diff --git a/content/journal/dispatch-37-march-2026/dmp-render.png.enc b/content/journal/dispatch-37-march-2026/dmp-render.png.enc new file mode 100644 index 0000000..298cff0 Binary files /dev/null and b/content/journal/dispatch-37-march-2026/dmp-render.png.enc differ diff --git a/content/journal/dispatch-37-march-2026/dmp-screenshot.png.enc b/content/journal/dispatch-37-march-2026/dmp-screenshot.png.enc new file mode 100644 index 0000000..36ab18d Binary files /dev/null and b/content/journal/dispatch-37-march-2026/dmp-screenshot.png.enc differ diff --git a/content/journal/dispatch-37-march-2026/index.md b/content/journal/dispatch-37-march-2026/index.md index 1721a13..0d69d27 100644 --- a/content/journal/dispatch-37-march-2026/index.md +++ b/content/journal/dispatch-37-march-2026/index.md @@ -5,10 +5,10 @@ draft: false tags: - dispatch references: -- title: "The Point of Pointless Corp. in the AI Age | Viget" - url: https://www.viget.com/articles/the-point-of-pointless-corp-in-the-ai-age - date: 2026-03-04T04:31:17Z - file: www-viget-com-7crcce.txt +- title: "Time, Tools, and Permission to Experiment: A 2026 Pointless Palooza Recap | Viget" + url: https://www.viget.com/articles/time-tools-and-permission-to-experiment-a-2026-pointless-palooza-recap + date: 2026-03-15T04:25:38Z + file: www-viget-com-wnwjaw.txt - title: "Everything is awesome (why I'm an optimist)" url: https://www.joanwestenberg.com/everything-is-awesome-why-im-an-optimist/ date: 2026-03-10T19:48:59Z @@ -31,23 +31,34 @@ references: file: synthanatomy-com-xthm71.txt --- -- New (to us) RAV4 Prime - - Went an entire month before it needed gas - - On my deathbed perhaps I'll regret the amount of time I spent hunting down the perfect right-angle quarter-inch TRS-to-XLR audio cable - - My life is keeping things charged - - My wife calls me "the charging fairy," flitting around the house, plugging things in -- [Pointless][1] -- 3D printing - - Valentines - Friend visit - Fam visit -- Tree work -- Deck project {{}}Four kids, one couch, absolute chaos.{{}} {{}}A child clings to their grandmother on a swing at the playground.{{}} -[1]: https://www.viget.com/articles/the-point-of-pointless-corp-in-the-ai-age +### New (to us) RAV4 Prime + +- Went an entire month before it needed gas +- On my deathbed perhaps I'll regret the amount of time I spent hunting down the perfect right-angle quarter-inch TRS-to-XLR audio cable +- My life is keeping things charged +- My wife calls me "the charging fairy," flitting around the house, plugging things in + +### [Pointless][1] + +{{}}Early CAD render of a compact two-part enclosure, shown exploded to reveal the internal cutouts and mounting features.{{}} +{{}}A work-in-progress character screen for my dungeon crawler, featuring a very good hat and exactly one equipped pair of pants.{{}} + +[1]: https://www.viget.com/articles/time-tools-and-permission-to-experiment-a-2026-pointless-palooza-recap + +### 3D printing + +- Valentines + +### House stuff + +- Tree work +- Deck project diff --git a/static/archive/www-viget-com-wnwjaw.txt b/static/archive/www-viget-com-wnwjaw.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6d03e69 --- /dev/null +++ b/static/archive/www-viget-com-wnwjaw.txt @@ -0,0 +1,403 @@ +[1] Skip to Main Content +[2] Viget + + • [3] Work + • [4] Services + • [5] Articles + • [6] Careers + • [7] Contact + • Open Menu + +Navigation + +[9] Viget Close + + • Practice + • [11] Work + • [12] Services + • [13] Articles + +We’re a full-service digital agency that’s been helping clients make lasting +change since 1999. + +[14] Contact Us + +People + + • [15]Company + • [16]Careers + • [17]Code of Ethics + • [18]Diversity & Inclusion + +More + + • [19]Pointless Corp. + • [20]Explorations + • [21]Code at Viget + +Featured + +[22] +Read the Article: First Impressions of the Dia AI Browser + +Newsletter + +First Impressions of the Dia AI Browser + +[23] +Read the Article: Time, Tools, and Permission to Experiment: A 2026 Pointless +Palooza Recap + +Article + +Time, Tools, and Permission to Experiment: A 2026 Pointless Palooza Recap + +Time, Tools, and Permission to Experiment: A 2026 Pointless Palooza Recap + +[eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ2Z3QtdmlnZXRjb20tYW] + + • [24]Home + • [25]Articles + • [26]Time, Tools, and Permission to Experiment: A 2026 Pointless Palooza + Recap + +[27] Subscribe (opens in a new window) +Share + + • [29] Share this page + • [30] Share this page + • [31] Post this page + +[32] Aubrey Lear + +[33]Aubrey Lear, Director of Employee Engagement + +Article Categories: [34] #News & Culture, [35] #Employee Engagement + +Posted on March 13, 2026 + + • [36] + Share + • [37] + Share + • [38] + Post + +48-hours, 8 projects, a dash of 8-bit influence, and agentic collaborators. +Hackathons foster more teamwork, stronger output, and more learning than ever +before. + +4 8 - h o u r s , 8 p r o j e c t s , a d a s h o f 8 - b i t i n f l u e n c e +, a n d a g e n t i c c o l l a b o r a t o r s . H a c k a t h o n s f o s t e +r m o r e t e a m w o r k , s t r o n g e r o u t p u t , a n d m o r e l e a r +n i n g t h a n e v e r b e f o r e . + +A few weeks ago, we paused client work for Pointless Palooza, our internal +hackathon. It was our largest and most successful Palooza to date! Eight teams +shipped projects, prototypes, and explorations in roughly 48 hours.  + +[eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ2Z3QtdmlnZXRjb20tYWxsLWFzc2V] + +Hacking in 2026 + +Pointless Corp. is Viget's long-running innovation lab, [39]neither pointless +nor a corporation. It's how we make space to try, fail, and learn without the +constraints of client deliverables. [40]In past years, Pointless projects +required carefully assembled teams with dedicated developers. The mission was +the same, but the output looked drastically different.  + +For example, in [41]2021, our hackathon hosted a similar number of +participants, who formed 3 teams and shipped 3 prototypes, all less functional +and polished than what we accomplished this time around. In 2026, tools like +Replit, Lovable, Bolt, and Claude Code enabled small teams and even individuals +to accomplish far more than ever before.  + +What We Built  + +[42]A Custom Obsidian Plugin + +Viget's Obsidian enthusiasts used Pointless to explore what happens when you +point AI coding agents at your personal knowledge base. The team experimented +with Claude Code inside Obsidian, building a plugin that connects your web +clipper and file tree to cheap, targeted LLM calls. Their finding: AI tools are +becoming effective general-purpose assistants for managing information, not +just producing it. + +[eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ2Z3QtdmlnZXRjb20tYWxsLWFzc2V] + +[43]Scooter Commuter  + +A browser-based game that helps remote workers mentally arrive at their workday +through playful moments: waking up, grabbing coffee, or hopping on a scooter. +The five-person team of designers, project managers, and strategists went from +idea to interactive prototype in 48 hours, tackling a universal remote-work +challenge with creativity and warmth. They leveraged agentic tools, eliminating +the need for a dedicated developer to get past the starting line.  + +[44]Shelf Help + +Born from Viget's thriving book culture, Shelf Help delivers smarter, more +personalized reading recommendations. The team researched what existing +platforms get wrong, mapped MVP features, and built a working +prototype—starting with a personal pain point and validating a better solution +in a short sprint. + +[45]A Slack-Based Weekly All-Hands Production Tool  + +Seeking to cut down on coordination overhead, this solo exploration set out to +build a Slack-first tool to manage presenter slots, nudge people through prep, +and keep the run-of-show coherent for our internal weekly all-hands meeting.  + +[46]To-Don’t List  + +Flip the script on productivity: instead of tracking what you do, track what +you successfully don't do. This gamified habit tracker rewards restraint with +collectible pixel plants for an isometric garden, all wrapped in a cozy 8-bit +aesthetic inspired by Stardew Valley and Tamagotchi. The four-person team used +an agentic workflow and AI image generation to build the experience, a great +example of a cross-disciplinary group turning a playful concept into something +polished and cohesive. + +[47]Barnaby + +An AI-powered language app that replaces grammar drills with contextual +conversation practice, like ordering food or meeting a friend, and adapts to +the learner's level. The functional app was built entirely by three UX +researchers (no developers) using Lovable and Supabase. Their takeaway: prompt +engineering is its own kind of UX design. + +[48]Wereabouts  + +This werewolf-themed location-sharing app blends playful branding with real +utility. The team used AI to spark creativity, starting with their mascot. +Shipping a working prototype by the end of Day One. Their key insight: AI +handled speed, but human judgment handled direction. + +[eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ2Z3QtdmlnZXRjb20tYWxsLWFzc2V] + +Another Awesome, to-be-announced, Project  + +The last project, internally dubbed Dave’s Mystery Project, has not yet hit the +Viget blog. What we can reveal is that a cross-disciplinary team worked to +combine digital and physical tech advancements to foster connection and +friendship, all with an 8-bit spin. We’ll share more in the months ahead. The +team remains hard at work and plans to unveil their experience at our upcoming +spring all-hands retreat.  + +Takeaways  + +AI didn't replace anyone; it changed who could build what. The most striking +pattern this year was who was shipping software. A team of three UX researchers +built a fully functional language learning app. A DevOps engineer inspired a +team of designers to create a gamified habit tracker with pixel art. A client +strategist helped architect a location-sharing app. AI tools didn't eliminate +the need for expertise; they redistributed what's possible across roles. + +Human judgment remains the critical ingredient. Every team used AI to +accelerate their build and reported the same thing: knowing when to redirect, +override, or step away from AI output was just as important as generating it. +Teams treated AI as a capable collaborator that still needs a clear-eyed human +in the loop. + +Solving real problems creates the best energy. This year's projects tackled +genuine needs: coordinating a weekly all-hands meeting, finding the right book, +and creating a sense of balance for remote workers. Pointless projects don't +need a business case, but we find that solving problems rooted in real +frustrations tends to generate the most momentum and learning. + +What’s Next  + +Pointless Palooza has always been one of Viget's most valuable investments. A +chance to step outside the day-to-day, experiment freely, and come back +sharper. This year, teams moved faster, the diversity of who built what +expanded, and the sophistication of what got shipped increased. All reflecting +the real shift in what’s possible in our industry today. + +The point of Pointless has never been the projects themselves. It's what we +carry back: new skills, stronger relationships across disciplines, and a +clearer picture of what's possible. This year, what's possible got a whole lot +bigger. + +[49] Aubrey Lear + +[50]Aubrey is Viget’s Director of Employee Engagement based in our Falls +Church, VA, HQ. She is an organized advocate for color coordinated calendars +and closets, but most importantly she is a believer in team spirit and creative +thinking. + +[51]More articles by Aubrey + +Related Articles + + • [52] + The Point of Pointless Corp. in the AI Age + + Article + + The Point of Pointless Corp. in the AI Age + + Brian Williams + + • [53] + The Art of Doing Nothing: Building the "To-Don’t" List + + Article + + The Art of Doing Nothing: Building the "To-Don’t" List + + Annalisa Kleinschmidt + + • [54] + Pointless explorations of Obsidian & Claude Code + + Article + + Pointless explorations of Obsidian & Claude Code + + Joshua Pease + +The Viget Newsletter + +Nobody likes popups, so we waited until now to recommend our newsletter, +featuring thoughts, opinions, and tools for building a better digital world. +[55]Read the current issue. + +[56]Subscribe Here (opens in new window) + +Site Footer + +Have an unsolvable problem or audacious idea? + +Let’s get to work + +[57] Contact Us [58] hello@viget.com [59] 703.891.0670 + + • Practice + • [60]Work + • [61]Services + • [62]Articles + + • People + • [63]Company + • [64]Careers + • [65]Code of Ethics + • [66]Diversity & Inclusion + + • More + • [67]Pointless Corp. + • [68]Explorations + • [69]Code at Viget + +Sign Up For Our Newsletter + +A curated periodical featuring thoughts, opinions, and tools for building a +better digital world. + +[70] Check it out + +Social Links + +[71] Viget + + • [72] + • [73] + • [74] + • [75] + • [76] + • [77] + +Viget rhymes with 'dig it'. 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[83]Terms [84]Privacy [85]MRF + + +References: + +[1] https://www.viget.com/articles/time-tools-and-permission-to-experiment-a-2026-pointless-palooza-recap#content +[2] https://www.viget.com/ +[3] https://www.viget.com/work/ +[4] https://www.viget.com/services/ +[5] https://www.viget.com/articles/ +[6] https://www.viget.com/careers/ +[7] https://www.viget.com/contact/ +[9] https://www.viget.com/ +[11] https://www.viget.com/work/ +[12] https://www.viget.com/services/ +[13] https://www.viget.com/articles/ +[14] https://www.viget.com/contact/ +[15] https://www.viget.com/about/ +[16] https://www.viget.com/careers/ +[17] https://www.viget.com/code-of-ethics/ +[18] https://www.viget.com/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/ +[19] https://pointlesscorp.com/ +[20] https://explorations.viget.com/ +[21] https://code.viget.com/ +[22] https://mailchi.mp/c911a991155d/first-impressions-of-the-dia-ai-browser +[23] 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