Expanding the scope of “digital terroir”
There's a disappointing lack of quality writing aimed at high-level design ICs and "player-coach" design leaders.
I can find a million blogs, newsletters, etc. for junior designers — stuff that focuses on visual design, or Figma shortcuts, or how to choose a typeface, etc.
And there's plenty for design managers, too. But not much for staff/principal/lead product designers or design architects.
I'm not looking for more writing about how to refine my craft or lead a team. I'm looking for more writing in the vein of Frank Chimero or Wilson Miner, who write about design but trend more "philosophical" in their outlook.
And then I remembered: I can write. I'm a product designer. I have thoughts about design and a place to put them.
So here I am, back on the "writing consistently" train for the first time since my days as opinion editor at The Industry, aiming to publish something twice a month that contributes to the conversation about product design and our place in the world.
I'm starting with five post categories, which outline my intention for this blog right now, but which may change as things evolve:
- 🛠️ Craft — The hands-on, practical side of design.
- 🧠 Strategy — Big-picture thinking and business impact.
- 🗺️ Systems — Design systems, structures, and frameworks.
- 💻 Work — The evolving nature of digital work, remote collaboration, and professional identity.
- 🤔 Musings — Reflections, essays, and explorations beyond pure design.
If this sounds like your thing, you should subscribe for free:
Who am I?
I'm Jordan Koschei, a product designer and software engineer who's been building software professionally for over 15 years.
I've worked as a freelancer, at an agency, at several startups (pre-seed to Series B), and at a publicly-traded enterprise. I've worked in both B2B and consumer software and have been a senior, staff, principal, and lead IC (individual contributor). I've also been a design manager in a player-coach capacity.
I've written for several publications and was the opinion editor (then managing editor) at The Industry, an online publication that pioneered design-oriented tech journalism. I've spoken at events including CatskillsConf, Enterprise UX by Rosenfeld, and the Brooklyn Product Design Meetup.
Influences
My writing here is particularly influenced by the following designers, writers, and publications. (It should go without saying that I don't necessarily know or endorse every single thing ever written, said, or believed by these people. Duh.)
Designers
Frank Chimero
Technology & society
Saskia Sassen, Columbia University, author of Expulsions
Venkatesh Rao
L. M. Sacasas
What does "digital terroir" mean?
When I first began writing about "digital terroir," I had a particular meaning in mind. If other things have a sense of place — wine, cheese, beer, bread — then can software have a sense of place too?
Lately, I've started to consider another definition. Perhaps "digital terroir" has a double meaning:
- Software can assume the characteristics of its creation.
- The "real world" can be influenced by software to assume digital characteristics.
I'll continue noodling on this idea in coming musings.