Hey, I’m Ben.

Today I want to talk to you about why I am the way that I am. And by that I mean, why I care so much about experience design; about the experiences people have with things. Why I get frustrated by things that don’t work, or don’t work well, or aren’t easy to use. Why mediocrity infuriates me so much.

What a beautifully blunt characterization of this one, short life we all have, and the ensuing responsibility we have as people who make things.

Over the last several years, I have noticed myself slowly detaching from the world around me; not a lack of awareness, but a lack of presence. That's why in 2023, my yearly theme is “connection.”