WORKING IN THE OPEN

Summary from the TLDR Design newsletter

Working in open source—especially on large-scale projects like ODK—pushes designers beyond simply shipping features toward designing transparently, collaborating closely with users, and thinking long-term about maintenance and impact. Open collaboration, public roadmaps, and constant community feedback improve decision-making while forcing clarity, accountability, and trust. A key lesson is embracing the “un/learning loop”: slowing down, staying open to uncertainty, and learning in public leads to better, more inclusive solutions—especially in complex or high-stakes environments—while prioritizing stewardship over speed.