Ron Bronson
@ronbronson.com
critical designer studying how tech upends civic life. asst prof of practice in urban tech @ umich. only posting ephemera here. founded pdx design month. 18F.gov alum. ronbronson.design / newsletter: makingpublicwork.com
co-host: futureperfectbook.club
co-host: futureperfectbook.club
Immaculate Grid is great for literally "remembering some guys" but also reveals one of the underrated better things about baseball is that the lineage of teams is so long that dudes from the early 20th century get remembered despite playing a vasting different looking sport
November 11, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Immaculate Grid is great for literally "remembering some guys" but also reveals one of the underrated better things about baseball is that the lineage of teams is so long that dudes from the early 20th century get remembered despite playing a vasting different looking sport
Really rad to hear (For the first ever) @pulsesva.bsky.social. Certainly trying to bring back the postcore sound of the 00s without sounding dated at all. Feels good to find a band that's a hit away from blowing up.
pulses. - makes sense. (music video)
YouTube video by pulses.
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Really rad to hear (For the first ever) @pulsesva.bsky.social. Certainly trying to bring back the postcore sound of the 00s without sounding dated at all. Feels good to find a band that's a hit away from blowing up.
Reposted by Ron Bronson
This week, I got to see New South Wales’ Sludge Finder tool that is supporting their sludge audits.
I heard about it during my @oecdgovernance.bsky.social visit 2 weeks ago.
Quite impressive how journeys and can be enriched with qual and quant data.
This can be a powerful #serviceDesign tool!
I heard about it during my @oecdgovernance.bsky.social visit 2 weeks ago.
Quite impressive how journeys and can be enriched with qual and quant data.
This can be a powerful #serviceDesign tool!
November 8, 2025 at 8:42 AM
This week, I got to see New South Wales’ Sludge Finder tool that is supporting their sludge audits.
I heard about it during my @oecdgovernance.bsky.social visit 2 weeks ago.
Quite impressive how journeys and can be enriched with qual and quant data.
This can be a powerful #serviceDesign tool!
I heard about it during my @oecdgovernance.bsky.social visit 2 weeks ago.
Quite impressive how journeys and can be enriched with qual and quant data.
This can be a powerful #serviceDesign tool!
Blog post: On career paths, motivation & holding the door open blog.ronbronson.com/building-a-c...
November 9, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Blog post: On career paths, motivation & holding the door open blog.ronbronson.com/building-a-c...
Reposted by Ron Bronson
Black American soldiers literally dug these WWII graves. Traumatic. To acknowledge that fact at a cemetery they helped construct is something the Heritage Foundation cannot accept. As Veterans Day approaches, never forget that this country both compels and disrespects Black military service. Always.
1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⬇️
November 9, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Black American soldiers literally dug these WWII graves. Traumatic. To acknowledge that fact at a cemetery they helped construct is something the Heritage Foundation cannot accept. As Veterans Day approaches, never forget that this country both compels and disrespects Black military service. Always.
Three songs basically same title different eras.
Rock With You (Michael Jackson)
Rock Wit'cha (Bobby Brown)
Rock Wit U (Ashtanti)
(I'm clearly working on a setlist for my radio show...none of these made the cut, I already did the show)
Rock With You (Michael Jackson)
Rock Wit'cha (Bobby Brown)
Rock Wit U (Ashtanti)
(I'm clearly working on a setlist for my radio show...none of these made the cut, I already did the show)
November 9, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Three songs basically same title different eras.
Rock With You (Michael Jackson)
Rock Wit'cha (Bobby Brown)
Rock Wit U (Ashtanti)
(I'm clearly working on a setlist for my radio show...none of these made the cut, I already did the show)
Rock With You (Michael Jackson)
Rock Wit'cha (Bobby Brown)
Rock Wit U (Ashtanti)
(I'm clearly working on a setlist for my radio show...none of these made the cut, I already did the show)
Graeber's "dead zones of the imagination" calcified into everyday life, without anyone responsible held to account.
Civic tech's next era is coming to the realization that you can't prettify the horrors of bad policy design under the guise of helping people. This isn't a UX problem.
Civic tech's next era is coming to the realization that you can't prettify the horrors of bad policy design under the guise of helping people. This isn't a UX problem.
November 8, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Graeber's "dead zones of the imagination" calcified into everyday life, without anyone responsible held to account.
Civic tech's next era is coming to the realization that you can't prettify the horrors of bad policy design under the guise of helping people. This isn't a UX problem.
Civic tech's next era is coming to the realization that you can't prettify the horrors of bad policy design under the guise of helping people. This isn't a UX problem.
Reposted by Ron Bronson
People who are opposed to any kind of regime running on Gen AI have to exercise our capacity to address it beyond its flaws. Flaws are opportunities to anyone looking for more money bc it gives them something to “fix.” Don’t get stuck in the “flaws.” Think about foundations.
November 8, 2025 at 1:56 AM
People who are opposed to any kind of regime running on Gen AI have to exercise our capacity to address it beyond its flaws. Flaws are opportunities to anyone looking for more money bc it gives them something to “fix.” Don’t get stuck in the “flaws.” Think about foundations.
Reposted by Ron Bronson
In most design you have a very small circle of what the product is expected to do. With LLMs you have a very wide circle that you try to limit as best as you can. Understanding this will tell you why it is risky to implement into systems that need precise circles.
November 7, 2025 at 5:26 PM
In most design you have a very small circle of what the product is expected to do. With LLMs you have a very wide circle that you try to limit as best as you can. Understanding this will tell you why it is risky to implement into systems that need precise circles.
♫ Top 5 artists of the Last.week: Horse Jumper of Love (27) Madison McFerrin (17) Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth (16) Quicksand (12) +/- (11). #myweekcounted 416 Scrobbles with Lastfm #music via @lastfm.blue
November 7, 2025 at 5:05 AM
♫ Top 5 artists of the Last.week: Horse Jumper of Love (27) Madison McFerrin (17) Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth (16) Quicksand (12) +/- (11). #myweekcounted 416 Scrobbles with Lastfm #music via @lastfm.blue
Reposted by Ron Bronson
notably, putnam speculated that it would be netflix slop and VR-helmet immersions that would be our ultimate undoing, which seem almost quaint now in the face of the delusions that can be manufactured with AI muse.jhu.edu/article/16643
November 5, 2025 at 5:43 PM
notably, putnam speculated that it would be netflix slop and VR-helmet immersions that would be our ultimate undoing, which seem almost quaint now in the face of the delusions that can be manufactured with AI muse.jhu.edu/article/16643
Got asked yesterday was I was hopeful or excited about and realized I should have said more books.
November 5, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Got asked yesterday was I was hopeful or excited about and realized I should have said more books.
One of the underrated aspects of the @pdxdigitalcorps.bsky.social I didn't anticipate when starting it, was adding a social component. Our IRL events were all so well attended, people wanted to connect & collab together.
November 5, 2025 at 1:28 PM
One of the underrated aspects of the @pdxdigitalcorps.bsky.social I didn't anticipate when starting it, was adding a social component. Our IRL events were all so well attended, people wanted to connect & collab together.
Reposted by Ron Bronson
I don't remember who asserted that the way systems thinkers grab power is by expanding scope, but ime, expanding scope often happens in the absence of systems thinking.
Every app trends towards becoming the Totalizr because the easiest "strategy" for leaders to come up with is "we'll simply do everything."
Coming up with specifics is for peasants. Saying "no" requires a strong opinion. When the strategy is 'Everything App" managers can get away with doing nothing.
Coming up with specifics is for peasants. Saying "no" requires a strong opinion. When the strategy is 'Everything App" managers can get away with doing nothing.
November 4, 2025 at 10:47 PM
I don't remember who asserted that the way systems thinkers grab power is by expanding scope, but ime, expanding scope often happens in the absence of systems thinking.
Reposted by Ron Bronson
Scoop: I sent a public record request to the FTC for complaints mentioning ChatGPT. I got 200 complaints back, but a couple stood out.
They described experiencing severe delusions, paranoia, and spiritual crises, and they attributed it to ChatGPT:
www.wired.com/story/ftc-co...
They described experiencing severe delusions, paranoia, and spiritual crises, and they attributed it to ChatGPT:
www.wired.com/story/ftc-co...
People Who Say They’re Experiencing AI Psychosis Beg the FTC for Help
The Federal Trade Commission received 200 complaints mentioning ChatGPT between November 2022 and August 2025. Several attributed delusions, paranoia, and spiritual crises to the chatbot.
www.wired.com
October 22, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Scoop: I sent a public record request to the FTC for complaints mentioning ChatGPT. I got 200 complaints back, but a couple stood out.
They described experiencing severe delusions, paranoia, and spiritual crises, and they attributed it to ChatGPT:
www.wired.com/story/ftc-co...
They described experiencing severe delusions, paranoia, and spiritual crises, and they attributed it to ChatGPT:
www.wired.com/story/ftc-co...
Putnam couldn't have imagined this and until we completely reimagine the social civic infrastructure of this country, I fear we are entirely cooked. Lots of people want to be engaged with, but have never had the muscle for IRL engagement www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/03/m...
She was lonely and depressed. Her ‘beautiful little AI family’ changed everything. - The Boston Globe
More and more people are turning to artificial intelligence for support, companionship, and even love. There are risks, but some users say it has surprising benefits.
www.bostonglobe.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Putnam couldn't have imagined this and until we completely reimagine the social civic infrastructure of this country, I fear we are entirely cooked. Lots of people want to be engaged with, but have never had the muscle for IRL engagement www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/03/m...
Had to revisit Agriculture "The Spiritual Sound" in case I was imagining it as AOTY Top 5 candidate and nope, it's epic. agriculturemusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-sp...
The Spiritual Sound, by Agriculture
10 track album
agriculturemusic.bandcamp.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Had to revisit Agriculture "The Spiritual Sound" in case I was imagining it as AOTY Top 5 candidate and nope, it's epic. agriculturemusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-sp...
Reposted by Ron Bronson
Can world leaders have work-life balance? I traveled to Helsinki over the summer to find out. For this week's issue, I profiled Sanna Marin, the former "party girl" prime minister of Finland.
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
The Prime Minister Who Tried to Have a Life Outside the Office
As the thirtysomething leader of Finland, Sanna Marin pursued an ambitious policy agenda. The press focussed on her nights out and how she paid for breakfast.
www.newyorker.com
October 6, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Can world leaders have work-life balance? I traveled to Helsinki over the summer to find out. For this week's issue, I profiled Sanna Marin, the former "party girl" prime minister of Finland.
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Reposted by Ron Bronson
I understand that literature-as-inspiration is lucrative, but a James Baldwin as spirit guru, a Baldwin whose mission is to equally uplift anyone and everyone — a Baldwin who never challenges you — is not really Baldwin at all any more. (And this distortion goes well beyond this one project.)
Can the James Baldwin Typebot Tell Us the Meaning of Life?
www.nytimes.com
November 2, 2025 at 10:32 PM
I understand that literature-as-inspiration is lucrative, but a James Baldwin as spirit guru, a Baldwin whose mission is to equally uplift anyone and everyone — a Baldwin who never challenges you — is not really Baldwin at all any more. (And this distortion goes well beyond this one project.)
Coped with losing the World Series by second-guessing their manager & then realized "oh there's probably a blog post about delivery teams in this" and drafted this... blog.ronbronson.com/delivery-is-...
Delivery Is a Visibility Problem - Ron Bronson | Ron Bronson
I’ve been a Toronto Blue Jays fan since I was eleven, so the past few weeks watching them rise from last place in 2024 to the World Series finalist
blog.ronbronson.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Coped with losing the World Series by second-guessing their manager & then realized "oh there's probably a blog post about delivery teams in this" and drafted this... blog.ronbronson.com/delivery-is-...
This home run will be obscured because of the loss, but what a cool thing for a guy we drafted as a teenager to come of age like this in a crucial moment. Hope we resign Bo, not ready for him to leave yet.
November 2, 2025 at 4:05 PM
This home run will be obscured because of the loss, but what a cool thing for a guy we drafted as a teenager to come of age like this in a crucial moment. Hope we resign Bo, not ready for him to leave yet.
Reposted by Ron Bronson
ONE OF THE GREATEST GAMES IN BASEBALL HISTORY
November 2, 2025 at 4:23 AM
ONE OF THE GREATEST GAMES IN BASEBALL HISTORY
My top doubles team got upset at State in 2022 and that hurt wayyyyy more than this does. (We won State as a team that year which made it go down easier)
I will say that coaching has taken the edge off how intense I take sports fandom. like nothing is going to really match the emotion of coaching kids to a state title for me ever, which helps me enjoy postseason sports a lot more than I once did
November 2, 2025 at 6:19 AM
My top doubles team got upset at State in 2022 and that hurt wayyyyy more than this does. (We won State as a team that year which made it go down easier)
you cannot leave a team that good hanging around for this long, history doesn't care about deserve to win...you win or you don't. But maybe the Jays have a few more swings in them. Either way, epic series.
November 2, 2025 at 4:11 AM
you cannot leave a team that good hanging around for this long, history doesn't care about deserve to win...you win or you don't. But maybe the Jays have a few more swings in them. Either way, epic series.