Hi, I’m Devin
I’m a product manager, software engineer, and serial hobbyist. I help the people, products, and technology that power the web.
Latest and Greatest
Sometimes I write things down
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Figuring out the size and depth for a tablespoon with a CNC
This title is a travesty. I needed math to figure out how to automatically carve out a tablespoon of material with a CNC machine. So this is that math and some recipe level background. For my most recent birthday I picked up a very small cnc machine. I wanted to bring a bit of computer…
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Hello WordPress
It has been a couple of years now since I’ve been in the weeds of working with WordPress daily. In my freelance work I’ve done a lot more React, Laravel, and even then my primary focus has been Product consulting rather than development. With all the changes in core it really feels like I need…
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Sawdust Satistfaction
Over the past few years, I’ve been quietly immersing myself in numerous woodworking projects. Once I get into a project, writing and sharing with the vast online world becomes a secondary thought. There’s a part of me that would love to delve into the ‘how-to’ and step-by-step process of each project, but I hesitate to…
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The Simple Masonry Grid is Still Pretty Cool
What is it about the Masonry Grid that makes it perfect for browsing a gallery of content? It takes a random assortment of pictures, images, and text, then turns it into a mini art gallery with a feeling of style and browsability. In the process of developing an upcoming product launch the most frequently mentioned…
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Some Thoughts and Notes on Working Remote for Over a Decade
When it comes to remote work, it is really all I know. In my early twenties I started my own web development agency and was working with clients from all corners of the world through Skype and email. Back then, remote work was more of a novel approach rather than the norm. It was a…
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Putting the User at the Heart of Your Product
Many years ago my team was finishing up months of working on a new release. It would reshape the way our product worked and we were thrilled to finally get everything launched. Yet, despite all the cutting-edge technology and innovative design, something was missing that prevented the launch from being a full success. And that…
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Experiments with confetti style button explosions
I’ve always loved the extra celebrations within web apps. Asana has a much-loved Unicorn effect and I’ve used this tutorial from Josh Comeau to implement ‘boops’ in a few react projects. But in some evening fun I wanted to try writing a simple version of a confetti explosion effect without any extra libraries or helpers.…
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ChatGPT: Thought Partner for Multitasking Creativity
In all the roles I’ve held over the years, I’ve learned that the ability to manage multiple ideas, conversations, and topics is crucial for success. As someone with ADHD the ability to split focus and multi-task is really a side effect skill that comes with time. With the prolific explosion of ChatGPT usage and references…
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My 3 Favorite Questions for 1:1s
At the risk of stating the obvious let me first say that a 1:1 meeting is your chance to have a one on one conversation with your manager or one of your direct reports. This is a high impact meeting that builds the lines of communication that are vital for a successful work relationship. If…