Symon Oliver
@symonoliver.bsky.social
Founder & Design Director @ Tennis | Certified RGD | UX Design | Strategy
🎾 Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7tufP8mSXC1YrLxrLzw3Ju?si=6f34bce03e0d4d90
📀 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tennis7631
🎾 Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7tufP8mSXC1YrLxrLzw3Ju?si=6f34bce03e0d4d90
📀 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tennis7631
“Most organizations are a mess,” I joked in a meeting last week.
Disconnected systems, silos, legacy tech, bloatware, ten-plus microsites.
Someone jumped in and added, “Dysfunctional.”
We all laughed—the kind of laugh that comes from recognition, not humour.
Because it’s true.
Disconnected systems, silos, legacy tech, bloatware, ten-plus microsites.
Someone jumped in and added, “Dysfunctional.”
We all laughed—the kind of laugh that comes from recognition, not humour.
Because it’s true.
November 10, 2025 at 2:53 PM
“Most organizations are a mess,” I joked in a meeting last week.
Disconnected systems, silos, legacy tech, bloatware, ten-plus microsites.
Someone jumped in and added, “Dysfunctional.”
We all laughed—the kind of laugh that comes from recognition, not humour.
Because it’s true.
Disconnected systems, silos, legacy tech, bloatware, ten-plus microsites.
Someone jumped in and added, “Dysfunctional.”
We all laughed—the kind of laugh that comes from recognition, not humour.
Because it’s true.
Domino’s isn’t a pizza company.
It’s a tech company that happens to sell pizza.
They made that transition in 2014. And the bet paid off. They built a data platform, operations stack, and delivery network that should be taught as a case study for MBAs.
Their real product is predictability.
It’s a tech company that happens to sell pizza.
They made that transition in 2014. And the bet paid off. They built a data platform, operations stack, and delivery network that should be taught as a case study for MBAs.
Their real product is predictability.
November 8, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Domino’s isn’t a pizza company.
It’s a tech company that happens to sell pizza.
They made that transition in 2014. And the bet paid off. They built a data platform, operations stack, and delivery network that should be taught as a case study for MBAs.
Their real product is predictability.
It’s a tech company that happens to sell pizza.
They made that transition in 2014. And the bet paid off. They built a data platform, operations stack, and delivery network that should be taught as a case study for MBAs.
Their real product is predictability.
Many teams still treat content alone as context.
The words that frame an experience rather than the system that shapes it.
Great storytelling starts with structure.
If the foundation can't carry your story, no amount of polish will.
Content is design.
Structure is strategy.
The words that frame an experience rather than the system that shapes it.
Great storytelling starts with structure.
If the foundation can't carry your story, no amount of polish will.
Content is design.
Structure is strategy.
November 4, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Many teams still treat content alone as context.
The words that frame an experience rather than the system that shapes it.
Great storytelling starts with structure.
If the foundation can't carry your story, no amount of polish will.
Content is design.
Structure is strategy.
The words that frame an experience rather than the system that shapes it.
Great storytelling starts with structure.
If the foundation can't carry your story, no amount of polish will.
Content is design.
Structure is strategy.
For years, this poster sat above my desk. Crudely taped to the wall with black masking tape.
Back when art and design were the same thing for me—when we still had a screenprinting studio.
Which one fits where you're at?
Back when art and design were the same thing for me—when we still had a screenprinting studio.
Which one fits where you're at?
November 3, 2025 at 2:53 PM
For years, this poster sat above my desk. Crudely taped to the wall with black masking tape.
Back when art and design were the same thing for me—when we still had a screenprinting studio.
Which one fits where you're at?
Back when art and design were the same thing for me—when we still had a screenprinting studio.
Which one fits where you're at?
Finally jumped into exploring Spline for 3D on the web.
I picked it up pretty quickly—in the span of two hours I had my bearings. Animating and shipping interactive 3D was incredibly easy and intuitive.
Thanks @splinetool.bsky.social for making this so easy 💙
I picked it up pretty quickly—in the span of two hours I had my bearings. Animating and shipping interactive 3D was incredibly easy and intuitive.
Thanks @splinetool.bsky.social for making this so easy 💙
November 1, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Finally jumped into exploring Spline for 3D on the web.
I picked it up pretty quickly—in the span of two hours I had my bearings. Animating and shipping interactive 3D was incredibly easy and intuitive.
Thanks @splinetool.bsky.social for making this so easy 💙
I picked it up pretty quickly—in the span of two hours I had my bearings. Animating and shipping interactive 3D was incredibly easy and intuitive.
Thanks @splinetool.bsky.social for making this so easy 💙
Your CMS owns you.
Can't leave. Too expensive. Too complex. Too integrated.
Too scared.
It's infrastructure debt compounding daily.
Organizations spending more time working around their CMS than working with it. Every workaround becomes permanent. Every limitation becomes "just how we do things."
Can't leave. Too expensive. Too complex. Too integrated.
Too scared.
It's infrastructure debt compounding daily.
Organizations spending more time working around their CMS than working with it. Every workaround becomes permanent. Every limitation becomes "just how we do things."
October 30, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Your CMS owns you.
Can't leave. Too expensive. Too complex. Too integrated.
Too scared.
It's infrastructure debt compounding daily.
Organizations spending more time working around their CMS than working with it. Every workaround becomes permanent. Every limitation becomes "just how we do things."
Can't leave. Too expensive. Too complex. Too integrated.
Too scared.
It's infrastructure debt compounding daily.
Organizations spending more time working around their CMS than working with it. Every workaround becomes permanent. Every limitation becomes "just how we do things."
After hundreds of projects, I've learned the fastest way to lose time is to skip the part that creates clarity.
The most valuable part of a project isn’t the build.
It's the work that happens before the build — when you decide what’s actually worth making.
🧵
The most valuable part of a project isn’t the build.
It's the work that happens before the build — when you decide what’s actually worth making.
🧵
October 29, 2025 at 1:18 PM
After hundreds of projects, I've learned the fastest way to lose time is to skip the part that creates clarity.
The most valuable part of a project isn’t the build.
It's the work that happens before the build — when you decide what’s actually worth making.
🧵
The most valuable part of a project isn’t the build.
It's the work that happens before the build — when you decide what’s actually worth making.
🧵
Most organizations don't have five systems; they have five silos connected by human effort (I call it the human-API). Every report, every handoff, every decision depends on someone stitching things together manually. I call it the human-API.
October 28, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Most organizations don't have five systems; they have five silos connected by human effort (I call it the human-API). Every report, every handoff, every decision depends on someone stitching things together manually. I call it the human-API.
Reposted by Symon Oliver
THIS IS NOT A DRILL, PEOPLE! SEEDS is now available to rent on streaming services! Kaniehtiio's directorial debut is a must-see. If you thought she was fierce as Deer Woman in Reservation Dogs, Tanis in Letterkenny, and now Samantha in The Lowdown, watch SEEDS!
redpopnews.com/kaniehtiio-h...
redpopnews.com/kaniehtiio-h...
Kaniehtiio Horn Delivers Cat-astrophe and Revenge in Her Feature Directorial Debut, SEEDS
Horn’s feature directorial debut, SEEDS, is a hilariously dark home-invasion thriller that pays homage to the indigenuity of Native women while also giving Rez cats the recognition and respect they de...
redpopnews.com
October 26, 2025 at 6:04 AM
THIS IS NOT A DRILL, PEOPLE! SEEDS is now available to rent on streaming services! Kaniehtiio's directorial debut is a must-see. If you thought she was fierce as Deer Woman in Reservation Dogs, Tanis in Letterkenny, and now Samantha in The Lowdown, watch SEEDS!
redpopnews.com/kaniehtiio-h...
redpopnews.com/kaniehtiio-h...
Design is planning. The aesthetics come later.
Design in business context isn't "just" about making things beautiful. It's about planning around objectives, framing problems, technical constraints, and budgets.
The visual layer—what most people call "design"—that's execution of the plan.
Design in business context isn't "just" about making things beautiful. It's about planning around objectives, framing problems, technical constraints, and budgets.
The visual layer—what most people call "design"—that's execution of the plan.
October 26, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Design is planning. The aesthetics come later.
Design in business context isn't "just" about making things beautiful. It's about planning around objectives, framing problems, technical constraints, and budgets.
The visual layer—what most people call "design"—that's execution of the plan.
Design in business context isn't "just" about making things beautiful. It's about planning around objectives, framing problems, technical constraints, and budgets.
The visual layer—what most people call "design"—that's execution of the plan.
Marketers say content is the top priority.
But most websites still aren't built to support it.
80% of marketers say content marketing is their top focus next year.
A Webflow x CMO Alliance report makes a clear point: "If content is where the effort goes, the website is where the payoff happens."
But most websites still aren't built to support it.
80% of marketers say content marketing is their top focus next year.
A Webflow x CMO Alliance report makes a clear point: "If content is where the effort goes, the website is where the payoff happens."
October 25, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Marketers say content is the top priority.
But most websites still aren't built to support it.
80% of marketers say content marketing is their top focus next year.
A Webflow x CMO Alliance report makes a clear point: "If content is where the effort goes, the website is where the payoff happens."
But most websites still aren't built to support it.
80% of marketers say content marketing is their top focus next year.
A Webflow x CMO Alliance report makes a clear point: "If content is where the effort goes, the website is where the payoff happens."
We get real about support retainers this week.
Yes, riveting stuff. But trust me, the takes are spicy.
We talk digital slumlords, and why you need to treat your website like a product not a project.
🎬 Full episode here: youtu.be/TjjcpCToxSs
Yes, riveting stuff. But trust me, the takes are spicy.
We talk digital slumlords, and why you need to treat your website like a product not a project.
🎬 Full episode here: youtu.be/TjjcpCToxSs
October 24, 2025 at 1:13 PM
We get real about support retainers this week.
Yes, riveting stuff. But trust me, the takes are spicy.
We talk digital slumlords, and why you need to treat your website like a product not a project.
🎬 Full episode here: youtu.be/TjjcpCToxSs
Yes, riveting stuff. But trust me, the takes are spicy.
We talk digital slumlords, and why you need to treat your website like a product not a project.
🎬 Full episode here: youtu.be/TjjcpCToxSs
Most websites are still managed like projects.
The teams getting the most value from their digital presence treat the website as a product—ever evolving with the business and its users.
The teams getting the most value from their digital presence treat the website as a product—ever evolving with the business and its users.
October 23, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Most websites are still managed like projects.
The teams getting the most value from their digital presence treat the website as a product—ever evolving with the business and its users.
The teams getting the most value from their digital presence treat the website as a product—ever evolving with the business and its users.
Design has a professional insecurity problem.
We've spent decades building systems, grids, and theories—not to make better work, but to prove we deserve a seat at the table.
We've spent decades building systems, grids, and theories—not to make better work, but to prove we deserve a seat at the table.
October 22, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Design has a professional insecurity problem.
We've spent decades building systems, grids, and theories—not to make better work, but to prove we deserve a seat at the table.
We've spent decades building systems, grids, and theories—not to make better work, but to prove we deserve a seat at the table.
Your brand dies the second someone hits your website.
Companies obsess over logos, fonts, and campaigns.
Then deliver the brand through a broken digital experience.
Look at brands and experiences like Wealthsimple—the product experience IS the brand. Every interaction reinforced value.
Companies obsess over logos, fonts, and campaigns.
Then deliver the brand through a broken digital experience.
Look at brands and experiences like Wealthsimple—the product experience IS the brand. Every interaction reinforced value.
October 21, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Your brand dies the second someone hits your website.
Companies obsess over logos, fonts, and campaigns.
Then deliver the brand through a broken digital experience.
Look at brands and experiences like Wealthsimple—the product experience IS the brand. Every interaction reinforced value.
Companies obsess over logos, fonts, and campaigns.
Then deliver the brand through a broken digital experience.
Look at brands and experiences like Wealthsimple—the product experience IS the brand. Every interaction reinforced value.
The traditional agency model is designed to create dependency.
The best agencies work themselves out of the job.
The best agencies work themselves out of the job.
October 20, 2025 at 1:53 PM
The traditional agency model is designed to create dependency.
The best agencies work themselves out of the job.
The best agencies work themselves out of the job.
Design is the operating system, not just the interface.
October 18, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Design is the operating system, not just the interface.
Web design isn't the same as UX design.
So, what is the difference?
In this week's episode, we unpack why there is confusion about what UX is versus web design. The distinction is critical.
So, what is the difference?
In this week's episode, we unpack why there is confusion about what UX is versus web design. The distinction is critical.
October 17, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Web design isn't the same as UX design.
So, what is the difference?
In this week's episode, we unpack why there is confusion about what UX is versus web design. The distinction is critical.
So, what is the difference?
In this week's episode, we unpack why there is confusion about what UX is versus web design. The distinction is critical.
Let's have an honest talk about the IT vs. Marketing rivalry.
I'm half-joking. But not really.
Too often, IT is the last voice at the table.
They're seen as the gatekeepers—the ones who say no.
When marketing and IT collaborate early: work moves faster, ideas scale smoothly, creativity lands
I'm half-joking. But not really.
Too often, IT is the last voice at the table.
They're seen as the gatekeepers—the ones who say no.
When marketing and IT collaborate early: work moves faster, ideas scale smoothly, creativity lands
October 16, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Let's have an honest talk about the IT vs. Marketing rivalry.
I'm half-joking. But not really.
Too often, IT is the last voice at the table.
They're seen as the gatekeepers—the ones who say no.
When marketing and IT collaborate early: work moves faster, ideas scale smoothly, creativity lands
I'm half-joking. But not really.
Too often, IT is the last voice at the table.
They're seen as the gatekeepers—the ones who say no.
When marketing and IT collaborate early: work moves faster, ideas scale smoothly, creativity lands
Most teams don't have a technology problem—they have a clarity problem.
Technology is leverage.
Without clarity, it leverages waste.
Technology is leverage.
Without clarity, it leverages waste.
October 15, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Most teams don't have a technology problem—they have a clarity problem.
Technology is leverage.
Without clarity, it leverages waste.
Technology is leverage.
Without clarity, it leverages waste.
"We need more research" is code for "we're terrified to ship."
Perfect is a myth.
Good enough ships.
Perfect is a myth.
Good enough ships.
October 14, 2025 at 1:15 PM
"We need more research" is code for "we're terrified to ship."
Perfect is a myth.
Good enough ships.
Perfect is a myth.
Good enough ships.
While design debt gets ignored (even though it's upstream)—technical debt gets budgets. Until the cost of maintaining chaos exceeds the cost of fixing it. By that time, it's a crisis.
October 13, 2025 at 9:19 PM
While design debt gets ignored (even though it's upstream)—technical debt gets budgets. Until the cost of maintaining chaos exceeds the cost of fixing it. By that time, it's a crisis.
New financial instruments. Circular deals. The cliff is closer than ever.
The crash is going to be brutal when it comes.
Robinhood says "it might offer "tokenized" equity in OpenAI. By "tokenized," Business Insider reports, Robinhood means "blockchain-enabled representations of securities like stocks." In reality, they have no connection to OpenAI equity whatsoever."
Robinhood says "it might offer "tokenized" equity in OpenAI. By "tokenized," Business Insider reports, Robinhood means "blockchain-enabled representations of securities like stocks." In reality, they have no connection to OpenAI equity whatsoever."
October 12, 2025 at 2:24 PM
New financial instruments. Circular deals. The cliff is closer than ever.
AI generated websites are the pinnacle of aesthetics over substance.
October 11, 2025 at 2:33 PM
AI generated websites are the pinnacle of aesthetics over substance.
Most digital transformation projects fail before a single line of code is written.
Why? Poor scoping and unclear briefs.
In our latest podcast episode, Marcello and I break down the seven most critical considerations drafting the scope for your website and digital transformation projects.
Why? Poor scoping and unclear briefs.
In our latest podcast episode, Marcello and I break down the seven most critical considerations drafting the scope for your website and digital transformation projects.
October 10, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Most digital transformation projects fail before a single line of code is written.
Why? Poor scoping and unclear briefs.
In our latest podcast episode, Marcello and I break down the seven most critical considerations drafting the scope for your website and digital transformation projects.
Why? Poor scoping and unclear briefs.
In our latest podcast episode, Marcello and I break down the seven most critical considerations drafting the scope for your website and digital transformation projects.