Better Problems
A blog and design consultancy for those asking harder, better questions.
Role
Founder, Writer,
Principal Strategist
Organization
Independent Practice
Content + Consultancy
Timeline
Ongoing
Tools
Writing & Editing
Systems Mapping
Facilitation
Strategy
Focus
Critical Design
HCI & AI Framing
Ethics & Equity
Overview
Better Problems is both a content platform and a consulting practice rooted in the belief that design should clarify, not oversimplify — and that good solutions come from better questions.
As a blog, Better Problems publishes essays on culture, technology, systems, and creativity — helping readers reframe how they see the world, one thoughtful provocation at a time.
As a consultancy, it supports mission-driven teams in tackling ambiguity, mapping systemic friction, and designing interventions that balance impact, integrity, and equity.
It’s not about problem-solving faster. It’s about problem-framing deeper.
The Blog
Better Problems: The Journal
An evolving set of essays and visual content reflecting on design, AI, cultural systems, and the future of creative practice. Each piece is structured to be short, sharp, and nonlinear — more prompt than prescription.
Selected Articles:
- AI Beyond the Chat — A critique of conversational UX as a shallow default
- Scaling Trust Is the Product — On PMs, automation, and the ethics of delegation
- Surface Tension — A reflection on Karyn Nakamura and friction as access
- What Is a Better Problem? — A statement of ethos, inviting others to question more intentionally
Content Style:
- Short essays (2–4 min reads)
- Optional audio narration for accessibility
- Inspired by cultural criticism, systems thinking, and human–computer interaction
The Consultancy
Better Problems provides strategy and design support to teams navigating complexity — particularly in the fields of education, healthcare, and social innovation.
Services include:
- Strategic problem framing and systems mapping
- Stakeholder co-creation and equity-centered facilitation
- Narrative synthesis, sensemaking, and strategic storytelling
- Responsible AI product framing and behavior modeling
Ideal Clients:
- Mission-aligned teams seeking clarity before solutions
- Organizations feeling stuck in growth, scale, or change
- Institutions facing ethical or cultural tension in their systems
Origin
Better Problems emerged from a tension felt in much of today's design work: a rush toward novelty over nuance, and a bias for solutions over context. It's a rebellion against "move fast and fix nothing."
It's grounded in design ethics, HCI thinking, and lived experience as a first-generation designer working at the intersection of systems, storytelling, and equity.
My Role
Founder, writer, and principal strategist. I lead all editorial content, consultative engagements, and brand voice. The tone is intentional, critical, and curious — meant to provoke reflection, not just agreement.
Future Directions
- Print zine of the most resonant essays
- Workshops and toolkits for reframing problems
- Guest writers and collaborators
- Curriculum for universities or civic design studios
“We don’t need better solutions. We need better problems.”