https://www.viljoen.spaceProduct • Design • ParentingSun, 26 Jan 2025 15:00:58 GMTWebflowhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/taking-children-seriouslyhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/taking-children-seriouslyWith Taking Children Seriously, it's entirely possible to raise children without forcing them to do anything. So, as parents, we don’t have to force them to do things like brushing their teeth, eating or sleeping.Sun, 22 Sep 2024 12:54:08 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/our-view-on-screen-time-limitshttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/our-view-on-screen-time-limitsBy not forcing screen time limits, we’ve shifted the tone in our house from anxiety and guilt to trust and respect. This approach opens up the conversation about addiction and other negative effects of excessive screen time usage without them feeling we have an agenda to control them.Sun, 21 Jul 2024 12:31:47 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/beautiful-boring-and-without-soulhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/beautiful-boring-and-without-soulToday we’re building boring products because we struggle to go much deeper than “I’m alright”. Going deeper is the difference between experiencing the Sagrada Família and The Telephone Building. What we now need are makers who dare to look beyond the surface and tap into the wellspring of emotion and meaning that resides in the depths of their being. Tue, 30 Apr 2024 07:47:12 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-art-of-imperfection-reflections-on-building-a-pergolahttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-art-of-imperfection-reflections-on-building-a-pergolaWhile building a pergola, I cut the cross beams too short. How did I make such an obvious mistake? Here are some lessons learned about decision-making, internal dialog and making plans.Fri, 19 Jan 2024 09:32:35 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/disobediencehttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/disobedienceDisobedience makes us human. It enables us to choose differently. How we do it, has the potential for better explanations, deeper friendships with our kids, happier families and a brighter future. Thu, 06 Jul 2023 18:10:55 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/seamless-securityhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/seamless-securityA case study on how we reduced the complexity and cognitive overhead of account security by turning the Luno app into a 2FA app.Thu, 16 Mar 2023 18:29:29 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/screen-time-unask-the-questionhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/screen-time-unask-the-question“Should kids have screen time limits?”, is a fundamentally flawed question. Yes, kids might just continue to for hours on end. And yes, kids might stop if we force a screen time limit. But to what effect?Sun, 26 Feb 2023 12:33:42 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/humanhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/humanWed, 01 Feb 2023 15:21:32 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/blockshttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/blocksI liked the block input as it simply helps explain how many digits you need to type in without having to read anything. Besides that, it looked nicer and more appropriate for entering codes.Thu, 12 Jan 2023 09:42:20 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/compounding-whathttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/compounding-whatCompound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. This is true for money, relationships and jobs.Thu, 29 Dec 2022 18:13:30 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/less-force-more-problem-solvinghttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/less-force-more-problem-solvingThe most mature teams use less force and more problem-solving. Each solution is unique, but they’re all recognised by respect and creativity, leading to happier people, deeper trust and bigger impact.Thu, 17 Nov 2022 04:23:12 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/why-we-quit-our-jobhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/why-we-quit-our-jobBy shifting the conversation from you are wrong, to we might be wrong, we acknowledge that we don’t know 100% and there is always room for error.Wed, 16 Nov 2022 18:46:57 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/supernova-guesses-refutationshttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/supernova-guesses-refutationsProgress happens in the absence of certainty. As long as you leave space for at least a 1% margin of error in a belief, a new idea can enter it and challenge the existing, triumphant one. Sun, 17 Jul 2022 12:01:13 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/how-i-built-a-waterfallhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/how-i-built-a-waterfallSince I finished the waterfall, dragonflies have started to roam around, bees collect their daily water, a choir of frogs moved in, and my sons regularly use the waterfall as a jungle gym. Tue, 17 May 2022 18:04:08 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/done-doesnt-mean-perfecthttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/done-doesnt-mean-perfectDone doesn't mean perfect. It means we’ve done what we can with the time, energy, and resources available for today in response to the current (but shifting) reality in front of us.Mon, 09 May 2022 12:12:14 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-optimisthttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-optimistThis is optimism: knowing that problems are inevitable but having the means to solve them, even though we might not know how yet.Tue, 05 Apr 2022 18:45:02 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/reality-is-messyhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/reality-is-messyWhen we create prototypes and stop considering the messy reality people find themselves in, our ideas inevitably connect with reality, like a truck and a low bridge.Wed, 09 Mar 2022 18:40:59 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/a-map-for-misfitshttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/a-map-for-misfitsDesign is a process of resolving conflicting constraints, and, as Alexander rightfully said, drawings help us work out intricate relationships between parts.Sat, 05 Mar 2022 12:11:33 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-dynamic-societyhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-dynamic-society900 hand-carved stone sculptures: that’s really the only thing the Rapa Nui people have to show for the 500+ years they inhabited Easter Island. But we are not like them, we are a dynamic society that makes progress through criticism and creativity.Sat, 05 Mar 2022 12:11:33 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/org3-the-cooperative-organisationhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/org3-the-cooperative-organisationAll alien movies get it wrong. An advanced civilisation won't enslave us over natural resources but share their ideas with us. This is the true sign of an advanced civilisation. This is Org 3.0, the cooperative organisation.‍ Sat, 05 Mar 2022 12:11:33 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-65-year-old-ux-designerhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-65-year-old-ux-designerA 65-year-old UX designer lands in your hiring inbox. What do you do?Sat, 05 Mar 2022 12:11:33 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-edenic-jobhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-edenic-jobWhen the recruiter asks why you are leaving your job, what will you say? Couldn’t deal with a vehement disagreement? Probably not. I'd argue that the real reason we often take up new jobs is that we are in search of an Edenic job.Sat, 05 Mar 2022 12:11:33 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/deadlocks-and-bigger-wholeshttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/deadlocks-and-bigger-wholesIt's in the pausing that we start to appreciate that neither your work nor my work is an isolated fragment, but part of a world which includes...Sat, 05 Mar 2022 12:11:33 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/lessons-learned-from-fighting-phishershttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/lessons-learned-from-fighting-phishersWed, 16 Feb 2022 04:08:16 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/when-an-inuit-builds-his-igloohttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/when-an-inuit-builds-his-iglooWhen's the right time to fix an igloo? If you ask an Inuit, he will tell you the moment the ice starts to melt and wakes you up in the middle of the night. And so it is with products.Tue, 28 Dec 2021 11:54:49 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/a-city-is-not-a-treehttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/a-city-is-not-a-treeMy summary of Christopher Alexander's "A city is not a tree" paper:Sun, 28 Nov 2021 17:00:39 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/solving-design-problems-through-networked-thinkinghttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/solving-design-problems-through-networked-thinkingSimplicity often lies on the other side of complexity. For any problem, the more you can zoom out and embrace complexity, the better chance you have of zooming in on the simple details that matter most.Sun, 28 Nov 2021 17:00:39 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/legend-of-the-arrowhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/legend-of-the-arrowA fictional story about the legend of the arrow and how it became the most universally understood symbol.Sun, 28 Nov 2021 17:00:39 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-world-without-languagehttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-world-without-languageIs a universal language, written or visual, possible or desirable?Sun, 28 Nov 2021 17:00:39 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/behind-the-screens-why-we-work-in-cryptohttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/behind-the-screens-why-we-work-in-cryptoSun, 28 Nov 2021 17:00:39 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/brain-machine-interfaces-a-farmers-definitionhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/brain-machine-interfaces-a-farmers-definitionOnce upon a time, 75 0000 years ago… So what happened 75 000 years ago? Well, as there was no internet yet, a lot less than today. In fact, language wasn't invented yet, so a LOT less. Imagine that for a moment - no talking… For those with a babbling 2-year-old, this probably sounds like a dream come true. But for Bak who needed something urgently from his friend on the other side of the river, this was a problem.Sun, 28 Nov 2021 17:00:39 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-illusion-of-trying-to-calculate-your-retirementhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-illusion-of-trying-to-calculate-your-retirementSun, 28 Nov 2021 17:00:39 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/hi-my-name-ishttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/hi-my-name-isSun, 21 Nov 2021 12:59:04 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-gardener-designerhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-gardener-designerDesigners are gardeners, real gardeners. We don't cultivate flowers; we cultivate the soil we build on by delving into the products organic underworld, the people using them, enabling us to create products that foster life.Wed, 20 Oct 2021 18:11:49 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/collecting-timehttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/collecting-timeFri, 13 Aug 2021 05:10:39 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/how-to-explore-old-streetshttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/how-to-explore-old-streetsHow writing lets you meander through your brain's neurological 'streets' — creating new connections, discovering new paths and encountering serendipitous moments.Tue, 07 Jul 2020 05:05:18 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-contradiction-of-persuasion-designhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-contradiction-of-persuasion-designSun, 05 Jul 2020 12:21:13 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/how-to-pay-off-your-home-loan-faster-by-using-the-banks-moneyhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/how-to-pay-off-your-home-loan-faster-by-using-the-banks-moneySun, 05 Jul 2020 12:21:13 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/how-to-share-or-embed-a-google-sheets-chart-that-updates-instantly-no-need-to-wait-for-5-minuteshttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/how-to-share-or-embed-a-google-sheets-chart-that-updates-instantly-no-need-to-wait-for-5-minutesSun, 05 Jul 2020 12:21:13 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/thundafund-the-beginning-of-a-new-storyhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/thundafund-the-beginning-of-a-new-storySun, 05 Jul 2020 12:21:13 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/learning-code-as-a-designerhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/learning-code-as-a-designerSun, 05 Jul 2020 12:21:13 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-beginning-of-interaction-designhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-beginning-of-interaction-designSun, 05 Jul 2020 12:21:13 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-timeless-way-of-building-productshttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/the-timeless-way-of-building-productsSun, 05 Jul 2020 12:21:13 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/being-a-man-and-solving-problemshttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/being-a-man-and-solving-problemsSun, 05 Jul 2020 12:21:13 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/make-money-great-againhttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/make-money-great-againSun, 05 Jul 2020 12:21:13 GMThttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/a-bizarre-accidental-scenehttps://www.viljoen.space/writing/a-bizarre-accidental-sceneSun, 05 Jul 2020 12:21:13 GMT