Comments on: Tips for Designers on Making it Through 2026 to the Other Side

By: Dunstan

Dunstan — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 03:31:16 +0000

Very grateful to see this advice. Thanks, Mike.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:03:29 +0000

One thing I’d add from the studio side : for motion, 3D and brand work, the “working software” equivalent isn’t code, it’s a generated asset that actually holds up.

A Kling clip, a rendered C4D frame with a real Octane shader, a brand system shown in context. That’s our lingua franca now. Clients stopped buying decks a while ago.

And yes to the Clash closer.

By: Toyo Kuo

Toyo Kuo — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 18:40:55 +0000

Thanks for sharing your insights, Mike. I’m feeling it as well, and this post is very encouraging!

By: Todd Gilbert

Todd Gilbert — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:21:27 +0000

Fighting agents is a pretty interesting experiment imo. Demonstrates how the current models short-circuit when given too long or contradicting instructions

By: Chris Fox

Chris Fox — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:29:54 +0000

This train ride has always been bumpy. Love this piece and it’s so valuable as a senior IC to know the breeze to tack my sails to. Bravely, and with great care.

By: Alan Houser

Alan Houser — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:24:11 +0000

Those headlines are EPIC. Once my AHDH saw OMD, I gave up reading, scrolled, and ran here to comment. Now, back to reading. ‍

By: Ezio Magarotto

Ezio Magarotto — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:45:37 +0000

Great piece, Mike.

By: Mike D.

Mike D. — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:15:50 +0000

In reply to Eric Armstrong.

For sure there will be a “conductors conducting conductors” problem. We kind of already have this though in the form of execs conduction middle managers conducting ICs. More autonomy and fewer layers should reduce the problem though. The goal, truly, is to *not* have a deep pyramid of conductors. 1-3 layers total, depending on company size and complexity/sprawl of projects.

And yes, I absolutely worry about the role of portfolios. It’s going to be incredibly easy to fake a good portfolio. Being able to explain your work cuts through some of that, but yes, it’s an emerging issue.

By: Jon Bell

Jon Bell — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:05:32 +0000

Thank you for this. I love how clearly and supportively you write.

By: Eric Armstrong

Eric Armstrong — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:38:26 +0000

I really like your example of conducting an orchestra. I feel we’re heading in the direction of – if I may borrow your metaphor – conducting conductors. Conductor-ception.

Do you think it might get to the point of portfolios being anything more than, “I asked the agents to find me a problem and then implement / curate the solution.”? It feels like we’re so close to living the I Made This meme. https://imgur.com/HzAWmeg