and-two-months-later/<p>It seems appropriate to release a few unfinished drafts on Independence Day; they deserve their freedom! Here’s a few updates from the past few months:</p>
<h3 id="net-magazine">net Magazine</h3>
<p>I wrote an article for the June 2014 printed issue of <a href="https://www.creativebloq.com/net-magazine">net Magazine</a> called “Thinking In Systems”. The article is about how branding and systems-based thinking can apply to the web. I was nervous about writing this but I’m glad I did. I love that we’re changing the way we’re approaching web design with smarter thinking. Get the issue <a href="https://www.creativebloq.com/career/learn-how-be-your-own-boss-new-net-magazine-41411416">here</a>.<br>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/netmag1.jpg" alt="net magazine cover on my ipad"><br>
<br></p>
<h3 id="convergese">ConvergeSE</h3>
<p>I was invited to speak at <a href="https://www.convergese.com/">ConvergeSE</a> about the current state of web design education. It was my first time being a keynote speaker, and some really awesome friends in the industry gave me some solid advice. More on this in a separate post that has also been sitting in the drafts folder. The entire conference was wonderful. I learned quite a bit about how far we’ve come in designing responsive emails, advancements in wearable technology (and just how scary much of it can be), and sustainable thinking in web design. And, the conference had it’s <a href="https://blog.blueion.com/2014/05/21/kernel-panic-convergese/">own beer</a>! I’m so glad I got to attend and speak; Converge has really become one of the best design conferences around.<br>
<br></p>
<h3 id="artifactconf-was-awesome-(again)">ArtifactConf was awesome (again)</h3>
<p>There were a ton of great talks at <a href="https://www.artifactconf.com/">Artifact</a>. I got to spend some quality time with my good friends, [Bushra](<a href="https://www.twitter.com/goatsandbacon">https://www.twitter.com/goatsandbacon</a> and <a href="https://www.twitter.com/adactio">Jeremy</a>. Here are some things that stood out at the conference:</p>
<ul>
<li>Your animations need to make sense with your message/content. (<a href="https://www.twitter.com/vlh">@vlh</a>)</li>
<li>Animations, through CSS, give us a chance to add an element of delight, and can subtly inform the user on how something works. (<a href="https://www.twitter.com/vlh">@vlh</a>)</li>
<li>Clients don't have lunchtime discussions about web font kerning. That’s our job. (<a href="https://www.twitter.com/webmeadow">@webmeadow</a>)</li>
<li>“Photoshop. That’s where you make a picture of exactly what the website will never look like.”(<a href="https://www.twitter.com/stephenhay">@stephenhay</a>)</li>
<li>Austin’s design and web community is filled with great people who all help, support, and genuinely care for each other. Here’s a shot by <a href="https://www.annieray.net/photobooth_viewer.php?id=39026464&key=67Xvzd">Annie Ray</a> of so many Austinites that make living in this town so much fun!<br>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/artifact.jpg" alt="Austin Web Design community"><br>
All over this was over a 2-week span! I’m looking forward to the craziness the rest of the year will bring, and I hope I do a better job writing about it.</li>
</ul>
OM(SV)Gs2014-07-02T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/07/02/om(sv)gs/<p>I’ve convinced myself that if I keep bookmarking links about SVGs, I’ll become an expert at them through some magical bookmark-to-brain osmosis. Spoiler alert: that is not the case. SVGs, to me, feel a bit intimidating, mostly because they’re still new to me and they’re extremely powerful/practical/awesome. I found myself occasionally checking (the newly redesigned) <a href="https://caniuse.com/#search=svg">CanIUse</a> for support numbers, and the green cells were another reminder that I need to push myself to get with the SVG program.<br>
Then, this morning, I was reminded of my failures in SVG-osmosis when I saw <a href="https://twitter.com/chriscoyier/status/491570066366791680">Chris tweeting</a> some of his resources on the mystical image format. In an attempt to hold myself accountable and procrastinate just <em>one</em> last time, I thought I’d share the plethora of links I’ve been hoarding for months on end.</p>
<ul>
<li>Daniel Mall’s <a href="https://danielmall.com/articles/svg-workflow-for-designers/"><em>SVG Workflow for Designers</em></a>: (I’ve been hoarding this one for over a year now!)</li>
<li>CSS-Tricks’ <a href="https://css-tricks.com/icon-fonts-vs-svg/"><em>Cagematch: Inline SVG vs Icon Fonts</em></a> : Learned quite a bit from this on SVGs and type.</li>
<li>CSS-Tricks’ <a href="https://css-tricks.com/svg-fallbacks/"><em>SVG Fallbacks</em></a>: Because let’s consider the big picture and move towards a more responsible web.</li>
<li>Creative Droplet’s <a href="https://creativedroplets.com/export-svg-for-the-web-with-illustrator-cc/"><em>Export SVG for the Web with Illustrator CC</em></a>: For the CC crowd.</li>
<li>Slides from Todd Parker’s Artifact Austin <a href="https://filamentgroup.com/lab/artifact-austin-svg-workflow.html"><em>Leaving Pixels Behind: A Vector Workflow for Designers</em></a> talk : A great talk that I saw earlier this year.</li>
<li><a href="https://snapsvg.io/">SnapSVG</a>: SVGs made easy with Javascript.</li>
<li>Searching for <a href="https://codepen.io/search/?q=svg&limit=all&order=&depth=everything&show_forks=false&page=2">SVGs on CodePen</a> : The best way to learn is dissect and tinker.</li>
<li>CSS-Tricks’ mega-list called <a href="https://css-tricks.com/mega-list-svg-information/"><em>A Compendium of SVG Information</em></a> : The big Kahuna of SVG info.</li>
<li>Smashing Magazine’s <a href="https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/03/05/rethinking-responsive-svg/">Rethinking responsive SVGs</a> : Keepin’ things responsive. This could lead to fun stuff.<br>
So, here’s to learning more about SVGs!<br>
<strong>Update (11am CST)</strong>: My friend, Jason Weaver, shared a few more awesome links with me:</li>
<li>This awesome <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1207904509/pocket-guide-to-writing-svg">Kickstarter campaign for a Pocket Guide for Writing SVGS</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.svgjs.com/">SVGjs</a> Lightweight SVG party!</li>
<li>Jason’s <a href="https://codepen.io/collection/hzyxu/">collection of SVG experiments</a> (Check out the Hulk one)</li>
</ul>
Shop Talk Show Episode № 1212014-06-27T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/06/27/shop-talk-show-episode-121/<p>Cool Dudes, <a href="https://twitter.com/davatron5000">Dave Rupert</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/chriscoyier">Chris Coyier</a> asked me to be on their show, <a href="https://shoptalkshow.com/episodes/121-sam-kapila/">Shop Talk Show</a>! We talked about teaching Responsive Web Design, new tools like Gulp and Grunt, and I shared my opinions on some audience questions. I am so happy they asked me to be on the show; I really enjoyed it!</p>
HTML/CSS Duck Hunt CodePen2014-06-18T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/06/18/htmlcss-duck-hunt-codepen/<p>This <a href="https://codepen.io/vaielab/pen/yoKEF/">Codepen</a> is the most amazing use of inputs in HTML and CSS that I have ever seen! If you can hit the hidden input checkbox on the duck, it falls! This is just like when I stood directly in front of the TV and held the bright orange gun up screen as ducks flew around. Check it out:</p><p></p>
<p data-height="594" data-theme-id="6780" data-slug-hash="yoKEF" data-default-tab="result" class="codepen">See the Pen <a href="https://codepen.io/vaielab/pen/yoKEF/">Duck Hunt Css</a> by Vaielab (<a href="https://codepen.io/vaielab">@vaielab</a>) on <a href="https://codepen.io/">CodePen</a>.</p>
<script async="" src="https://codepen.io/assets/embed/ei.js"></script>
<p class="caption">
Just a note: it works a lot better (read: ducks are easier to hit) when it’s not embedded into a responsive layout like mine. Load up the [full CodePen](https://codepen.io/vaielab/full/yoKEF/), instead.
</p>
Like Knows Like - James Victore2014-06-09T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/06/09/like-knows-like-james-victore/<p>As I try to wake up with burnt-ish coffee and a squishy sunny-side up breakfast, I am scrolling through twitter. I came across James Victore’s <a href="https://twitter.com/like_knows_like/status/475870470320185344">retweet</a> about a documentary <a href="https://likeknowslike.com/">Like Knows Like</a> made about him. It’s short, sweet, and inspiring for a Monday morning. Check out James’ doc below and other ones on the site!</p>
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/97586859?byline=0&portrait=0&color=ffffff" width="800" height="450" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <p><a href="https://vimeo.com/97586859">James Victore</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/likeknowslike">Like Knows Like</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.
</p>Ozark Country Blues2014-05-27T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/05/27/ozark-country-blues/<p>A few years ago, many of us gathered at my friend’s house for a get-together. Vanessa’s house is a perfect Austin home. It has a great backyard space, which a smaller bright green house that she rented to my college friends Robbie and Stephen used to live in. It was a cold Texas winter night, and many of us were still adjusting after having lived in the warm, swampy cities of north Florida. There was a giant ice-chest of beer, an even larger trampoline that we rested the un-koozied beers on, and a smokey chimenia that crackled endlessly. All of these former Floridians were gathered around a clearing that had been turned into make-shift stage for visitors in town from Gainesville (where we all had lived), who also happen to be extremely talented musicians. It has a been a few rainy days in Texas, and one of the songs from that night has been looping in my head. And, of course, a music video for it exists on the web. It’s called “Ozark Country Blues” and it is by Ricky Kendall. The song is beautiful and the music video is touching and delightful.</p>
<p></p>
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/36795272" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <p><a href="https://vimeo.com/36795272">Ricky Kendall - Ozark Country Blues music video</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/twinlens">Twin Lens Productions</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p>
Two Jolenes2014-04-25T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/04/25/two-jolenes/<p>Earlier this week, Austin-based designer <a href="https://twitter.com/raygunray/status/458647623784611841">Reagan Ray</a> shared a video of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” at 33rpm. I’ve been listening to it since. It’s slow, sad, and lovely.</p>
<div class="full">
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/doz1QJ7LwjA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</div>
<br>
<p>Another version of “Jolene” I really enjoy comes from Miley Cyrus’ backyard sessions from 2012. Both versions give me chills.</p>
<div class="full">
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wOwblaKmyVw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</div>
Advice on soft skills2014-04-21T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/04/21/advice-on-soft-skills/<p>Wanting my students to hear more from the industry about what they need to know, I asked my twitter feed about what advice they’d give recent design graduates. Here is what they shared.</p>
<h3 id="on-interviews">On interviews</h3>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Make eye contact. "Hello my name's -name-. Nice to meet you." That's a good one.</p>— Matt Jared (@matt_jared) <a href="https://twitter.com/matt_jared/statuses/448201953030316032">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Follow-up after interviews or whatnot</p>— Ethan Leon (@ethangl) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethangl/statuses/448203011731374080">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> That people hire people, not books or portfolios or assholes.</p>— Diana Berno (@diBerno) <a href="https://twitter.com/diBerno/statuses/448205513549836288">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
<h3 id="on-attitude">On attitude</h3>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Be excellent to one and another. Don't be a snob.</p>— Danh Hoang (@danhhoang) <a href="https://twitter.com/danhhoang/statuses/448204310065582080">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> don't be afraid to say no.</p>— Andy Keil (@alwaysunday) <a href="https://twitter.com/alwaysunday/statuses/448203053418565632">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Be stoked, really stoked. Genuinely caring makes you understand what the employer needs as opposed to what they want.</p>— Bushra (@goatsandbacon) <a href="https://twitter.com/goatsandbacon/statuses/448203778156531712">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> + Most things have a tendency to blow up in your face, Always take the higher moral ground.</p>— Bushra (@goatsandbacon) <a href="https://twitter.com/goatsandbacon/statuses/448204030955642880">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> People won't believe in your work unless you believe in it.</p>— Chris Meeks (@chrismeeks) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrismeeks/statuses/448213970319470592">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Be nice, but be honest. Feedback that doesn't hurt a little probably isn't worth anything.</p>— Brandon Weiss (@brandon_weiss) <a href="https://twitter.com/brandon_weiss/statuses/448314759310348288">March 25, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Empathy, first and above all else. That psycho across the meeting table is a people, too.</p>— David Sleight (@stuntbox) <a href="https://twitter.com/stuntbox/statuses/448283354606370816">March 25, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Passion, which is read through the story behind the work; decision making, failures and overcoming, insights, teamwork, PROCESS.</p>— Zac Snider (@ZacSnider) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZacSnider/statuses/453362290684092416">April 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
<h3 id="on-communication">On Communication</h3>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> How to articulate their process. How to describe a design to a non-designer. How to choose audience-appropriate deliverables.</p>— AustinUX.org (@AustinUX) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustinUX/statuses/448226557073424384">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> strategies to work with product, marketing, sales, and engineering teams. How to say no and sell ideas to clients.</p>— Ashley Hathaway (@Ash_Hathaway) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ash_Hathaway/statuses/448290321391026177">March 25, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> The ability to quickly understand a person's personality and adapt to cater for it</p>— Chris Compston (@ndxcc) <a href="https://twitter.com/ndxcc/statuses/448228207532457984">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/robertbanh">@robertbanh</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Tardies? Like being late?</p>— Alex Companioni (@achompas) <a href="https://twitter.com/achompas/statuses/448210116580761600">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/robertbanh">@robertbanh</a> Great point! On saving time, <a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a>: your students need to ask questions well. Poorly-formed questions waste everyone's time.</p>— Alex Companioni (@achompas) <a href="https://twitter.com/achompas/statuses/448217077888061440">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
<h3 id="on-job-hunting-%26-interviews">On Job hunting & interviews</h3>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Get a good portfolio, and meet people. Cold applications are so impossible.</p>— Luke Connolly (@kidminded) <a href="https://twitter.com/kidminded/statuses/453259135573049344">April 7, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Never send a boring cover letter. Never doubt the power of a Twitter friend.</p>— Tiffany Duening (@tiffapiffa) <a href="https://twitter.com/tiffapiffa/statuses/453396731418263553">April 8, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Pay at least one personal compliment to the interviewer and at least 2 commercial compliments to the company.</p>— imJim (@ImJimScott) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImJimScott/statuses/453401886998409216">April 8, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> be upfront, honest, and nice. Worked for me.</p>— Tim Smith (@ttimsmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/ttimsmith/statuses/453396468595191808">April 8, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Think of it as you interviewing the company.</p>— Chris Meeks (@chrismeeks) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrismeeks/statuses/453258951274934272">April 7, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Stay level headed, don't psych yourself out, keep things simple, focus on your work, and feel out potential employers in interviews.</p>— Josh Higgins (@JoshRyanDesign) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshRyanDesign/statuses/453243073230045184">April 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
<h3 id="on-everything-else">On Everything else</h3>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> observe. While understanding users is massive, understanding stakeholders, clients, bosses, etc is just as important.</p>— Ryan Rumsey (@ryanrumsey) <a href="https://twitter.com/ryanrumsey/statuses/448345250025975808">March 25, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> To not chase that dollar, let it chase you.</p>— Andre Jurgensen (@thejurgy) <a href="https://twitter.com/thejurgy/statuses/448205060116209664">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> learn how to learn and never stop doing it. Absolute #1 trait we need in employees.</p>— Matt Stauffer (@stauffermatt) <a href="https://twitter.com/stauffermatt/statuses/448233007405867008">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Always steer clear of buzzwords and aligning with trends</p>— Daniel T. Hall (@danielthall) <a href="https://twitter.com/danielthall/statuses/453265497304215553">April 7, 2014</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/samkap">@samkap</a> Feel free to share my observations from <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23DMIFuturED&src=hash">#DMIFuturED</a>: <a href="https://t.co/05Y8RqcvVb">https://t.co/05Y8RqcvVb</a> Points 4 & 5 particularly apply. cc <a href="https://twitter.com/DMIfeed">@DMIfeed</a></p>— Tom Berno (@tberno) <a href="https://twitter.com/tberno/statuses/448208012751028225">March 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
<p>I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who shared their feedback and advice with my students and me. Without people like them and their interest in making the design industry a better place, we’d all be lost.</p>
<p>I shared my advice in the <a href="https://samkapila.com/thoughts/the-hard-truth-about-soft-skills">last post</a>. What’s your advice?</p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Hard Truth about Soft Skills2014-04-20T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/04/20/the-hard-truth-about-soft-skills/<p>When young designers enter the workplace, they are expected to have hard and soft skills. The hard skills are the technical parts of being a designer; how to work between programs, save a file, mount projects, etc. Soft skills include how to apply for jobs, communicating with professionals and clients, how to explain concepts, etc. The spring semester ends this week, as does my Senior Portfolio Review course, which includes frequent discussions of those hard and soft skills. In the capstone class, students polish their portfolios for the intent of getting a design job and prepare themselves for the design industry. In addition, we've been discussing cover letters, interviews, and résumés as well. It’s not an easy class to take—or teach, for that matter.</p>
<p>As I look back at the past four months of the semester, and the years I’ve been teaching, I’ve realized that students are not learning as much as they should about soft skills, and it’s not an isolated to one program or one school. <em>Time</em> recently released an article confirming my suspicion, titled "The Real Reason New College Grads Can’t Get Hired". In the article, Martha C. White writes</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Overwhelmingly, [employers] want candidates who are team players, problem solvers and can plan, organize and prioritize their work. Technical and computer-related know-how placed much further down the list.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It seems a lot of these skills are missing in recent grads, both designers and non-designers. And White admits that these skills are hard to teach. I know many schools assign group projects, ask students to approach each project as a problem to solve, and try to keep them on task, so why are these some of the issues? I think a part of it is that there is lot more for present day students to think about. Is the etiquette of job seeking different, thanks to technology? Are we teaching it the right way for something we didn't experience the same way? Is the four-year system now too short for what students need to know? Are they taking useless classes or too many? Are teachers expecting each other or internships to teach it, while internships and entry-level jobs are expecting teachers to teach it? Are students of generation Y just lazy? Or overwhelmed? I ask myself a lot of these questions, and frankly, I’m not sure what the best solution is.</p>
<p>I can say or hope, though, that if we all did a bit to solve the problem, we actually could. Maybe, students could realize that schools/jobs aren't going to teach them everything and actively take control of their education in and out of the classroom. Perhaps, teachers need to spend a lot more time giving students "real world" projects and them holding them accountable for deadlines and outcomes. Professionals could get involved in the educational system so they actually get the type of designers they're trying to hire. When should soft skills start then? Earlier? High school? Middle? Or replace a trigonometry class freshman year? When would faculty make even more time above their grading? Professionals? All of this requires like more work and time and that’s where things seem to fall apart. Everyone is busy, including students. If I had to narrow down advice about soft skills, it would be the following:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Write</strong>. Form your own opinions on design. I once had 19 students all turn in the same list of “favorite website designs” because they all Googled the same link. If I wanted to find out what Smashing Magazine’s favorite designs were I would have Google the list myself rather than asking students to form their own opinions. The more you read the more you can form your own opinions about the field you chose to go into for the rest of your life.</li>
<li><strong>Read</strong>. It shocks me that so many students don’t understand the value of Twitter and reading design blogs. Again, this is an industry you chose to go into, why wouldn’t you want to know as much as you can about it? How do you expect to grow without reading? Education doesn’t end with a cap, gown, and piece of paper.</li>
<li><strong>If you don’t know the answer, look it up first</strong>. Teachers or bosses aren’t going to be around all the time to hand hold. Google it. Be resourceful and smart. You don’t have to always know the right answer, but know where to find it. This is one of the most valuable lessons I ever learned from my first boss. Saying, “I don’t know, but I can find it” is a great way to answer a question.</li>
<li><strong>Stop looking for the easy way out</strong>. Cut your teeth. Earn your stripes. Enjoy all the things you could learn about design and be a sponge, rather than a know-it-all. Earn your way before thinking you deserve it all.</li>
<li><strong>Admit your faults</strong>. Excuses waste everyone’s time. Admitting fault and finding a solution is a mature and efficient option.</li>
<li><strong>Be polite</strong>. Technology makes it seem like everyone and everything is available all the time. If you contact someone, don’t think that just because you have their email address, they owe you something. I see designers and devs do this all the time, and it’s not cool.</li>
</ol>
<p>At the end of the day, it comes down to effort from students, faculty, and professionals. I’d love to see this industry grow and nurture itself. If we all put in a bit of work we can get there.</p>
<p>Further reading: <a href="https://www.studentguidewebdesign.com/20-tips-on-preparing-for-a-career-in-design/">20 tips for preparing for a career in design</a></p>
Read More2014-04-16T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/04/16/read-more/<p>Grad school and writing a design thesis kicked my butt. There was so much reading and writing involved. I think I’m still recovering, almost 3 years later. I was mostly immersed in design books and didn’t have the time to read about anything else. After grad school, I didn’t try to avoid reading but I found myself just skimming through Twitter links and calling it a day. I hadn’t curled up with a book and a cat or two, in a really long time. Finally, last Fall, I decided that I need to get back into reading (especially non-design related topics). I signed up for <a href="https://www.audible.com/">Audible</a>, so I could listen to books on my long-ish commute, and feel like I was being productive. I also joined a book club with some lovely ladies. I’m knocking out about a book or two every month, but I’d like to read (and listen) even more.</p>
<p>Last Thursday, I asked Facebook and Twitter friends about audiobooks recommendations for too-short trip home involving babies, weddings, and condolences. I had 19 hours of flight and layover time on the way home and 14 on the way back. I had time to read...err...listen. I thought I’d share the list of what people shared because it’s a good list, and also I’d like to put in all in one place.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/The-Shoemakers-Wife-A-Novel/dp/B0095PE42Q/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397664682&sr=1-1&keywords=the+shoemakers+wife"><em>The Shoemaker’s Wife</em></a>, via @<a href="https://www.twitter.com/mandyrose77">mandyrose77</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bossypants/dp/B004V6APR2/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397664734&sr=1-1&keywords=bossypants"><em>Bossypants</em></a>, via @<a href="https://www.twitter.com/animalphase">animalphase</a> (listened to this already)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Go-the-F-k-to-Sleep/dp/B0055QAEVE/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1397665137"><em>Go the Fuck to Sleep</em></a>, via @<a href="https://www.twitter.com/animalphase">animalphase</a> (hilarious)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stories-Only-Tell-Friends-Autobiography/dp/1427212279/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_aud?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397665248&sr=1-1&keywords=stories+i+only+tell+my+friends"><em>Stories I Only Tell My Friends</em></a>, via @<a href="https://www.twitter.com/missambo">missambo</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Solaris-The-Definitive-Edition/dp/B0054N6KH0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397665283&sr=8-1&keywords=solaris+the+definitive+edition+-+stanislaw+lem+bill+johnston"><em>Solaris</em> (the definitive edition)</a>, via @<a href="https://www.twitter.com/jirisrey">jirisrey</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Black-Hole-Cosmic-Quandaries/dp/B000OV13QU/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_audd?ie=UTF8&qid=1397665341&sr=8-1&keywords=death+by+black+hole"><em>Death by Black Hole</em></a>, via @<a href="https://www.twitter.com/stephencaver">stephencaver</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/The-Power-Habit-What-Business/dp/B007EJSMC8/ref=tmm_aud_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1397665407&sr=8-1"><em>The Power of Habit</em></a>, via @<a href="https://www.twitter.com/stephencaver">stephencaver</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hitchhikers-Guide-Galaxy/dp/B0009JKV9W/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_audd?ie=UTF8&qid=1397665436&sr=8-1&keywords=hitchhikers+guide+to+the+galaxy"><em>Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy</em></a>, via @<a href="https://www.twitter.com/stephencaver">stephencaver</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Willpower-Rediscovering-Greatest-Human-Strength/dp/B005LEV22A/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_audd?ie=UTF8&qid=1397665481&sr=8-1&keywords=willpower+rediscovering+the+greatest+human+strength"><em>Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength</em></a>, via @<a href="https://www.twitter.com/stephencaver">stephencaver</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/GET-IN-THE-VAN-ROAD/dp/B000005DP1/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1"><em>Get in the Van</em></a>, via @<a href="https://www.twitter.com/esoelzer">esoelzer</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Zeitoun/dp/B002NGRUPM/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_audd?ie=UTF8&qid=1397665739&sr=8-1&keywords=zeitoun+audiobook"><em>Zeitoun</em></a>, via my friend Adam</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Unbroken-World-Survival-Resilience-Redemption/dp/B004CJN7TG/ref=tmm_aud_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1397665770"><em>Unbroken</em></a>, via Adam</li>
<li><a href="https://thehistoryofrome.typepad.com/"><em>History of Rome</em> Podcast</a>, via my coworker Ricky</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pretend-Never-Happened-Mostly-Memoir/dp/B007UWP66O/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_audd?ie=UTF8&qid=1397665846&sr=8-1&keywords=let%27s+pretend+this+never+happened"><em>Let’s Pretend This Never Happened</em></a>, via my friend Claire</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/I%C2%BFll-Never-This-World-Alive/dp/B0050J3AOE/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_audd?ie=UTF8&qid=1397666005&sr=8-1&keywords=I%E2%80%99ll+Never+Get+Out+of+This+World+Alive"><em>I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive</em></a>, via my friend Kiki</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ready-Player-One/dp/B005HG7BWC/ref=tmm_aud_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1397666037"><em>Ready Player One</em></a>, via Kiki</li>
</ul>
<p>In addition to this audiobook list, I do sometimes like to hold a book in my hands and smell the binding. I just ordered three actual books that I’m excited to get into.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316201642/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1"><em>S</em></a>, by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst, who happens to also teach at Texas State. I’m particularly excited about this book because of the work that went into filling it with notes, receipts, and such. It would be impossible to digitalize a book like this. And, if you know me, you know I love anything Abramsesque. (Check out the “look inside” photos). This book was recommended to me by my student <a href="https://www.twitter.com/zakerij">Zak</a>.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062315005/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1"><em>The Alchemist</em></a>, by Paul Coelho. This book was recommended to me 7+ years ago, and I never got around to it. During my layover in Dallas, on my way back to Austin, I found a 25th anniversary edition that had a embossed dust jacket and torn edges on the pages (meaning no guillotine cut, just naturally torn paper pulp… a weakness from my printmaking days).</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307455920/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1"><em>Americanah</em></a>, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, A best-seller fiction book recommended by follow book club member, <a href="https://twitter.com/spenceke">Katie</a>. This will be our May read.</li>
</ul>
<p>I am currently enjoying the eeriness of <em>Solaris</em>, and will probably go through the rest of the audiobooks while I drive to work, and start with <em>Americanah</em> once it arrives. I also added a “Currently Reading” section to my footer! What are you reading or listening to these days?</p>
Ellen Lupton on The Great Discontent2014-04-15T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/04/15/ellen-lupton-on-the-great-discontent/<p>I’m always delighted by <a href="https://thegreatdiscontent.com/">The Great Discontent</a>’s content and design and this week’s TGD post is no different. Ryan and Tina interviewed <a href="https://thegreatdiscontent.com/ellen-lupton">Ellen Lupton</a>, who—to me—is one of the leaders in design. Ellen Lupton is also the author of many of the first design texts I ever purchased, specifically <a href="https://www.thinkingwithtype.com/">Thinking With Type</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Design-Writing-Research-Ellen-Lupton/dp/0714838519/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1397572981&sr=8-7&keywords=ellen+lupton">Designing Writing Research</a>. I appreciate how she has been a bridge between design academia and the industry. Connecting the industry and academia is a huge issue that I deal with everyday, and I’ve strived to bridge the gap between the two as much as she does. I enjoyed reading this TGD post, and thought I’d share my favorite quotes and my thoughts on them.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“It was in college when I realized that graphic design was all about writing—that was an unbelievable discovery for me. I had always viewed writing and art as two separate things…”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Schools need to make writing a larger part of the design curriculum. Design is a language just as much as English, Spanish, or Esperanto. It just happens to be a visual one, but still cultural and historical as any other. Students may have the ability to design something, but aren't able to express their ideas to each other or to potential clients.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“You have to be prepared to give creative work 150%. I hear a lot of young people talking about life/work balance, which I think is great when you’re in your 30s. If you’re in your 20s and already talking about that, I don’t think you will achieve your goals. If you really want to build a powerful career, and make an impact, then you have to be prepared to put in blood, sweat, and tears.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Time management is another huge issue for student designers. They aren't able to figure it out. Procrastination is everywhere. Some say it’s a generation thing, while others say that life is different now. Either way, we ALL need to adapt. To start, teachers need to teach accountability. Why are we giving students deadline extensions? Why are we allowing students to think it is okay to send their professor a casual e-mail about how they don’t like their grade? And why are we allowing students to skip one class to work on the projects for another? They can design, but they can’t complete the tasks at hand, or stop making excuses if we don't hold them accountable for it. I’m working on a talk/post about this.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I think that’s why I do the things I do; they are outward and public. Teaching is very much a giving profession, and I put a lot of mental energy and time into it. Time is all we really have, and teachers give their time to others. The other things I do—writing, lecturing, and curating—are about sharing something of value.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I just like this as a definition of teaching.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Sharing is the whole point of doing creative work. I love being part of a museum and college community; I like doing lectures and being an author because I have readers and the general public to respond to. In return, I also share other people’s work, read their writing, and go to their lectures and exhibitions. Taking part in the community is important.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I’ve been just as guilty as many about sharing my work and my thoughts. I had to force myself to put a blog back up and send my first draft of an article to a magazine editor. I had make a pact with two other designers about putting ourselves out there (so far, so good). Students don’t share their work because they're scared of rejection or judgment. We all are, but how are we supposed to get better if no one judges us? Ellen is right, sharing is the point. Expecting it to have a goal, perhaps, is the problem. Share it for yourself or for someone else. It doesn't matter. Just share it.</p>
Announcing the GoodStuff Network2014-04-08T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/04/08/announcing-the-goodstuff-network/<p>It’s here, it’s here! The <a href="https://goodstuff.fm/">GoodStuff Network</a> is officially launching today! The network is run by <a href="https://twitter.com/iChris">Chris Enns</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/ttimsmith">Tim Smith</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/avclark">Adam Clark</a>. One of the shows I co-host—<a href="https://goodstuff.fm/nbsp">the Non-Breaking Web Show</a> (with Chris Enns and <a href="https://www.twitter.com/teleject">Chris Schmitt</a>)—moved over to the network, and I joined a new daily show called <a href="https://goodstuff.fm/transmission">Transmission</a> as a design correspondent (on Wednesdays). NBSP should get back to it’s regular schedule soon, but we have our last 2013 episodes with <a href="https://goodstuff.fm/nbsp/45">Dave Rupert</a>, <a href="https://goodstuff.fm/nbsp/46">Jen Simmons</a> and <a href="https://goodstuff.fm/nbsp/47">Steve Fisher</a> posted.</p>
<p>The network will be LIVE all day so <a href="https://goodstuff.fm/live">tune in</a> for free giveaways and network chatter starting at 9am CDT!</p>
Mad Marchness2014-04-06T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/04/06/mad-marchness/<p>As I suspected, March came and went. Since I moved to Texas six years ago, it has been this way, usually because of SXSW. This year was no different. I want to recap things quickly, so I have them recorded (for myself), and also to make myself feel a bit guilty that I haven't been writing.</p>
<p><strong>FU Weekend</strong>: <a href="https://www.fuweekend.com/">FU Weekend</a> was awesome. I loved getting to see some of my favorite Austin designers as well as meet new and interesting writers, developers, and designers from other places. I worked on giving this site a bit of a face-lift. Everything is YELLOW! Since then I’ve also added another section to the site, a contact form, coded by <a href="https://www.typeform.com/">TypeForm</a>, and cleaned up some code. Finally, I just installed and customized <a href="https://www.getkirby.com/">Kirby</a>’s amazing and oh-so-customizable CMS panel, and used it to write this post.</p>
<p><strong>Colorado</strong>: I took a trip to Colorado with college friends instead of going to SXSW Interactive. I skied for the first time and got stuck in a storm with over 14-inches of snow, and it was a blast.</p>
<p><strong>SXSW</strong>: I came back just in time for SXSW Music. I saw a few bands which mostly friends' bands. I got to hear Warpaint play my FAVORITE song of their’s and got to meet the folks of Kuenta i Tambu, a band from my hometown, who I had never met before. Here are samples below!</p>
<iframe src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Atrack%3A0h4NqG84TvuSJZ5Q0gJCIY" width="300" height="380" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe>
<p><strong>Hackathon</strong>: My coworker <a href="https://www.twitter.com/grayscaletx">Grayson Lawrence</a> hosted an awesome hackathon between the Communication Design majors and Computer Science majors. It was a fun weekend event with a lot of learning and collaboration. Student groups of 4-5 designers and developers created mobile games using any technology they wanted, such as Unity, XCode, PhoneGap, InVision, and Creative Suite. Folks from IBM Design, USAA, and Mutual Mobile came and judged the work. The weekend was a success, mostly because the students learned to work with each other rather than getting into the designer-versus-developer battle our industry has faced for many years. Here’s to more learning opportunities like this!</p>
<p><strong>Transmission</strong>: I am joining <a href="https://www.goodstuff.fm/">GoodStuffFM</a>’s new daily show, <a href="https://www.goodstuff.fm/transmission">Transmission</a>, as a weekly design correspondent. The host of the show is <a href="https://www.twitter.com/kyleroderick">Kyle Roderick</a>, who is awesome! It’s live on Wednesdays, at 9am CDT and posted online soon after. I’ll have a longer post with more info on this soon.</p>
<p>I think this covers all of the March Madness! More soon!</p>
Code Day Austin2014-02-21T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/02/21/code-day-austin/<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/codedayaustin.jpg" alt="awards at codeday">
<p>This past weekend I stopped <a href="https://feb.2014.austin.codeday.org/">Code Day Austin</a> at HubAustin. My friend and bro-host, <a href="https://www.twitter.com/alwaysunday">Andy</a> joined two other Austin folks to judge the work that about 20 middle and high school students created on over the weekend.</p>
<p>When we walked, the coders had been awake for 24 hours straight and the room was filled empty pizza boxes, half eaten donuts, and empty energy drink cans. All the coders were in high spirits though!</p>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/codedayawards.jpg" alt="awards at codeday">
<p>There were 5 awards in total: Top overall, top app, top game, most promising, and most fun. I’m so impressed with all the work, especially team "Track This Element" who took home the top prize for a awesome Google Chrome plug-in. I can't wait for these coders to get out into the tech world. I can see already that high school they've outgrown high school!</p>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/codedaydudes.jpg" alt="awards at codeday">
<p>A huge thanks to <a href="https://simplyluke.com/">Luke Wright</a> and <a href="https://casesandberg.com/">Casey Sandberg</a> for putting together such a successful event.</p>
Daniel Mall, on getting the work you want.2014-02-11T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/02/11/daniel-mall-on-getting-the-work-you-want./<p>In early January, designer Daniel Mall wrote about <a href="https://danielmall.com/articles/how-to-get-the-work-you-want/">tips for getting the work you want</a>. The first tip is to “make your own work”. I think this is especially important for students who want to stand out amongst their peers. I have a student right now who wants to design for the San Antonio Spurs and we’re creating sports-themed projects in her portfolio class. We customized it to focus on her strengths and interests, so the project is unique to her dream job, and aligns her to the job she wants.<br>
The second tip is to “contribute to the conversations you want to be part of”. I could not agree with Daniel more on this. We are visual communicators, yet we don’t always focus on our communication. My own reasons for getting involved in the conversation include wanting to get back into web design after only casually being curious about it during the days of Geocities and Angelfire. I was able to ask people questions, share resources, and re-teach/update myself what I used to know thanks to volunteering at conferences and signing up for Twitter. Even the curriculum that I have built for RWD has benefited and grown from those conversations.<br>
Side projects and conversations are good that way, and there is no waiting for someone else to assign it to you. It gives the people who look at your portfolio or Twitter feed a sense of who you are! Pick something that interests you or a problem you want to solve, and do it or talk about it. The freedom of not having a creative brief can be an interesting journey and challenge at the same time. Same goes with the conversations that you join. They make the design experience unique and interesting. Still, Daniel is a much better writer than me, so read his <a href="https://danielmall.com/articles/how-to-get-the-work-you-want/">article</a>.</p>
ConvergeSE speakers announced2014-01-24T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/01/24/convergese-speakers-announced/<p>Last October, I had the opportunity to attend <a href="https://www.convergefl.com/">ConvergeFL</a> in Jacksonville, Florida. The whole experience was great and the speakers, who ranged from web designers, app designer, musicians, and others, taught me a lot. It was nice to be at a conference that was a good size, where people really got to know each other. I even got to catch up with friends from college and eat some of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I’ve ever had from a food truck outside a craft brewery (more on that in my <a href="https://www.samkapila.com/thoughts/converge-fl-2013">ConvergeFL post</a>).<br>
Now, I’m excited to announce that this year, I will be one of the keynote speakers at <a href="https://convergese.com/">ConvergeSE</a> in Columbia, South Carolina! I will be a keynote speaker early Saturday morning and I will talk about the state of web education. If you would like to attend, you can <a href="https://account.unmatchedstyle.com/register/convergese-2014/">register</a> for the 3 day conference and workshops (May 1st to 3rd) or find out more about the <a href="https://convergese.com/speakers.php">programming</a>. Hope to see you there!</p>
Lorne Michaels on if we’re in the right room2014-01-13T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2014/01/13/lorne-michaels-on-if-we're-in-the-right-room/<p>People filed back into the room. It was March 2012, and everyone sat back down and opened their minds up, ready to sponge up everything the next speaker tried to say. He looked like Jack Nicholson. He wore a black sweater and jeans. He nudged his glasses back up and the lights dimmed. Everything he said struck a chord. It had been a rough couple of months, and hearing sound advice from a complete stranger (at that point) was what I needed to hear. <a href="https://www.ericbakerdesign.net/">Eric Baker</a> is a designer, but he didn't really give me or anyone that much design advice. That’s not why he was there. He came so he could light a fire under everyone’s ass, and have them flip their thinking completely. He curated the entire list of speakers who spoke at <a href="https://www.creativesummit.com/summit-26-photos.html">Creative Summit</a>, and each one, like him, were humble and brutally honest. He said a lot of great things, and he also quoted Lorne Michaels, of Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock fame. That quote stuck with me, so I went home, and looked up the podcast episode that it originated from. Here’s that episode, an episode of Michaels being interviewed by Alec Baldwin on WNYC’s <a href="https://www.wnyc.org/story/182698-lorne-michaels/">Here’s the Thing</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If you look around the room and you’re the smartest person in the room, then you’re in the wrong room.</p>
</blockquote>
<iframe style="width:474px; height:54px; margin: 0 auto;" width="474" height="54" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="https://www.wnyc.org/widgets/ondemand_player/#file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wnyc.org%2Faudio%2Fxspf%2F182698%2F;containerClass=wnyc"></iframe>
Jack White on inspiration and work ethic2013-11-25T16:02:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2013/11/25/jack-white-on-inspiration-and-work-ethic/<p>We spend hours or days planning what our desks or studios will look like so we feel creative in them, but Jack White touches on a mental space or mind set that helps with creativity. I particularly like the part where creativity and work ethic go hand in hand. I think work ethic allows us to explore new techniques or tools, expanding our skill set and hopefully (usually) making us more creative.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Inspiration and work ethic... they ride next to each other.... Not everyday in your life you're going to wake up, and the clouds are gonna part and the rays from heaven are going to come down and you're going to write a song from it. Sometimes you just get in there and force yourself to work and something good will come out of it.</p>
</blockquote>
<div class="full">
<iframe width="740" height="550" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MckHLBWuz7E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
Draplin / Field Notes in Austin2013-09-28T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2013/09/28/draplin-field-notes-in-austin/<p>Aaron Draplin, of <a href="https://www.draplin.com/2013/09/tonight_austin_1.html">DDC</a>, came to McGarrah Jessee to hold a Field Notes workshop and <a href="https://www.aigaaustin.org/" target="blank">AIGA Austin</a> lecture about his work. Aaron is a kind and gentle soul as a teacher and speaker. He loves his family very much, and values the work he does and the people around him. And he’s fucking hilarious.<br>
Here is some evidence of a day with Draplin:<br></p>
<iframe class="vine-embed" src="https://vine.co/v/h6HjvUB9gVV/embed/simple" width="700" height="700" frameborder="0"></iframe><script async="" src="https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Five Lessons from the RWD Classroom2013-09-20T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2013/09/20/five-lessons-from-the-rwd-classroom/<p>I’ve taught Responsive Web Design (RWD) at a large state university just outside Austin, Texas, for the past two years to almost 200 design students. With support from my colleagues and a handful of designers and agencies in Austin providing priceless input, writing the curriculum for the course was exciting, but not easy. I wanted to make sure that I had a solid curriculum in place that, like its subject matter, could be fluid and iteratively developed to reflect the industry’s needs. I also wanted to have a component where students meet professionals and participate in internships so a big part of the course work includes opportunities to learn from and work with industry professionals in Austin and beyond. Our program also has a modest device lab that fits perfectly into a custom-built briefcase. All these elements together provide what I think is a real-world experience for my students—and I want to keep taking it further.</p>
<p>I always expected that RWD would add to the students’ toolkits, but I never expected that it would entirely shift their way of thinking, or even my own. I’ve realized I’m not just teaching RWD, specifically, but that by teaching responsive design, I’m teaching the following key principles of design as a whole:</p>
<h3>1. Be Flexible and Adapt</h3>
<p>At a recent talk at the university, Happy Cog designers Sophie Shepherd and Kevin Sharon, shared my favorite answer to every question asked about web design: “It depends”. Responsive Web Design focuses on being flexible and adapting (although, there is a lot more to it than just that). What works for one responsive site may not work for another. Each problem requires a different process that must be tailored reach the best design solution. For some designers that process includes creating Photoshop or Keynote comps, or using <a href="https://www.styletil.es/">StyleTiles</a> or <a href="https://danielmall.com/articles/rif-element-collages/">Element Collages</a>, or designing in the browser. Each project or client may need one process over the other. Be open to any of them, or make your own process. Follow what makes sense for the task at hand, rather than a trend that you see is out there.</p>
<h3>2. Plan better, plan first</h3>
<p>Coding may seem like the hardest part of RWD, but it isn’t. Strategy (be it design, content, or technological) is much harder. Luckily, Jesse James Garrett’s <a href="https://www.adaptivepath.com/ideas/nine-pillars-of-successful-web-teams">9 Pillars of Successful Web Teams</a> is a great starting point on planning out the process. By planning out the process first—where design, technology, content, and testing are all factors—it makes it easier to see the big picture. Designers usually visualize the outcome, but can benefit greatly from visualizing the steps and time it takes to reach their goals. Writing out the goals is extremely valuable, as well. Students write proposals for each project that includes the problem, how they intend to solve it, what technology they anticipate using, who their audience is, and who the competition is. Then, if they ever reach a roadblock or a moment of indecision, they look back at their proposals, realign and get back on track, or on a newer, better track. Design the process, then design.</p>
<h3>3. Expand your Audience</h3>
<p>In the first semester of the course, we designed just for iPhones and iPads, because we are a predominantly Apple device program. Then Android. Then Samsung Galaxies, and now even Kindles. We used what we had. Once we received funding for our mini device lab, the flood gates opened, as they should have. We stopped making media queries for devices, and made them for design/grid changes when needed. Expanding our device lab expanded our audience, and our understanding of that audience and their experience. Now, students think beyond what their experience is and what they know, put themselves in someone else’s shoes, and make better work that goes beyond just the visuals. Step outside of your office, away from your desk, and wear a different <a href="https://www.debonogroup.com/six_thinking_hats.php">thinking cap</a>. And, if you don’t have access to a device lab, do what my students do: go to a local electronics store and test your sites on display devices.</p>
<h3>4. Get feedback</h3>
<p>Having 20 or so students per class—who can open each others’ sites wherever and whenever they want—means there is a lot of feedback to share. Sometimes, the feedback comes from testing the site in a mobile device lab; other times it comes from users or audience and what they see or need. Either way, the students need to be open to it. A responsive site can’t work without feedback. Feedback is just as important in the design process as the actual design itself. Feedback comes from devices, peers, and even self-critique. Do not avoid it or be afraid of it—embrace it. Think of feedback as free precious knowledge that will help you to grow as a designer.</p>
<h3>5. Learn & Unlearn</h3>
<p>Design is an evolving process and technique. What a designer learned in 2007 (pre-iPhone), isn’t what a designer needs to know now. It’s a constant process of learning and unlearning. During conversation on Twitter how students and new web designers embrace responsive design, Trent Walton said, “Every 3 years or so, I’ve had to get in the habit of forcing myself to unlearn and rethink.” I completely agree. This is something we will get used to, if we haven’t already. Schools will adapt, clients and businesses will too. With software, devices, and capabilities changing so rapidly, the only constant will be change. We’re all learning, we’re all changing, and we’re all being responsive. The truth is, we’re all students, and that’s the only constant.</p>
<p>
<span class="caption">I originally wrote this article for .net Magazine in July 2013. In September, the magazine migrated over to Creative Bloq, and the piece has not transitioned over yet. So, I thought I should post it on my own blog, which doesn't seem like a bad idea anyways.</span></p>
Students on Critiquing2013-09-18T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2013/09/18/students-on-critiquing/<p>Over two years ago, I wrote developed the new curriculum for my department’s ARTC4308 course. Interactive II covers advanced topics in web design including web typography, Responsive Web Design, and an intro to CMSs, as well as introducing students to the professional practices involved with designing, coding, and presenting websites. To kick off the course, every semester, students read Cassie McDaniel’s article [Design Criticism and the Creative Process][1] as the first reading/response assignment. This fall semester is no different. Last week, I assigned it, as usual, and sent students on their way to a long Labor Day weekend. While I’m always impressed with the responses, I thought I would share some of the responses made by students this semester that really stood out.</p>
<h3 id="kristin-n">Kristin N</h3>
<p>I think this article could easily have been titled "How to Critique Without Unintentionally Being a Jerk," because though a lot of what Cassie McDaniels says in this article seems like common sense, it’s said in a very straight forward way that I hadn't thought of before...I think a lot of us see starting over as some sort of failure, and a frustration that isn't worth scratching the first try for. But more often than not the second go around will be much more in line with your initial goals because you will have already done it the wrong way once, and won't make those mistakes twice.</p>
<h3 id="luis-p">Luis P</h3>
<p>After reading this article I feel as if I have a better understanding of how to behave in a critique. I’ve never really seen critiques as a team effort. In my experience, I’ve always compared it to an execution by firing squad. It’s just you and your work alone. Frozen like a petrified corpse in front of a bleak beige wall, facing a line of people waiting for your last words. After the presentation, you close your eyes, hold your breath, tense up your muscles and hope you come out alive from the barrage of comments that follow...One of the suggestions that I really enjoyed from Cassie McDaniel’s article was that a critique that means to help must have the fluidity of a conversation. I think this is a very simple idea that really makes the critique process less like a firing squad and more like a junction where ideas and people can be heard. I’ve been in critiques were peers fire off suggestions, changes, or criticism without a sound purpose. I understand that participation is key in helping each other while developing our own understanding of design principles and concepts. But when it gets to throwing disparate things into a critique just to get a grade, design suffers and frustration ensue.</p>
<p class="caption">
It makes me really happy to see thoughtful and well-written reflection on critiquing. It helps me be a better teacher.</p>
[1]: https://alistapart.com/article/design-criticism-creative-process
Converge Florida 20132013-09-09T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2013/09/09/converge-florida-2013/<p>This week, I took a trip to Florida to attend <a href="https://convergefl.com/">ConvergeFL</a> and see old college buddies. Converge was amazing and I’m so glad <a href="https://twitter.com/carlsmith">Carl</a> asked me to attend. I learned so much, just like I did at <a href="https://artifactconf.com/">Artifact</a>. I think the reason that is, is because conferences that run one or two tracks and allow attendees to stay in one or few rooms rather than run around the whole city are better for the attendees. A lot of those larger conferences say that because they are larger, people are exposed to more different views, but both ConvergeFL and Artifact have proved that its about maintaining the content, no matter what the scale is. <a href="https://www.unmatchedstyle.com/">UnMatchedStyle</a> brought in TV app designers and a musician who built his own instruments implementing technology to create new sounds <a href="https://www.moldover.com/">Moldover</a>. They had some folks show code, while others spoke on leadership. I collected <a href="https://www.storify.com/samkap">stories</a> the first day, and just took notes for myself on the second. I’ve been to Jacksonville quite a bit for Florida-Georgia football games, and it was nice to enjoy the city as a designer and not a Florida Gator. Jacksonville is buzzing with a new energy I have never seen there before and the designers there are putting Jacksonville on the design map for the rest of the world to see. Also, they have a <a href="https://twitter.com/HappyGrilledChs">food truck with amazing grilled cheese sandwiches</a> and a beautiful <a href="https://aardwolfbeer.com/">craft brewery</a>.</p>
In the Pursuit of Appiness2013-07-20T16:02:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2013/07/20/in-the-pursuit-of-appiness/<p>For some reason, this morning I decided to wake up an hour before my alarm clock went off, make a cup of coffee, and read some of my "read later" bookmarks. This was an attempt to start my morning on a calm note, rather than my super efficient, <em>Im-Going-To-Be-Late-But-I-Still-Need-Coffee-First</em> routine. The coffee was new ([Cuvee’s Kumurembe][1]) and, as the cats huddled around me, I read a post about happiness on [Medium][2]. [Erin Frey][3], a community director for [LiftApp][4], wrote about [10 Habits of Happiness][5]. Not only was this an enjoyable post, it also inspired me to write about what apps or services improve my life. I should preface this list, by saying that I use [Google Chrome][6] more than any other browser installed on my computer or phone, both Apple devices. So, while it seems that many are only supported by Google Chrome, most of these have separate apps or services available. Now that that’s out of the way, here’s a list or two:</p>
<h3 id="apps-i-always-need">Apps I Always Need</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>[Silverbird][7]</strong> : A Google Chrome Extension for Twitter notifications. It’s nice to log out of the Twitter site and ignore/stop checking the timeline every 15 minutes.</li>
<li><strong>[Fantastical][8]</strong> : Desktop and iOS app recommended by <em>[Andy Clarke][9]</em> along with some other great apps. It’s exactly what it sounds like, a fantastic calendar. I use the desktop app, I have yet to use the iOS version. I specifically love that if I get an email, I can highlight the important stuff, right click, and "send to Fantastical", and it builds an event based on the info saved.</li>
<li><strong>[<a href="http://any.do/">Any.Do</a>][10]</strong>: iOS, Chrome Extension for <a href="http://any.do/">Any.Do</a>, plus iOS sister app <em>[Cal][11]</em> together, for task management. It’s encouraging when things are crossed of the list, intuitive, and beautiful. It’s zen-like design is a lot less daunting than Apple’s current notebook paper Reminders app, and they had syncing options before Reminders existed. Like Fantastical, it shows tasks within your schedule and you can use the Gmail or desktop plug-in that lets you right click and add to the App. My other favorite feature, when the app displays how much free time you have between events, so you can gauge what to do with that time, if anything. It’s still new, so there are some kinks, specifically in specifying event location.</li>
<li><strong>[Alfred][12]</strong> : Desktop App. Thanks, to my [ATX Web Show co-host][13], [Travis][14], this is my new favorite desktop app. Alfred has replaced Apple’s Spotlight, which I used religiously until I met Alfred. It does everything spotlight does (search, open programs, calculate, etc), but also can search Google, Wikipedia, and Amazon, and <a href="https://www.alfredapp.com/#features" target="_blank">a LOT of other wonderful things</a>. And that’s just the free version.<br>
What apps or services do you use? Let me know on [twitter][15]!</li>
</ul>
<p class="caption">
As I collected links for this post, I looked up Erin’s Medium page, and found she has a lot more articles related to happiness, productivity, and more. <a href="https://medium.com/@erinfrey" target="_blank">Check it out</a>.
</p>
[1]: https://cuveecoffee.com/shop/kenya-kumurembe-sl28-2/
[2]: https://medium.com/
[3]: https://medium.com/@erinfrey
[4]: https://www.liftapp.com
[5]: https://medium.com/lift-research/2d713430397a
[6]: https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/
[7]: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/silver-bird/encaiiljifbdbjlphpgpiimidegddhic
[8]: https://flexibits.com/fantastical
[9]: https://twitter.com/Malarkey/status/249139894839021568
[10]: https://www.any.do/anydo
[11]: https://www.any.do/cal
[12]: https://www.alfredapp.com/
[13]: https://www.atxwebshow.com
[14]: https://www.twitter.com/tswicegood
[15]: https://www.twitter.com/samkap
5 Lessons from a RWD Classroom2013-07-19T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2013/07/19/5-lessons-from-a-rwd-classroom/<p>I wrote an article for .net Magazine about 5 lessons learned in a Responsive Web Design classroom, that go beyond technical processes in RWD. This was my first published article and it was fun to write. <a href="https://www.netmagazine.com/opinions/5-lessons-responsive-web-design-classroom" target="_blank">Check it out</a>!</p>
<blockquote>
<p>What works for one responsive site may not work for another. Each problem requires a different process that must be tailored to reach the best design solution.<br>
Thank you to Oliver, Carl, and Dee for their support during this first post!</p>
</blockquote>
Web Leadership Day2013-06-22T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2013/06/22/web-leadership-day/<p>Below is the video of the panel I moderated during Web Leadership Day. The panel, titled “RWD vs Native Apps”, included Sophie Shepherd, Happy Cog; Phil Coffman, Element Group; and Anthony Armendariz, FunSize Co. Thanks to Cecy Correa for inviting us!</p>
<div class="full">
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Huge podcasting news!2013-06-18T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2013/06/18/huge-podcasting-news!/<p>I am beyond excited to announce that I’m joining the ATX Web Show AND Non-breaking Space Show as a co-host. I’ll be joining Dave Rupert, Travis Swicegood, and Andy Keil on a regular basis to discuss Austin’s web news, developments, etc. on the ATX Web Show. I’ll be joining Christopher Schmitt and Chris Enns to interview web folks on NBSP! First hosting gigs on each show:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://atxwebshow.com/2013/06/18/episode-65-hackathon-catchupisode/">ATX Web Show — #65</a></li>
<li><a href="https://nonbreakingspace.tv/rachel-nabors/">NBSP interviews Rachel Nabors</a></li>
</ul>
ATX Web Show2013-05-16T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2013/05/16/atx-web-show/<p>Travis Swicegood, of the ATX Web Show sat down with me at the Gingerman in downtown Austin and interviewed me for the show. We talked about what it’s like to teach responsive web design, Creative Cloud and more. <a href="https://atxwebshow.com/2013/05/16/64-with-sam-kapila/">Check it out.</a>!</p>
The East Wing2013-04-24T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2013/04/24/the-east-wing/<p>Tim Smith, the host of The East Wing, interviewed me for his podcast. This is my first podcast interview and Tim was awesome to talk to. We spoke about design and education, but what stood out to me the most was how great of a host Tim is. He makes the interviewee very comfortable, he’s well-spoken, and all around a great guy! Check out <a href="https://5by5.tv/eastwing/52">the podcast</a>!</p>
Happy Cog Lecture at Texas State University2013-03-11T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2013/03/11/happy-cog-lecture-at-texas-state-university/<p>On March 26, come see <a href="https://www.twitter.com/kevinsharon" target="_blank">Kevin Sharon</a> and <a href="https://www.twitter.com/sophshepherd" target="_blank">Sophie Shepherd</a> from <a href="https://happycog.com/" target="_blank">Happy Cog</a> speak to Texas State students about the responsive web design process in a lecture titled: "A New Toolbox: Secrets from Happy Cog". It will be held in room 2121 of the Joann Mitte Building at Texas State University-San Marcos at 7pm and is open to the public. We're so excited!</p>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/happycogtxst-fbcoverphoto.png" alt="happy cog lecture poster">
Happy New Reads!2013-01-06T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2013/01/06/happy-new-reads!/<p>I’ll be honest. I started this post over the thanksgiving break and left it in draft mode. You've probably read some of these, but in case you haven't, here are some things to read and listen to as you get back into the swing of things this new year. These recs are mostly about about the future of the web and a few others that have just been of interesting to learn about (hint: foxes!).</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://frankchimero.com/what-screens-want/">What the Screen Wants</a> by Frank Chimero</li>
<li><a href="https://markboulton.co.uk/journal/thelull">The Lull</a> by Mark Boulton</li>
<li><a href="https://nonbreakingspace.tv/jeremy-keith/">Non-breaking Space Show</a> with Jeremy Keith (one of my favorite conversations, ever)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2014/01/03/259136596/youre-invisible-but-ill-eat-you-anyway-secrets-of-snow-diving-foxes">Secrets of Snow-diving Foxes</a> by NPR’s Robert Krulwich</li>
<li><a href="https://the-pastry-box-project.net/stacey-mulcahy/2014-January-1">A New Year</a> by Stacey Mulcahy<br>
Happy New Year!</li>
</ol>
A Day at 5by5!2012-11-24T01:26:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2012/11/24/a-day-at-5by5!/<p>Today, I got to stand in for the wonderful <a title="Haddie Cooke" href="https://www.twitter.com/haddiebird" target="_blank">Haddie Cooke</a> and guest-host <a href="https://www.5by5.tv/" target="_blank">5by5</a>’s daily podcast, <a href="https://5by5.tv/frequency/27" target="_blank">The Frequency</a>, with 5by5’s mastermind, <a href="https://www.twitter.com/danbenjamin" target="_blank">Dan Benjamin</a>. It was so much fun, and I was incredibly scared of the microphone. Dan and I talked about weird news, tech news, responsive web design, and "The Incident". <a href="https://5by5.tv/frequency/27" target="_blank">Check it out</a>. And if you're <em>still</em> not sick of hearing my voice, there’s also a quick <a href="https://5by5.tv/afterdark/280" target="_blank">After Dark</a>, where we discussed food.</p>
Paravel Lecture at Texas State University2012-11-08T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2012/11/08/paravel-lecture-at-texas-state-university/<p>Today, the three Texans behind <a href="https://www.paravelinc.com/">Paravel Inc</a> stopped by Texas State’s Art & Design Program to talk to our Communication Design students and the general public about their history, their process, and responsive web design. I’ve been excited for so long to have them come in and speak. Students have been reading Trent’s <a href="https://www.trentwalton.com/">blog</a> for class assignments, using Dave’s <a href="https://github.com/davatron5000">codes</a>, and stealing Reagan’s <a href="https://reaganray.com/">illustrations</a> for their FB and Twitter cover photos.<br>
I collected a set of tweets from the event <a href="https://storify.com/samkap/paravel-lecture-texas-state-university" target="_blank">here</a>. Trent Walton wrote a note about it <a href="https://trentwalton.com/2012/11/08/thank-you-texas-state/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/paravel.jpg" alt="the paravel guys at texas state"></p>
Design 1-Up, A Panel at Mass Comm Week2012-11-03T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2012/11/03/design-1-up-a-panel-at-mass-comm-week/<p>I was recently invited by Professor Cindy Royal, from Texas State University’s Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, to moderate a panel at Mass Communication Week. I invited two extremely talented and experienced friends to be a part of the panel, Anthony Armendariz and Courtney Buie.<br>
The panel was on Halloween and we really enjoyed it and were asked some great questions by students.<br>
You can watch the whole panel called <a href="https://www.txstatemcweek.com/2012/10/video-design-1-up.html" target="_blank">Design 1-Up</a> and follow along with our topics on our <a href="https://www.samkapila.com/sharing/mcweek/" target="_blank">panel notes</a> that include links to more details about what we discussed!</p>
<p></p><iframe width="1120" height="662" src="https://www.ustream.tv/embed/recorded/26581450?ub=ff3d23&lc=ff3d23&oc=ffffff&uc=ffffff&v=3&wmode=direct" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border: 0px none transparent;"> </iframe>
Paravel Inc is coming to Texas State!2012-10-29T00:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2012/10/29/paravel-inc-is-coming-to-texas-state!/<p>I’m so excited to announce that on November 7th, at 7pm, <a href="https://www.twitter.com/trentwalton">Trent Walton</a>, <a href="https://www.twitter.com/davatron5000">Dave Rupert</a>, and <a href="https://www.twitter.com/raygunray">Reagan Ray</a> of <a href="https://www.paravelinc.com/">Paravel Inc</a>, an Austin-based interactive shop, will be dropping by Texas State to discuss Responsive Web Design and their latest projects such as the new RWD homepage for <a href="<a href="https://www.microsoft.com/">https://www.microsoft.com</a>>Microsoft. Leading the wave of mobile-friendly and Responsive Web Design, they worked on initiatives such as <a href="https://lostworldsfairs.com/">Lost World Type</a>, <a href="https://heroesoftexas.com/">Heroes of Texas</a>, <a href="https://atxwebshow.com/">ATX Web Show Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://www.dolectures.com/">DoLectures</a>, and organize <a href="https://www.twitter.com/atxdribbble">Dribbble.com meet ups</a> for the city of Austin.</p>
<p>Most recently, they redesigned <a href="https://microsoft.com/">Microsoft.com</a>. They have contributed chapters to design publications such as <a href="https://samkapila.com/2012/10/29/paravel-inc-is-coming-to-texas-state!/shop.viewportindustries.com/products/insites-the-book">Insites: The Book</a>, <a href="https://samkapila.com/2012/10/29/paravel-inc-is-coming-to-texas-state!/alwaysreadthemanual.com">The Manual</a> (book series), <a href="https://www.8faces.com/">8Faces Magazine</a>, and <a href="https://www.alistapart.com/articles/mo-pixels-mo-problems/">A List Apart</a>. They created collections of <a href="https://fitvidsjs.com/">helpful RWD codes</a> now used by our students and industry designers as the industry standard.</p>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/paraveltxst-socialmedia.jpg" alt="poster for paravel lecture" style="max-width: 1024px; margin: 0 auto;">
<p>I am so excited to have them visit and talk to our students. The lecture is open to public! Hope you can make it!</p>
Poster for Tomorrow Announcement2012-10-18T01:23:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2012/10/18/poster-for-tomorrow-announcement/<p>Four students from my summer ARTC4313H Poster Design course have work that has been shortlisted in the International competition and traveling exhibition, <a href="https://www.posterfortomorrow.org/pages/view/2012_shortlisted_poster_designers">PosterForTomorrow</a>. The students are Zachary Colquitt, Stephanie Triplett, Mark Fallis, and Kristin Sikes. On December 10th, we will find out which pieces got in (since they submitted multiple pieces). The competition had about 3000 entries, of which roughly 70 came from the students in the summer class.</p>
<p>I had the pleasure of submitting and having <a href="https://www.posterfortomorrow.org/en/u/1852">work recognized</a> by the show a few years ago when I was a grad student, and this is just such a great cause that I truly stand behind.</p>
PosterForTomorrow Results Announced2012-10-12T18:00:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2012/10/12/posterfortomorrow-results-announced/<p>After waiting for months to hear results, we just found today that posters by my Summer 2012 Poster class students, Zachary Colquitt and Stephanie Triplett, were shortlisted by <a href="https://www.posterfortomorrow.org/en/gallery/competitions/gender-equality-now">PosterForTomorrow</a>. Their posters will exhibit in 24 countries all over the world to raise awareness for gender equality. Below is Zac’s poster.</p>
<img src="https://samkapila.com/static/img/posts/zacposter.jpg" alt="Student’s Poster that was shortlisted for the competition">
Mass Communication Week 20122012-10-11T20:21:00Zhttps://samkapila.com/2012/10/11/mass-communication-week-2012/<p>I am excited to announce that I will be speaking at Texas State University-San Marcos’s <a href="https://www.txstatemcweek.com/p/schedule.html">Mass Communication Week 2012</a>. More soon!</p>