A Better Way

At a lot of companies, I’ve noticed the same pattern: people get used to doing things one way, and that way slowly becomes the only way. It’s not that it’s the best way — it’s just familiar. So it stays.

I’ve never really been able to accept that. I’m always asking if something can be improved. If something can be done automatically, it should be. If something can look better, then it should look better. It’s not about perfection. It’s about not settling.

A while ago, I was asked to automate a monthly report. It went out to more than 150 people, including a governmental agency. The focus could have just been the automation itself - getting the data to flow and the report to generate on time. That was the ask, and it would’ve been enough for most.

But the original report design was all over the place - different fonts, colors, layouts. It worked, but it looked messy. To me, design is a reflection of how much we care. If we stop caring about how something looks or works, we stop improving it. So I rebuilt the entire thing: consistent layouts, typography, color, and language. The information didn’t change, but suddenly it felt cohesive. People noticed. It looked like something we could be proud of.

That’s what motivates me - pride in the work. Not in a loud way, just a quiet sense that what we make should feel cared for.

I’ve had pushback, of course. Some leaders don’t want to think about changing things. The usual reasons come up - too much going on, not enough resources, “maybe later.” I’ve learned that if someone isn’t open to hearing the case for improvement, or can’t admit when their view might be outdated, there’s not much point in arguing.

I’d rather move forward. I want to be in spaces where that’s the goal - where we’re not just maintaining, but making things better. Because once we stop trying, everything starts to feel the same.

And that’s when the work stops feeling meaningful.

In my ten-year career as an engineer, designer, and contributor, I have noticed a pattern in every company that I have worked in. Certain people who get used to doing things one way, and that way slowly becomes the only way. It's not that it is the best way, but just that it is familiar to them.

I've never been one to accept that. I believe in being uncomfortable - asking if something can be improved.