Let’s solve some problems together.
We get it. It’s not helpful to say we solve problems.
So we’ve put together some real problems we’ve solved for people.
If you’ve found this? We can help.
Prevent an IT project or procurement disaster.
You’re involved in approving an IT project. Maybe even in government!
But so far it’s showing all the signs of business-as-usual failure. You know: waterfall, up-front, spec- and requirements-heavy. A big budget and big RFP is looming.
We help you:
make the case for iterative, user-centered IT projects;
turn waterfall IT projects into an iterative, user-centered one;
get executive leadership and program managers to support a new approach;
build the coalitions you need across program, finance, control agencies, and more, to succeed; and
probably more, too. Let’s be honest — there’s a lot going on.
Maybe you’re under time pressure, too. It happens.
We’ve done what works. And some real talk? We’re not shy about sharing what we’ve done and seen that doesn’t work, either.
Set useful goals and strategy instead of wasting time. Again.
You’re a product director or group manager.
It’s that time of year again. You desperately need this goal- and strategy-setting exercise to make a difference.
You need help to:
make sense of the big, vague goals you’ve been handed and turn them into useful, sharp, clear ones for your teams;
come up with meaningful goals for you and your teams, not bullshit filler ones; and
turning “do everything” into something focussed
We’ll help you get this done. It’ll be fun, too. Probably. (And also hard work. But fun hard work).
Deliver big improvements, not just incremental ones.
You’re a product director or group manager.
You have a well-oiled machine, an assembly line of agile delivery. You and your teams are great at delivering
You need help to:
make sense of the big, vague goals you’ve been handed and turn them into useful, sharp, clear ones for your teams;
come up with meaningful goals for you and your teams, not bullshit filler ones; and
turning “do everything” into something focussed
We’ll help you get this done. It’ll be fun, too. Probably. (And also hard work. But fun hard work).
… or let’s get to know each other
Join us for Hallway Track
Small groups. Impromptu conversations. Interesting people.
A free, ad-hoc series of gatherings on Zoom, held just after an interesting discussion. Not too big that you don’t get a chance to talk.
001 The Cosy Internet
On the early 2010s’ cozy web, Little Printer, intimacy, collaboration, humanity, and sincerity. On With Katie Dreke, Tom Taylor, and Matt Webb.
003 You Deserve a Union
On organizing and unionizing in technology, videogames, and more. With Jacky Alciné, Ethan Marcotte, Clarissa Redwine, and Johanna Weststar.
004 Work, the internet, and technology in fiction
On how work and the internet have been treated as a subject in recent fiction. With Joanne McNeil and Tim Maughan.
“My reaction to the term “thought partner” is usually to throw up in my mouth a bit, but Dan is legit amazing at it.”
If you could do it, you’d be doing it already.
That’s not a dig.
You’re smart. You know what you’ve got to do.
But: you’ve got a lot going on.
Untangling relationships and understanding takes time.
Getting clarity is hard work.
That’s what we do with you.
And then, we make the connections nobody else can. Let’s talk.
“Dan is one of the most switched-on people you could hope to meet. He knows more than is natural about everything. He's also able to balance being wildly creative with being super strategic. Sometimes it feels like he's managed to digest the entire internet - and made sense of it all.”
Former Executive Creative Director, Google Creative Lab
The State of California's Strategic Technology Plan
Vision 2023
In January 2021, we delivered Vision 2023, California's Statewide Strategic Technology Plan with our client, Department of Technology.
Over the 6 months of preparing Vision 2023, our work included:
Designing and holding over 60 user research interviews and meetings with leaders and staff across government, technology companies and vendors, the civic technology community, and the legislative and judicial branches
Designing, running and synthesizing insights from research surveys, including Department of Technology supervisors and managers, Chief Information Officers, and an unprecedented, ~8,000 respondent staff survey across 19 departments
Designing, organizing and facilitating collaboration sessions with technology vendors, and outreach to technology companies new to working with the state
Reviewing existing material, including strike team reports, legislative
We're proud to publish with the Department of Technology our report of what we learned from our user research, including quotes, survey results and the themes that emerged.
You can also read Vision 2023 as a PDF.
Coverage of Vision 2023:
State's Strategic Plan Lays Out Tech Goals, Challenges, Techwire, 19 January 2021
Digital Services with the State of California
California Child Welfare Digital Service
In 2015, our principal's work with Code for America led to California's Health and Human Services Agency, Department for Social Services, Office of Systems Integration, Government Operations Agency and Department of Technology working together to found the Child Welfare Digital Service.
Government Operations Agency and Department of Technology
Our work has helped California make sure government services meets user needs. Our work included:
Advising GovOps and Department of Technology leadership on technology policy and delivery
Delivering a digital services strategy and putting it into practice
Identifying digital service demonstration opportunities
Health and Human Services Agency and Office of Systems Integration
Our work with CHHSA and OSI has included:
Delivering a digital services strategy and putting it into practice
Helping OSI increase their capability and support for agile, iterative, multi-disciplinary delivery of technology that meets user needs
Advising on modernizing and replacing programs like Medicaid MMIS and MEDS, the Medi-Cal Eligibility Data System
Very Little Gravitas is
Dan Hon, Principal
Dan Hon is the former Editorial Director for Code for America, where he led the program to modernize California's procurement of a new child welfare technology system. Dan was most recently featured in the MIT Technology Review article Why is it so hard to build government technology?
Over the last 15 years, Dan's work has focussed on how the internet has changed publishing, entertainment, advertising and health.
We've recently worked with
Nora Ryan
Cyd Harrell
Ryan Ko (Chief of Staff, Code for America)
Lauren Lockwood, Founder and Principal, Bloom Works
Jennifer Tharp
Emily Wright Moore, Principal, Bloom Works