User Manual
This is a short guide to how I tend to think, work, and collaborate.
It isn’t exhaustive — just a practical reference for anyone working with me.
Overview
I’m naturally drawn to systems — understanding how things fit together, where they fail, and how they can be made more durable.
Curiosity has been a constant. I usually learn by opening things up, breaking them, and figuring out why they behaved the way they did.
I’m comfortable working independently, but I value environments where ownership is clear and trust is assumed.
Long-term usefulness matters to me more than short bursts of progress.
Strengths
I’m usually at my best when a problem is still slightly undefined.
I like reducing complexity until the path forward becomes obvious. Once I understand the shape of a problem, I move steadily rather than dramatically.
I tend to connect ideas across engineering, product, and writing. This often helps when decisions need both technical depth and practical judgment.
Persistence comes naturally. If something isn’t working, my default response is to keep digging until it makes sense.
Where I need help
Context matters to me. It’s hard for me to contribute meaningfully if I don’t understand the reasoning behind a decision.
My instinct is often to look a few steps ahead, which sometimes leads me to overcomplicate early solutions. A reminder to keep things simple is usually helpful.
I’m curious about many things, and that curiosity occasionally pulls my attention in too many directions. Clear priorities help me focus my energy where it matters most.
Principles I tend to follow
I try to prefer clarity over cleverness. Systems should be understandable before they are impressive.
Building something real is usually better than discussing it endlessly. Progress creates its own momentum.
I think in longer time horizons whenever possible. Software that quietly works years later is more interesting to me than something optimized only for launch day.
Writing is part of how I think. When ideas are written down, they tend to improve.
I’m cautious about adding process, tools, or abstraction unless they solve a real problem.
How I like to work
I gravitate toward small teams where communication is direct and decisions are easier to trace.
Writing things down is important to me. It reduces ambiguity and gives ideas space to mature before being acted on.
I value constraints — they often lead to better, simpler solutions.
Before starting, I prefer spending enough time understanding what we are actually trying to solve. Once that’s clear, I’m comfortable moving quickly and iterating.
I’m less interested in noise, urgency, or performative productivity. Consistent progress matters more.
Trust improves my work more than oversight.
Communication
Clear and direct communication works best with me.
Written context before meetings is always appreciated — it leads to better conversations.
Early feedback is far more useful than late surprises. If something seems off, I’d rather talk about it sooner.
I don’t take thoughtful criticism personally; improving the work is what matters.
Influences
I’ve always admired engineering that endures — systems designed with enough care that they continue working long after their creators have moved on.
That mindset shows up everywhere for me, from spacecraft like Voyager to everyday machines that simply have to work in every condition.
Stoic philosophy has shaped parts of how I approach both work and uncertainty: focus on what matters, ignore what doesn’t.
I’m still the type of person who installs operating systems just to understand what’s happening underneath.
Channels like Veritasium and Ben Eater continue to remind me how deep this field really is.
Outside of work
A lot of my free time still revolves around learning — reading, writing, and building small things out of curiosity.
Some of those projects become useful tools. Others exist simply because I wanted to understand something better.
I stay involved with a few non-profits when I can. It’s a small way to contribute beyond the technical world.
More often than not, building is just how I relax.
Get in touch
Email is usually the best way to reach me.