Observatory

We love interviewing interesting people, analyzing trends, developing custom tools, and observing creativity in motion.

Posts

Rocket Science: Dozfy

Rocket Science: Dozfy

Rocket Science: Colin Johnson

Rocket Science: Colin Johnson

Rocket Science: Patrick Egan

Rocket Science: Patrick Egan

Designing For Devices Just Changed – Again

Designing For Devices Just Changed – Again

Larry Botel

Rocket Science: Larry Botel

Design Review: Pro Sports Branding

Design Review: Pro Sports Branding

Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire

Rocket Science: Glenn Yu

Rocket Science: Glenn Yu

Stray Game

Fun Stuff Feb 2023

Winter Games 2023

Wheel keeps on turning

Design Review: Fitness in 2023

Design Book Covers

Essential Design Books

Rocket Science: Alexandra Hodkowski

Rocket Science: Alexandra Hodkowski

The Las Vegas Bar Guide for Conference Attendees

Fun Stuff Jan 2023

The Las Vegas Bar Guide for Conference Attendees

Euphoria

Fun Stuff Dec 2022

The Mostest of 2022

Something Borrowed Blooms

Interviews Dec 2022

Rocket Science: Lauren Bercier and Laken Swan of Something Borrowed Blooms

What Is A Technical Audit (And Why Does My Company Need One?)

What Is A Technical Audit (And Why Does My Company Need One?)

Small Planet’s 2022 No-Screens Holiday Gift Guide

Fun Stuff Nov 2022

Small Planet’s 2022 No-Screens Holiday Gift Guide

Joining Mastodon

Fun Stuff Nov 2022

So you’re thinking of joining Mastodon…

The Surf Atlas

Fun Stuff Nov 2022

Books We Think Look Cool 2022

Emily Fischer

Interviews Nov 2022

Rocket Science: Emily Fischer

Ant Accardi

Interviews Oct 2022

Rocket Science: Anthony Accardi

Tommy Byrnes

Interviews Sep 2022

Rocket Science: Tommy Byrnes

Dock 72 exterior

Small Planet’s New Home Is The Brooklyn Navy Yard

Rebecca Cohen

Interviews Sep 2022

Rocket Science: Rebecca Cohen

Colin Spoelman at Kings County Distillery

Interviews Sep 2022

Rocket Science: Colin Spoelman

Famous Men WHo Never Lived author and book cover

Interviews Aug 2022

Rocket Science: K Chess

Circa Hotel

Design Jul 2022

Design Review: Las Vegas

Cupid sign against the sky

We Need More Wedtech

Medical App

How to Make a Medical App

Small Planet’s 2022 Summer Reading List

Fun Stuff Jun 2022

Small Planet’s 2022 Summer Reading List

Introduction to Postman

Tutorials May 2022

Introduction to Postman

Nike Shoe Customizer

Tutorials May 2022

Our Favorite Product Customizers (And What You Can Learn From Them)

Design May 2022

Design Review: Formula 1

Rocket Science: Ben Gaines

Interviews Apr 2022

Rocket Science: Ben Gaines

Simon Banoub

Interviews Apr 2022

Rocket Science: Simon Banoub

Introducing Velocity, A New Flexible Resourcing Service

Introducing Velocity, A New Flexible Resourcing Service

On a Night of a Thousand Stars book cover

Interviews Apr 2022

Rocket Science: Andrea Yaryura Clark

Google Analytics sketches

Should I Make the Switch to Google Analytics 4?

Rocket Science: Brandon White

Interviews Mar 2022

Rocket Science: Brandon White

iOS Developer Journal

Tutorials Mar 2022

iOS Developer Journal

Takeaways from the 2022 Sloan Sports Conference

Takeaways from the 2022 Sloan Sports Conference

Sports Analytics graphic

Quick Hits from the 2022 Sloan Sports Conference

Stu on a bike!

Interviews Mar 2022

Rocket Science: Stu Constantine

Brandon Maier

Interviews Feb 2022

Rocket Science: Brandon Maier

Raft game at night

Fun Stuff Jan 2022

Winter Games 2022

Las Vegas neon sign

Does the world still want CES?

2021 Honor Roll

2021 Honor Roll

Predictions Clock

Fun Stuff Dec 2021

Predictions Week: Safety Versus Beauty

A clock depicting 2022

Fun Stuff Dec 2021

Predictions Week: Copying Dolly’s Brand?

Predictions Fortune Cookie

Fun Stuff Dec 2021

Predictions Week: Slightly Annoying But Very Fun

Predictions for 2022 - Building Blocks

Fun Stuff Dec 2021

Predictions Week: Let’s All Move Together Slowly

Rocket Science: Rachelle Hruska MacPherson

Interviews Dec 2021

Rocket Science: Rachelle Hruska MacPherson

Kitchen Without Borders gift pack

Fun Stuff Dec 2021

Small Planet’s 2021 No-Screens Holiday Gift Guide

Slim Aarons Style

Fun Stuff Nov 2021

Books We Think Look Cool 2021

El Dorado IPA can and glass

Fun Stuff Nov 2021

The Road to El Dorado

Jud Barr

Interviews Oct 2021

Rocket Science: Jud Barr

Center for Court Innovation Executive Director Courtney Bryan

Interviews Aug 2021

Rocket Science: Courtney Bryan

Holiday shopping on a Shopify website

Last-Minute Holiday Reminders For Your Shopify Site

Shopping basket filled with boxes

Advice for Using Third-Party Apps in Shopify

Pink Chicken founder Stacey Fraser

Interviews Jun 2021

Rocket Science: Stacey Fraser

Whoop app

Fun Stuff Jun 2021

Apps We Like: Summer 2021

Ian Lynch Smith photo

Interviews Jun 2021

Rocket Science: Ian Lynch Smith

Book Covers: Vernon Subutex, The Constant Rabbit, Shuggie Bain

Fun Stuff Jun 2021

Small Planet’s Summer 2021 Reading List

Here are 4 Ways to Make TestRail Better

Photo of Jeff Borman

Interviews May 2021

Rocket Science: Jeff Borman

Tracy Chadwell photo

Interviews May 2021

Rocket Science: Tracy Killoren Chadwell

Illustration of Ken Seeno

Interviews Apr 2021

Rocket Science: Ken Seeno

Picture of Constellation

Fun Stuff Apr 2021

Podcast: The Students of Change

Observatory sports collage

Takeaways from the 2021 Sloan Sports Analytics Conference

Photo of Paola Mata

Interviews Apr 2021

Rocket Science: Paola Mata

Photo of Tiffany Horan

Interviews Mar 2021

Rocket Science: Tiffany Horan

SP Cookbook Guide cover image

Fun Stuff Mar 2021

The Small Planet Spring Cookbook Guide

Cari Sekendur photo

Interviews Mar 2021

Rocket Science: Cari Sekendur

Photo of Ariel Michaeli

Interviews Mar 2021

Rocket Science: Ariel Michaeli

The Business of We book cover

Interviews Mar 2021

Rocket Science: Laura Kriska

Unkindest Cuts

Unkindest Cuts

Still from the game No Man's Sky

Fun Stuff Jan 2021

Winter Games 2021

Frictionless Shopping Cart

The Secret Ingredient to Frictionless Shopping

Colt Translation Tool

Introducing Colt

Crystal Balls

How Work and Play Could Change in 2021

Crystal Balls

How Retail and Tech Could Change in 2021

Standards Manual presents Parks

Fun Stuff Dec 2020

Books That Look Cool – 2020 Edition

Rebecca Brooker

Interviews Dec 2020

Rocket Science: Rebecca Brooker, Part 2

Rebecca Brooker

Interviews Dec 2020

Rocket Science: Rebecca Brooker, Part 1

Karen Pattani-Hason

Interviews Nov 2020

Rocket Science: Karen Pattani-Hason

Coordinate Mapper

Coordinate Mapper

Shopping Cart with flaming engine

E-commerce Partners: The Digital Agency Hiring Guide for VCs

Cocktail with orange peel

Fun Stuff Oct 2020

Small Planet’s Oktoberfest 2020 Beer and Cocktail Guide

Ed Erenberg

Interviews Sep 2020

Rocket Science: Ed Erenberg

Name tags

What’s Next For Tech Conferences?

Holiday Shopping Cart

Last-Minute E-commerce Holiday Checklist

Interactive Design Tools collage

Tutorials Aug 2020

The Interactive Designer’s Toolbox

Michael Metcalf

Interviews Jul 2020

Rocket Science: Michael Metcalf

Office Icons

4 Ways Tech Offices Will Change As We Reopen

Tech Calendar hero image of circles and data

4 Ways The Tech Scene Will Be Different In 6 Months

Are You Bored With Reality? written on side of a school bus

4 Experiences That Will Be Different In 6 Months

Katherine McDonald

Interviews May 2020

Rocket Science: Katherine McDonald

Keren Landman

Interviews Apr 2020

Rocket Science: Keren Landman

Cat and computer in an office

The Coming Wave of Enterprise Apps

SaMD phone

Building Your First SaMD/Clinical Research Application

Basketball breaking down into data

Takeaways from the 2020 Sloan Sports Analytics Conference

The Bericks - founders of Maptote

Interviews Feb 2020

Rocket Science: Maptote’s Rachel and Michael Berick

USA cover photo

The Iowa App-tastrophe: Plenty of Blame to Go Around

Light bulb collage with phone

How much does it cost to make an app?

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Fun Stuff Jan 2020

Winter Games 2020

UX Questions

Design Dec 2019

Preparing for UX Design Interview Questions

Inclusive Design Directory

Design Nov 2019

Design Directories for Inclusivity

Small Planet 10th Anniversary

A Note From Gavin

Mobile RFP Pre-Flight Checklist

Tutorials Oct 2019

Mobile RFP Pre-Flight Checklist

Josh Siegel

Interviews Oct 2019

Rocket Science: Josh Siegel

Down The Rabbit Hole neon sign

Design Oct 2019

The Basics: Starting Out In App Design

Gavin and family

Interviews Oct 2019

Rocket Science: Gavin Fraser

Minority Report photo still

Design Sep 2019

Beautiful/Ridiculous

Mobile App Accessibility

Tutorials Sep 2019

Mobile App Accessibility Toolbox

Prue Linehan photo

Interviews Aug 2019

Rocket Science: Prue Linehan

Healthcare Brands

How Healthcare Brands Speak to Women

Alyssa Nasca photo

Interviews Jul 2019

Rocket Science: Alyssa Nasca

Famous Men Who Never Lived book cover

Fun Stuff May 2019

SP’s Post-Apocalypse Summer Reading List

Victoria Carter photo

Interviews Feb 2019

Rocket Science: Victoria Carter

Time Series Data cover

Video: Time-Series Data NY Meetup

Alex Little photo

Interviews Aug 2018

Rocket Science: Alex Little

Adette Contreras photo

Interviews Jun 2018

Rocket Science: Adette C. Contreras

Blue Green Code

Mobile Developer Toolkit

Spot On - Assorted App Screens

Building a Better Health App

Tammy Tyberg photo

My First Two Years as a Developer