Hey there — I'm Jared. I design mobile & web apps and enjoy music, gaming, & landscape gardening. →
Featured Work
TaxAct Xpert Help
I worked with the TaxAct Assisted Help team to design the next iteration of their efforts to promote a new expert help service. Xpert Help connects the customer with a knowledgeable tax expert to help answer questions that can’t be answered by Google or TaxAct’s own general-audience documentation. An initial design had been launched to a small set of customer during the previous tax season, and the business was ready to take it to the next level as they planned to roll it out to all customers in the next tax season.
Latest Writing
Unsolicited Feedback: Boom 2
Unsolicited Feedback is a series which explores design possibilities from an outsider perspective. These design exercises consider what could be while acknowledging that, inside organizations, there are complex reasons for why products are shaped the way that they are. We’re just having fun here.
I like Boom a lot. I’ve written about it in the past, and raved about how installing it on my computers has significantly enriched my music-listening experience. It’s got nice features and is generally easy to understand.
Could be better, though.
The Problem
My issue with Boom is the extent to which various settings have to be individually adjusted every time the audio output is changed. In my case, I like turning the Preamp and Boom Volume all the way up when I’m listening through my headphones. It just sounds nicer that way. However, when I switch to listening through my speakers, I have to turn the Preamp all the way down, and the Boom Volume down to around 10%. If I forget to do this, the output is too powerful and the resulting blast of high volume could permanently damage my speakers. No bueno!
Latest Links
BAND-MAID - from now on
ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS??? BAND-MAID's instrumental tracks have always been amazing, but this one goes soooo haaaaaard. I'm crying literal tears. It's so good.
Robert Smith Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure
I don't own any Funko vinyl figures. Yet.
Hans Gruber Advent Calendar
Featuring Hans Gruber falling from Nakatomi Plaza. Happy Holidays!
Reddit: The Smashing Pumpkins - ATUM Act 1
Seems like a lot of fans are having the same reaction. Having just listened to it, I can say with confidence it won't get a second chance. It's truly terrible. Billy seems to enjoy chastising fans who want him to make Siamese Dream 2, saying that he's not interested in rehashing the past, but he's tried putting out the same cheap-synth clown car of a record three times now. How is that not rehashing?
This is the thought leadership we need.
"Seeing Musk and Zuckerberg flail has me wondering how the world might benefit from an arts and crafts mandate for the powerful. Could all of this have been avoided with a $20 Michael’s run?"
