The Orbit

Mer Joyce is the founder of Do Big Good, a Seattle-based redesign studio that aims to tackle systemic problems with a strategic and innovative mindset. She has consulted and collaborated with non-profits and firms around the globe, with a focus on digital activism and social impact measurement. In this interview, we discuss Seattle's CHOP/CHAZ, civil unrest, and what the future of work could look like.

I'm always trying to think of ways to improve my information diet - one strategy is to classify my input as data points and schemas. This simply means differentiating between the various flavors of information that we encounter in books, movies, articles, and podcasts. If we see how information shapes our experience, I believe we can be smarter about how we choose to learn.

People have been socializing on the internet for a long time - but how has it changed since we've been on lockdown? In this conversational vlog, I discuss the ways I connect with friends, and how others have found similar solutions organically. We'll touch on systems thinking, emergent phenomena, and why video conferencing sucks as I snack on Wheat Thins.

I'm a hobby programmer - I like making tiny little web apps, cobbling together IoT devices, and investigating CTF challenges. I'm by no means a professional, but I do manage to find joy in learning new things. Code is everywhere, and I think that more people might give it a try if they knew where to start. This is an overview of how I got to where I am today, and what you can do if you're interested in joining me.

Finding your audience doesn't happen overnight - it takes sustained effort. In this video, we will discuss content consistency and its role in bringing in new fans and followers. Together, we'll find a process and pace that works for you and your online presence, so that people are motivated to see what you produce next.

Ambient proximity is a fancy way of saying "hanging out but not interacting." It's what you're doing when you study in a cafe. However, in the midst of COVID-19, is there a way for us to create this environment online? In this video, I talk about the benefits of ambient proximity and provide examples of how people are using it for their businesses and projects.

Sarah emailed me a question: "How do you balance being a multi-interested person?" Sarah wants to pursue music as a career, but also has business aspirations and a couple of other projects. How do you pick just one? In this video, I discuss choice paralysis, along with strategies for how to make a decision when you are overwhelmed with options. 

Alyssum brings the weird to the corporate world. As an industrial designer, she often has to communicate a feeling to a team, which is where her Pinterest boards come into play. They're an accumulation of images that Alyssum has collected for years, organized by various themes so that when she works on her next project, she knows exactly where to look for inspiration. In this interview, we discuss her process, her plan, and her passion for implementing art in the real world.   Alyssum's website: https://www.alyssum.design/  Her Pinterest boards:  https://www.pinterest.com/alyssumq/

In which I share what I've been doing whilst at home.

In quarantine, the problem isn't just teaching kids remotely - it's getting them access to a computer with internet. Melissa Blount works at a Title 1 middle school, and her job has shifted from being a librarian to being a social support hub for her students. COVID-19 swept the nation quickly, leaving schools with very little time to respond. Melissa and I examine what could have been done, and what mutual aid networks are doing to help.