Scott Berkun
@berkun.bsky.social
Author and speaker. Books include: How Design Makes The World, The Myths of Innovation, Making Things Happen & The Year Without Pants.
Seattle, WA
scottberkun.com/about/
Seattle, WA
scottberkun.com/about/
Reposted by Scott Berkun
Scott Berkun on avoiding the five habits of the worst designers. https://ow.ly/56fK50XtxYK
November 18, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Scott Berkun on avoiding the five habits of the worst designers. https://ow.ly/56fK50XtxYK
“It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work, and when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey.
The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings.”
–Wendell Berry
The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings.”
–Wendell Berry
October 10, 2025 at 7:13 PM
“It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work, and when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey.
The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings.”
–Wendell Berry
The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings.”
–Wendell Berry
“People will come to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think”
― Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death (1985)
― Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death (1985)
September 4, 2025 at 4:06 PM
“People will come to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think”
― Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death (1985)
― Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death (1985)
There are activities in life where the goal is to be perfect. And there are activities where the goal is to express who you are and your personal experience in being you. These are rarely the same activities.
July 25, 2025 at 2:57 AM
There are activities in life where the goal is to be perfect. And there are activities where the goal is to express who you are and your personal experience in being you. These are rarely the same activities.
What is the best creative work you have done in your career?
Here is a test you can take about great work and what it really means.
whydesignishard.substack.com/p/the-greatn...
Here is a test you can take about great work and what it really means.
whydesignishard.substack.com/p/the-greatn...
The greatness test: what is your best design work?
How do you assess your life's work so far
whydesignishard.substack.com
May 15, 2025 at 9:26 PM
What is the best creative work you have done in your career?
Here is a test you can take about great work and what it really means.
whydesignishard.substack.com/p/the-greatn...
Here is a test you can take about great work and what it really means.
whydesignishard.substack.com/p/the-greatn...
Reposted by Scott Berkun
Incredible productivity hack that will save you way more time than integrating AI into your workflow
I don't know if this is related to being over 40, but my favourite new thing is just saying no to things that people ask me to do.
May 14, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Incredible productivity hack that will save you way more time than integrating AI into your workflow
Reposted by Scott Berkun
Here @berkun.bsky.social does a great job of collecting thoughtful questions proposed by Neil Postman that every designer needs to consider before launching a new project: https://scottberkun.com/2016/the-7-questions-for-any-technological-idea/
The 7 Questions For Any Technological Idea
From Neil Postman’s lecture On Culture’s Surrender to Technology: What is the problem that this new technology solves? Whose problem is it? What new problems do we create by solving thi…
scottberkun.com
May 7, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Here @berkun.bsky.social does a great job of collecting thoughtful questions proposed by Neil Postman that every designer needs to consider before launching a new project: https://scottberkun.com/2016/the-7-questions-for-any-technological-idea/
For those in the South Seattle area I'm coming your way tomorrow.
For folks in the South Sound interested in #ux and #design, please join us tomorrow, April 29 @ 5:30 for a talk from Scott Berkun @berkun.bsky.social on his new book Why Design is Hard.
www.meetup.com/tacolyux/eve...
www.meetup.com/tacolyux/eve...
Why Design is Hard - a talk with Scott Berkun, Tue, Apr 29, 2025, 5:30 PM | Meetup
Do you wish the world was better designed? Do you often feel your ideas are ignored at work? This fast paced and fun talk based on the new book, [Why Design Is Hard, ](http
www.meetup.com
April 28, 2025 at 8:01 PM
For those in the South Seattle area I'm coming your way tomorrow.
Reposted by Scott Berkun
Need an excuse to buy more books? Now you have one! Saturday is Indie Bookstore Day! Show your favorite indie some love.
Why Shopping Local This Indie Bookstore Day Is More Important Than Ever
Several independent book store owners are encouraging people to go out to their local independent bookstores to buy some novels to help celebrate Independent Bookstore Day and keep independent busines...
people.com
April 25, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Need an excuse to buy more books? Now you have one! Saturday is Indie Bookstore Day! Show your favorite indie some love.
Tomorrow is Independent Bookstore day. I love locally owned bookstores and try to support them whenever I can.
Most of my books are available through @bookshop.org, which is a great way to get books and support independent stores.
bookshop.org/lists/scott-...
Most of my books are available through @bookshop.org, which is a great way to get books and support independent stores.
bookshop.org/lists/scott-...
Scott Berkun's book list
Checkout out this list on Bookshop
bookshop.org
April 25, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Tomorrow is Independent Bookstore day. I love locally owned bookstores and try to support them whenever I can.
Most of my books are available through @bookshop.org, which is a great way to get books and support independent stores.
bookshop.org/lists/scott-...
Most of my books are available through @bookshop.org, which is a great way to get books and support independent stores.
bookshop.org/lists/scott-...
My dream invention is a hypocrisy detection machine that continually informed people of their double-standards. Whenever we start saying something that conveniently contradicts a stated belief, it would start beeping and get louder and louder until we stop.
April 24, 2025 at 4:40 PM
My dream invention is a hypocrisy detection machine that continually informed people of their double-standards. Whenever we start saying something that conveniently contradicts a stated belief, it would start beeping and get louder and louder until we stop.
"All of life’s problems arise from trying to do other people’s tasks for them, or trying to get them to do yours." - Oliver Burkeman
April 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM
"All of life’s problems arise from trying to do other people’s tasks for them, or trying to get them to do yours." - Oliver Burkeman
Reposted by Scott Berkun
The quality of cockpit design has more to do with crashes than pilots' skills.
whydesignishard.substack.com/p/rethinking... by @berkun.bsky.social
I'd add the detrimental effect of detailed up-front specifications on design as a major root cause (exemplified by the F-35 story).
whydesignishard.substack.com/p/rethinking... by @berkun.bsky.social
I'd add the detrimental effect of detailed up-front specifications on design as a major root cause (exemplified by the F-35 story).
Rethinking bad design (Fast Company)
Use history to understand why design quality is ignored
whydesignishard.substack.com
April 22, 2025 at 12:43 PM
The quality of cockpit design has more to do with crashes than pilots' skills.
whydesignishard.substack.com/p/rethinking... by @berkun.bsky.social
I'd add the detrimental effect of detailed up-front specifications on design as a major root cause (exemplified by the F-35 story).
whydesignishard.substack.com/p/rethinking... by @berkun.bsky.social
I'd add the detrimental effect of detailed up-front specifications on design as a major root cause (exemplified by the F-35 story).
Reposted by Scott Berkun
Is there any tech bro out there who has not wildly misunderstood every Philip K Dick book they read when they were 15?
March 31, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Is there any tech bro out there who has not wildly misunderstood every Philip K Dick book they read when they were 15?
Reposted by Scott Berkun
You have GOT to be kidding.
March 24, 2025 at 8:49 PM
You have GOT to be kidding.
”[it’s] the insecure client who depends on informal office surveys and pseudo-scientific research to deal with questions that are unanswerable and answers that are questionable.” - Paul Rand
March 24, 2025 at 2:37 PM
”[it’s] the insecure client who depends on informal office surveys and pseudo-scientific research to deal with questions that are unanswerable and answers that are questionable.” - Paul Rand
Reposted by Scott Berkun
18F was doing exactly the type of work that DOGE claims to want – yet we were eliminated shortly after midnight. Read our letter to the American people:
18f.org
18f.org
We're not done yet | 18F
18f.org
March 1, 2025 at 11:38 PM
18F was doing exactly the type of work that DOGE claims to want – yet we were eliminated shortly after midnight. Read our letter to the American people:
18f.org
18f.org
Reposted by Scott Berkun
All of the clocks have changed, but my microwave still knows the truth.
March 11, 2025 at 12:50 AM
All of the clocks have changed, but my microwave still knows the truth.
Reposted by Scott Berkun
When the data says no, but the people paying for the report say yes
March 9, 2025 at 4:42 PM
When the data says no, but the people paying for the report say yes
“Those who lack courage will always find a philosophy to justify it” – Camus
March 3, 2025 at 1:53 AM
“Those who lack courage will always find a philosophy to justify it” – Camus
“In this very real world, good doesn't drive out evil. Evil doesn't drive out good. But the energetic displaces the passive.”
- William Bernbach
- William Bernbach
February 25, 2025 at 4:29 AM
“In this very real world, good doesn't drive out evil. Evil doesn't drive out good. But the energetic displaces the passive.”
- William Bernbach
- William Bernbach
Reposted by Scott Berkun
It's more than diabolical. It's triabolical.
February 24, 2025 at 10:39 PM
It's more than diabolical. It's triabolical.
Reposted by Scott Berkun
If I won the lottery, I wouldn't tell anyone, but there would be signs
February 10, 2025 at 2:29 PM
If I won the lottery, I wouldn't tell anyone, but there would be signs