Desk of Tobias von Schneider

3 lessons from Jony Ive

I nearly walked away from writing this essay. Trendy or current topics usually make me turn the other way, but I'm making an exception today. I'm not sure if you watched the interview with Jony Ive and Patrick (CEO of Stripe) last week. It's

by Tobias van Schneider

How do you know what you like anymore?

"Did you see Turtle Boss yet?" Tim asked over brunch. "I saw it," said Katie over a mouthful of hash browns. "It was so freaking good." "Good?" said Sam. "You actually thought it was good?" "Yeah, it was incredible.

by Tobias van Schneider

The difference between creative & uncreative people

When witnessing something unusual or beautiful or otherwise striking today, our first instinct is to capture it, share it or both.

by Tobias van Schneider

People are talking about me, and I started it

People talk about you the way you talk about yourself.

by Tobias van Schneider

A digital tool built like a physical product?

Does it seem like there's more bad TV these days? More mediocre writing? More low quality clothing?

by Tobias van Schneider

Why all designers should do customer support

With every product and company I've built, I’ve always personally helped with customer support. When we first started, I didn’t have much choice. In a small business, everyone does everything.

by Zoe

How to make a minimalist portfolio with Carbonmade

You don't need anything too fancy. You don't want to work for hours on your site.

by Tobias van Schneider

When our persona becomes our prison

You stand out online by having a “thing.” A certain style, a specific voice, a schtick or a skill that catches the eye of a few people and eventually snowballs you into notoriety.

by Tobias van Schneider

The illusion of productivity

"Productivity" is dead.

by Tobias van Schneider

When good is no longer good enough

It wasn’t long ago I’d see a 3D rendering or piece of highly detailed art and feel blown away.

by Tobias van Schneider

Breaking the algorithm

The world wants to tell you what to think about, what to be interested in, what to learn, what to pursue, what to worry about. And it's easier to let it.