Big Tech: Design Systems

Joel Christiansen

Updated: February 14, 2025
Hey, I'm Joel. I'm a software engineer and recovering lawyer based in Bellingham, Washington USA. This is my personal website, which I use to stash snippets I found inspiring or insightful, new-ish albums that spoke to me, and some short personal notes.

Index

Snippets

David Grossman: The Eternal Thing
Dan Gentile: Craft Stylus
Christopher Robin: Tokyo Miniatures
Vannevar Bush: The Builders
Aldous Huxley: Ready-Made Distractions
George Saunders: Society of Belovedness
Nicholas Carr: Mental Calisthenics of Hyperlinks
Stewart Brand: Calmly at Odd Jobs
Douglas Rushkoff: Timeless Technology
Samodh Porawagamage: Dear Su,
Alexandra Plakias: Make it awkward!
Anil Dash: Make Better Documents
T.S. Eliot: Tradition and the Individual Talent
Seymour Papert: Objects to Think With
Jason Fried: Writing is Quieter
Lewis Mumford: Energies of the Community
Céline Henne: Framed vs Framing Enquiry
Benjamin Reinhardt: Lean Ideas
Damon Gameau: Old Story
Hilkojj Interactive: Car Park Capital
Seiryū Miharashi Station
Vincent Woo: Tunnel Vision
Carlos Moreno: The 15-Minute City
Ali Darwish: Translation Constraints
Biomimicry 3.8: Life's Principles
Kyung Hee Kim: Divergence and Elaboration
Marloes de Valk: Appropriate Technology
John Butler: Between the Reamers and the Reeds
Ursula LeGuin: Why Are Americans Afraid of Dragons?
John Matson: Bicycle Built for None
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic: Brainstorming
Christopher Alexander: The Timeless Way of Building
Build the Earth: Collaborative Minecraft NYC
Roy Fielding: Null Style
Katerina Gorkovenko: How to Explore Data
Hammad Haider: The Zabbaleen of Manshiyet Nasser
Meghan Bartels: Sculptures on the Moon
Morgan Pope: Collaborative Cuteness
Richard Cohen: Human Energy
Robert Caro: Human Cost
Dan Rockmore: Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics
David Graeber: Practicing Freedom
James Somers: Collaboration in Pairs
Jeff Tweedy: Nostalgia
Tega Brain: The Environment Is Not A System
Stewart Brand: Maintenence Mindset
Jonathan Gold: Pico Boulevard
Rauno Freiberg: Invisible Details of Interaction Design
Donald Norman: Design as Communication
Big Tech: Design Systems
Jeff Bridges: Trim Tab
Kent Beck: Make It
Steve Jobs: Bicycle of the Mind
Keith Johnstone: Self-Expression
ARUP: Eyes Wider Open
Richard Hamming: The Way You Do It
Amabile and Kramer: The Power of Small Wins
J.C.R. Licklider: Man-Computer Symbiosis
Robert Caro: Thinking With Your Fingers

Albums

Masayoshi Fujita: Migratory
Felbm: Elements of Nature (自然の要素)
Motohiro Nakashima: Gathering the Light
Kidnap: Something Lost, Something Gained
H.Kakahashi: Low Power
Nils Frahm: Paris
Bullion: Affection
Efterklang: Things We Have In Common
Humble the Great: i don't mind floating
Masakatsu Takagi: Marginalia V
Slow Hollows: Bullhead
Sam Evian: Plunge
Eiko Ishibashi: Evil Does Not Exist
Winnetka Bowling League: Sha La La
Beach Fossils: Bunny
Gateballers: Infinity Mirror
Vegyn: The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions
Tanukichan: Gizmo
Leif Vollebekk: New Waves
Mk.gee: Two Star and the Dream Police
The Reds, Pinks, and Purples: Inner Richmond
Robohands: Palms
Hana Vu: Romanticism
ゆうらん船: My Revolution
maya ongaku: Approach to Anima
Donato Dozzy: Magda
Oisin Leach: Cold Sea
Kenji Ozawa: So kakkoii 宇宙
Whatitdo Archive Group: Palace Of A Thousand Suns
Michael A. Muller: Mirror Music
Friko: Where we've been; Where do we go from here?
Lusine: Long Light
Versacer: nothing was going to happen if i didn't say anything
Spencer Cullum: Coin Collection 2
Cornelius コーネリアス: Dream in a Dream
James Ellis Ford: The Hum
Meernaa: So Far So Good
H. Hawkline: Milk for Flowers
The Golden Dregs: On Grace and Dignity
Art School Girlfriend: Soft Landing
Cloth: Secret Measure
Cataldo: Dumber and Older
Slowdive: Everything Is Alive
Hayden Pedigo: The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored
Steve Gunn: Let the Moon Be a Planet
Will Wiesenfield: Bee and Puppcat (Vol. 1)
Ebi Soda: Honk If You're Sad
Masabumi Kikuchi: Attached(未練)
Barry Can't Swim: When Will We Land
Meursault: Meursault
Purr: Who Is Afraid of Blue
Blake Mills: Jelly Road
Rozi Plain: Prize
Daisy Rickman: Donsya A'n Loryow
Porter Robinson: Nurture
Anderson .Paak: Ventura
Nicholas Godin: Fire of Love
Svaneborg Kardyb: Over Tage
Ivan Blomqvist: Bror
Chris Staples: Cloud Souvenirs
Will Epstein: Wendy
kita kouhei 北航平 / Mamiko Hirai 平井: Hikari no kaikou
Lido Pimienta: Miss Colombia
Nev Cottee: Madrid
Yama Warashi (山童): Crispy Moon
Seawind of Battery: Clockwatching
Y La Bamba: Lucha
Melissa Carper: Ramblin' Soul
Arborist: An Endless Sequence of Dead Zeros
Mason Jennings: Underneath the Roses
Jalen Ngonda: Come Around and Love Me
Hania Rani: Ghosts
Kim Åge Furuhaug: Kim Åge Furuhaug
Vels Trio: Celestial Greens
birb: city life
Clariloops: Micro Macro
Hiss Golden Messenger: Jump for Joy
Mort Garson: Journey to the Moon and Beyond
Jackson Wooten: A New Child
Big Trees: Minor Outlying Islands
Haruhisa Tanaka: Views
Brandon Eder Ensemble: Therapy
Ann Annie: By Morning
Kennebec: Without Star or Compass
Amanda Palmer on The Art of Asking
Sadurn: Radiator
Iwamura Ryuta 岩村竜太: Symphony
Helios: Espera
Nightmares on Wax: Re-Imagineering Meditation Mix
The Breathing Effect: Eli & Harry
Goon: Hour of Green Evening
Will Van Horn: San Luis Pass
Dawes: Misadventures of Doomscroller
Phil Cook: All These Years
Telephone Friends: Telephone Friends
Corntuth: Letters to My Robot Son
Twain: Noon
Danger Mouse: Cheat Codes
Tyson Motsenbocker: Milk Teeth
North Americans: Long Cool World
Bill Callahan: Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
Wednesday: Rat Saw God
Move 78: Automated Improvisation
Keith Kenniff: It Shall Appear
Mark Barrott: 蒸発 (J​ō​hatsu)