piero @ zenoid.it

Zenoid is a Digital Craftsman, which means: someone who cares about his work, putting craftsmanship and precision into everything he does, even when shaping an ephemeral material such as “digital”. He is a designer of user experiences, interfaces and brand identities, a refiner of information architectures and digital products, a designer who codes to shape ideas better. And sometimes a psychologist for troubled (or troubling) clients.

Piero is the human behind Zenoid. He is many things: an Italian man in his late 40s who loves cooking, writing and hiking; a reserved digital nomad with no social profile to brag about his travels; a meditation geek before it became fashionable. But if you're here, it's probably because you're interested in this specific side of him: being passionate about design since his teenage years spent reading graphic design books, and a nerd since he was 6, copying BASIC scripts on his C64. Or rather, you're not even interested in that, but only in the fact possibility that he may be damn good at his job. I understand.

Creating Digital Products has become easier than ever. But you know what? That also makes it more challenging. Design has become accessible to everyone: templates, AI, and component systems help (nearly) anyone create great results in a flash.

Being a designer nowadays can be harder because your work might not always get the attention and appreciation it deserves. So, we adapt to the “task” because that's what's expected of us.

It's harder to design interfaces that truly resonate with people because it's tempting to go for a “good enough” and generic solution right away. And that's okay. The average quality of websites and apps has improved, usability is more important than ever, and we can test (and refine) our ideas much more quickly.

But “good enough” isn't always enough. Not when the context is complex, when experience adds value, and when the interface is a key part of the strategy. Templates and AI assistants are like meal kits: they let you make a great meal with mediocre skills. And that's fine, they certainly won't let you starve. But they won't give you the flexibility, creativity and taste of a Chef, either.

Zenoid is a “Chef” of digital things, and a Consultant who, after 3 decades, has seen it all and, despite the challenges in his job field, still has plenty of confidence to talk about himself in the third person a great desire to experiment and have fun with his work.

He might also be a bit of a pain, trying to convince you to remove some fluff and hype from your Website, or to streamline your feature-heavy App focusing on the single thing it does well. So, if you're just looking for “a designer” on LinkedIn, then this guy might not be the one to reach out to. But, if you've got a challenge that's got you thinking, if you're cool with digging into some deep questions, if you need a head that thinks with you and not an arm that pushes pixels, if you really care about your digital product, then he could be your man.

(Or, if you just want someone to talk about your burnout, and you're looking for ways to escape your hamster wheel and make your time more valuable, he's here for you — for free.)

A (Digital) Craftsman's Manifesto