Building in Public: 2 Nov–8 Nov 2026
Claude tools keep collapsing the distance between an idea and a working prototype, but they also copy the rules they are given. This week I used that speed to build, redesign and upgrade, and checked how much of the thinking the GenAI tooling was doing for me and how much was still mine.
Everything I shared in Substack Notes last week, in one place. 13 notes.
Start Claude Design from Claude Code
You can kick off a design process in Claude Design straight from Claude Code, without opening the Claude GUI, so design can sit inside your build flow.
Trying a new pattern explainer format
I am testing a new format for explaining patterns and want reader feedback on whether it helps you understand them.
Helsinki Data Week and the AURA recap
Helsinki Data Week is a conference I rated highly, and Juha Korpela and I discuss it in person on the latest AURA episode.
Totals row design variations from Claude Design
AI can generate many design variations fast, but fast options are not the same as good ones, and none of these convinced me.
Step by Step UX comes to the Information Product Canvas
A UX pattern that worked in one companion app is worth reusing across the rest, so I started with the Information Product Canvas, which is open source.
Monthly WoW Digestables are back
I am publishing a monthly content digest again, starting with October 2026, and you can subscribe to get it by email.
AI in the loop: questioning the persona choice
An AI’s reasoning can be valid but wrong because it copies existing rules, so question its choices and stay in charge of the work.
Practi updates: skills, glossary first, health checks
Move work the platform already does out of the agent to save tokens and compute, and keep a fallback for when that result is stale.
What would you ask the Awesome Foursome?
We are running an end of year AURA special on 11th December with Tim Frazer, Chris Gambill, Anna Bergevin and Juha Korpela, and I want your questions.
Svelte 5 upgrade: easy demo, harder product
An AI-assisted framework upgrade was easy on a clean demo tenancy, but legacy components in the real GUI will make the same upgrade harder.
Prototyping a pattern app from a Discord question
Being able to prototype an idea quickly to validate its value, or not, is a game changer.
A benchmark component for the design system
When you need to show where one thing sits against others, add a reusable benchmark component to the design system rather than a one-off chart.
Done in 60 Seconds: 5 Lanes Prioritisation
The latest Done in 60 Seconds animation covers 5 Lanes Prioritisation, my favourite prioritisation pattern, for when everything is top priority.