Spencer Marx

Design-to-Dev handover is historically riddled with confusion — especially for accessibility. Watching the Grammarly design team use Stark to make their product accessible is so exciting (especially as users*). *Yes, we use Grammarly to fix Stark.

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Another week, another handful of conversations about pace layers and design systems: https://lnkd.in/d7BVsrAy This article by Big Medium's own Josh Clark continues to be one of the most-important concepts that we apply in our work. Product teams need to be able to move fast and innovate, and it's important to not put crap in the design system: https://lnkd.in/epK_X95r One of my favorite things about coaching design system teams is helping them establish clearer boundaries, transition from pattern police to helpful sherpas, and navigate the architecture, people, and process of everything. #designsystems #uidesign #uxdesign #frontenddevelopment

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5 tools I use to grow climate founders’ LinkedIn: - AuthoredUp - great for formatting, storing ideas & content calendar - Fathom Builder - to create UTM tags when promoting their EECs - Notion - where all of my drafts, strategies, client portal sit - Otter.ai - transcribes our calls that I pull content from - Shield - the best LI analytics tool on the market These have never let me down. Tools that I tried but found to be overrated: - Taplio - nice auto-plug feature, the rest is overrated & overpriced - Folk - their sales rep is rude as hell and my Notion does everything Folk can “What do you use for scheduling?” Native LinkedIn is perfect. What’s your tool stack? — PS. This post is supported by AuthoredUp. PPS. But here’s the thing: I don’t use tools because I promote them. I promote tools because I use and love using them.

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How are designers helping to transform healthcare delivery? Today, the Equitable Healthcare Lab at the Institute of Design releases our report, The Role of Design in US Health Systems. This is the first-ever study of how professionally trained designers are being integrated into the core missions of health systems. 20 years after the first design units inside healthcare systems were launched — at Mayo Clinic and Kaiser Permanente — there are over 40 such teams operating across the US. Our report takes a systematic look at how designers are organized, the missions they pursue, the methods they apply, and the measures they use to define their impact. READ THIS REPORT if you are... ...A health system leader curious about how design can accelerate your transformation. ...A designer working in a health system who wants to learn how your peers are succeeding. ...A health system design leader seeking evidence to strengthen the case for design. CONTENTS... • In-depth profiles of design teams in 27 systems—structure, practice areas, success measures. • Based on interviews with 46 designers and design leaders across 27 health systems. • 6 real-world Impact Stories about how design approaches healthcare delivery challenges. • 9 distinct and diverse Contribution Areas distilled from an analysis of 260+ projects. • A model for how to work across Contribution Areas to deliver enterprise-scale impact. • Commentary from our Advisory Council of 10 physician and design leaders across North America. Get the report here (FREE ACCESS): equitablehealthcarelab.org With much gratitude to all who contributed their time and insight: see comments. #EquitableHealthcare #DesignInHealth #HealthcareDeliveryDesign #ServiceDesign #QualityImprovement #HealthEquity

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"The argument for why design in healthcare is still developing. For tech companies, it’s so intertwined with their core products. In healthcare, it’s one of many options: you have QI and other approaches that healthcare staff are willing to use to make things work. Design has a foot in the door with the kind of needs in healthcare, but to say that it’s essential or dominant? Many health systems don’t think of designers as essential. Yet." - Kipum Lee, PhD, VP of Innovation and Product Strategy at UH. See how design and innovation teams in US healthcare are transforming healthcare delivery. This report features 27 teams in health systems, 9 contribution areas of design, and the launch/longevity of various teams. Great to have University Hospitals and University Hospitals Ventures represented! Download the free report here: https://lnkd.in/eS-DryXT

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The Safe proposal for revenue with CoWSwap's built-in trade feature is a great start! There's dozens of well crafted Safe apps outside of the native app.safe.global. There's a huge opportunity to make it easier to create 1,000s of apps/features built directly into the native app. - Safe ecosystem of 1000s of built-in apps with defined min specs makes it easy for users while having high quality - The native app is most battle tested with >$100B in stored assets - Any new Safe app with unique features has to be audited at a bare min to use with meaningful funds secured in it. Also, using a new Safe app can fragment the features you want to use that may exist across different apps. These unique Safe apps could also earn revenue both from their standalone experience and from built-in native Safe apps. Den is a great example of a Safe app with useful features like paying for onchain actions with assets on Safe directly, cross network bridging, etc. I wonder if earning revenue from built-in features/apps on native Safe app would be an interesting opportunity for them sharing revenue with the Safe ecosystem? https://lnkd.in/e4YrKE93

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New: the Bezos Earth Fund announces the $100 million AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge at #TED. Designed and produced by Luminary Labs, the Grand Challenge will advance solutions that leverage #AI to address #climatechange and nature loss. Nearly half of the world’s population reside in areas where climate puts daily life at risk – adversely affecting human health, nature, and our built environment. While modern innovations have contributed to our current dilemma, they can also be tools for change. #Artificialintelligence is already helping humans monitor greenhouse gas emissions, detect methane leaks and forest fires, increase the efficiency of renewable energy, and hold each other accountable. Now is the time for innovators across climate, nature, and AI to take it up a notch and create solutions that will deliver a healthier planet for all. Launching in May 2024, the grand challenge will invite proposals from practitioners, researchers, and innovators in universities, NGOs, private companies, and global organizations. Until then, read more about the Grand Challenge and sign up for the latest news from the Bezos Earth Fund: https://lnkd.in/eda9MHRE

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When I first started cycling, it wasn’t just about the ride, it was about learning how to improve: tracking progress, refining techniques, and pushing through tough climbs. Building Astound Research has been remarkably similar. Startups, like cycling, require persistence, constant adjustment, and a process. And there are times when spinning on a flat can feel endless. For life sciences companies, finding funding feels like an uphill climb, but it doesn’t have to be. At Astound, we help companies cut through the noise and focus on what matters—so they can spend less time searching for funding and more time driving their science. #startupfunding #research #lifescience #biotechnology #funding

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Over the last 2+ years, I've met with hundreds of ClimateTech startup founders, and I'm seeing them fall into two camps: the ones shutting down and the ones gaining traction. What separates them? The ones gaining traction: * are solving real problems * have happy customers * have REVENUE * got help from an accelerator * cultivated great mentors * pivoted quickly The ones who are shutting down: * never validated that people would actually pay for their product * spent WAY too much money * spent WAY too much time building their MVP * weren't 100% focused on providing value * were slow to pivot * thought they could do it all on their own What camp do you find yourself in? If you're not squarely in the former, let's chat about how Icademy For Climate can get you focused and moving in the right direction again.

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Often startups struggle to attract top-tier design talent. Want to know how Uber built the talent engine that enabled hypergrowth? 3 things created unstoppable momentum: 1. Meaningful work on massive problems. We were tackling unprecedented challenges at a global scale. Not just moving pixels - reimagining how cities move. Top performers are drawn to tough problems that matter. 2. Explosive growth trajectory. When you're the fastest-growing startup in history, you get real ownership over what you're building — full autonomy paired with proper accountability. Every decision mattered, and the impact was immediate. 3. The talent flywheel. Our specialized design recruiters knew exactly who to target and how to present the opportunity: tackle the toughest challenges, collaborate with the best talent, utilize the latest tech, and operate on a global scale. Most of our top hires came through referrals—exceptional talent from major tech companies and successful startups, bringing their strongest former colleagues with them. Looking back at Uber's success, the pattern is clear: Exceptional talent attracts exceptional talent, but only if you get the foundation right. Start there, and the best people won't just join — they'll bring their best people with them.

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🚀 Innovating Last-Mile Delivery with Climate-Controlled Autonomous “Cart Rovers” 🚀 I’ve been thinking a lot about the future of last-mile delivery, and I have an idea that could really push the envelope for companies like Door Leash Labs. Imagine climate-controlled autonomous “cart rovers” pre-filled with the most common items. These rovers are then loaded onto autonomous transportation vans that deliver them near their final destinations. Once there, the rovers autonomously complete the last-mile delivery. Here’s a breakdown: 🔹 Pre-Filled Cart Rovers: Stocked with frequently ordered products for quick, efficient delivery. 🔹 Climate Control: Ensures perishable items remain fresh. 🔹 Autonomous Navigation: Advanced sensors and AI for seamless, autonomous delivery. 🔹 Self-Reconsolidation: After deliveries, rovers can return to loading points, drop off empty carts, and pick up pre-loaded ones that meet the current delivery needs. 🔹 Autonomous Transportation Vans: Efficiently load and unload rovers, optimizing delivery routes. 🔹 Central Hub Operations: Aggregate orders, prepare, and load rovers onto vans. 🔹 Flexible Delivery Process: Vans drop off rovers at strategic locations, where they complete the last-mile delivery autonomously. This setup allows for real-time adjustments and accommodates complex orders seamlessly. Benefits: ✅ Speed: Rapid fulfillment with pre-stocked rovers. ✅ Flexibility: Real-time adjustments for last-minute or complex orders. ✅ Efficiency: Optimized routes and autonomous navigation enhance delivery efficiency. ✅ Cost Reduction: Lower labor costs and improved logistics. Challenges: 🔍 Ensuring technical reliability and security. 🔍 Adhering to local regulations for autonomous systems. 🔍 Gaining customer acceptance and satisfaction. I believe this approach could transform last-mile delivery by making it faster, more efficient, and adaptable to changing demands. I’m excited to connect with professionals who share a passion for innovation in delivery systems. Would love to discuss this idea further and explore potential opportunities at Door Leash Labs! #Innovation #LastMileDelivery #AutonomousVehicles #TechForGood #DoorLeashLabs #IdeasWorthSharing

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Design Systems are not just for large corporates. That is, if you take a lean approach. The state of the Web is such that you can do without an over-complexified, all-encompassing set of framework-specific components that completely alienate you from the web's native capacities. Get re-acquainted with the Web. You'll be surprised how much faster and lighter your sites or PWAs can become. You'll be even more surprised about the speed your team can develop with all the intuitive building blocks and the freedom from unneeded abstractions. Here are my 5 priorities for a lean, purely standards-based Design System. #designsystem #puremanifesto #webstandards #webcomponents #webdevelopment #storybook

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Want to learn if passkeys are right for you? (of course it is) Come hang out with us to learn a bit about what FIDO, Google, and Microsoft are doing with passkeys and how your company can benefit as well!

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🌱 Transform Your Garden with Green Thumb – Now Even Better! 🌱 We're excited to unveil the latest update to Green Thumb, your premier permaculture assistant! Green Thumb is here to revolutionize your gardening experience, ensuring that every seed you plant is a step towards sustainability and self-sufficiency. What's New? - Deeper Insights: Dive into enriched content on permaculture principles and innovative gardening techniques tailored for arid to lush environments. - Expert Guidance: Get precise, actionable advice for cultivating your garden in any climate, focusing on organic and eco-friendly methods. - Enhanced Usability: Whether you're a seasoned green thumb or a budding gardener, our updated features make gardening accessible and rewarding. With a commitment to nurturing the earth and empowering gardeners, Green Thumb is designed for those who believe in the power of planting sustainably. Our tool is crafted for small-scale successes with a big impact—perfect for home gardeners looking to grow their own food, beautify their spaces, and contribute positively to the environment. 🌼 Join our community of eco-conscious gardeners and start transforming your space today. Let's grow together! 🌼 #GreenThumb #Permaculture #EcoFriendly #GardeningLife #SustainableLiving

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🟣 Coauthoring in the Canvas designer is now generally available! Collaborate with your teammates in real-time, share ideas, and build apps together faster than ever before. How to enable: 1. Open your app in the Canvas designer. 2. Go to App Settings ➡️ New ➡️ Enable the Coauthoring toggle. Why coauthor? 🔄 Instant updates 💬 Seamless communication & feedback 🚀 Faster app development ▶︎ https://lnkd.in/dgQBMVwD Ready to boost teamwork? Start coauthoring today! 🙌 #PowerApps #Coauthoring #FusionTeams #LowCode #AppDevelopment #Microsoft Let me know if you’d like to add or tweak anything!

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Still a work in progress, but here is the before and after of the redesign to my links page. react-three/uikit is doing all the heavy lifting here. The Apfel theme provides all the visionOS inspired components. https://lnkd.in/gPM4BsUx

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I started a little writing pad over on Substack called "Thinker & Co". The newsletter/blog contains short notes on Design Thinking (Light), Human+Tech Systems, Innovative Product Design and Development, and Being a Solopreneur. Below is a post from a month ago, covering a topic close to my heart (AgeTech). I hope you enjoy reading it and consider supporting my publication! P.S. If you too are on Substack, please leave your publication URL in the comment so we can connect and follow each other. #Substack #writing

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Design in Complex Systems: Doing Community Engagement Right How often do you communicate your design research findings to the end users? I’ve heard many experienced researchers talk about the importance of circling back, especially in communities with a higher likelihood of respondent fatigue. This hadn’t quite hit home for me. One of my current tasks is understanding the social, psychological, and environmental influences of how health data is reported and used for decision-making. There are multiple systemic influences, one of the biggest being the health financing structure and its ripple effects on reporting. Finding ways to package and disseminate learnings from our immersive research and prototyping activities in a way that enables strategic design but also minimizes the natural concerns of the potential negative impact on funding, training, and recognition has been a constant question.   This week, I participated in an experience-sharing workshop. Hearing end users explicitly ask for more in-depth findings to help them improve their day-to-day data quality and use activities has been such a strong signal that circling back, no matter the complexities, is always an effort in the right direction.

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It’s human nature to generate explanations for phenomena around us. We form theories about how the world works and why things happen. An explanation, whether true or not, makes us feel in control. In #UserResearch, we often hear people describe how they think technology works. Sometimes, those theories are accurate, but most often, they are not. #technology #ux #userexperience

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