Short, timestamped observations and reflections captured while thinking, building, and learning in real time unfinished by design, and allowed to evolve.
Field Notes
There's a question floating around that deserves a straight answer: what are these tools actually for, and why did Anthropic build them in this order? The answer isn't about product categories. It's about what emerged from real usage. March 2023: Claude.ai Conversational interface.
Field Notes
You might have seen some of the recent noise around Claude Mythos (Preview) and something called Project Glasswing. At a glance, it sounds familiar. A company says: “We’ve built something so powerful… we can’t release it yet.” We’ve seen versions of that before. It also carries a
AI
Now more than ever (and 20 years on) Markdown might be one of the most useful skills you can quickly learn. But not for the reason most people think. It’s not about formatting text. It’s because Markdown turns out to be a near-perfect interface between humans and agents.
Field Notes
I’ve seen this pattern repeat across different layers of the industry. Not identical each time. But recognisable enough to call. When something new appears, something that changes how systems or users interact, we don’t standardise first. We start. This tends to unfold in three phases. First, something becomes
Leadership
There’s a word I use regularly, and sometimes needs explaining: patina. If you own a proper carbon steel knife or pan, you’ll know what it is. Out of the box it’s bright and uniform. Over time it darkens. Irregular blues and greys appear. It’s not rust.
Field Notes
Lately, a few conversations and examples, particularly around MCP and the momentum building behind agentic AI and integration patterns, has pushed me to revisit some older mental models. There’s a lot to like in what’s emerging. The composability is real. The primitives (Identity, Permission, Scope, Context...) feel cleaner
Field Notes
On Ramps — the ability to join; an entranceway. I’ve worked at a number of companies with a policy that goes something like this: “Our recruitment targets engineers with 2–3 years’ experience.” Huh? Who gives them the 2–3 years then? This isn’t just a passing thought. It’
Field Notes
Over the last few years, I don’t think I’ve enjoyed anything more than mentoring. It’s been deeply rewarding. I wish I’d invested in it earlier—but I’m here now, and hopefully accelerating. A few things I’ve learned are non-negotiables. * The mentee chooses you as
Leadership
When it comes to enabling leaders in my team, I think we often overcomplicate what “empowerment” actually means. For me, it comes down to a simple, repeatable frame: two statements and one question. An intentional de-complexifying of things. The goal is to manage the outcome, not the method, and it&
Field Notes
Something I’ve been thinking about lately is how to better embrace and flourish within the temporary. Because everything is temporary, right? Pretty much every career role, friendship, love connection. Not disposable, but definitely mostly temporary. The degree of temporariness varies, of course. Some things pass quietly; others leave deep