Clearly

How to Write Clearly: Rules and Exercises on English Composition by Edwin Abbott Abbott, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . PREFACE. here PREFACE. Almost every English boy can be taught to write clearly, so far at least as clearness depends upon the arrangement of words. Force, elegance, and variety of style are more difficult to teach, and far more difficult to learn; but clear writing can be reduced to rules. To teach the art of writing clearly is the main object of these Rules and Exercises. Ambiguity may arise, not only from bad arrangement, but also from other causes—from the misuse of single words, and from confused thought. These causes are not removable by definite rules, and therefore, though not neglected, are not prominently considered in this book. My object rather is to point out some few continually recurring causes of ambiguity, and to suggest definite remedies in each case. Speeches in Parliament, newspaper narratives and articles, and, above all, resolutions at public meetings, furnish abundant instances of obscurity arising from the monotonous neglect of some dozen simple rules. The art of writing forcibly is, of course, a valuable acquisition—almost as valuable as the art of writing clearly. But forcible expression is not, like clear expression, a mere question of mechanism and of the manipulation of words; it is a much higher power, and implies much more. Writing clearly does not imply thinking clearly. A man may think and reason as obscurely as Dogberry himself, but he may (though it is not probable that he will) be able to write clearly for all that. Writing clearly—so far as arrangement of words is concerned—is a mere matter of adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions, and auxiliary verbs, placed and repeated according to definite rules.[1] Even obscure or illogical thought can be clearly expressed; indeed, the transparent medium of clear writing is not least beneficial when it reveals the illogical nature of the meaning beneath it. On the other hand, if a man is to write forcibly, he must (to use a well-known illustration) describe Jerusalem as "sown with salt," not as "captured," and the Jews not as being "subdued" but as "almost exterminated" by Titus. But what does this imply? It implies knowledge, and very often a great deal of knowledge, and it implies also a vivid imagination. The writer must have eyes to see the vivid side of everything, as well as words to describe what he sees. Hence forcible writing, and of course tasteful writing also, is far less a matter of rules than is clear writing; and hence, though forcible writing is exemplified in the exercises, clear writing occupies most of the space devoted to the rules. Boys who are studying Latin and Greek stand in especial need of help to enable them to write a long English sentence clearly. The periods of Thucydides and Cicero are not easily rendered into our idiom without some knowledge of the links that connect an English sentence. There is scarcely any better training, rhetorical as well as logical, than the task of construing Thucydides into genuine English; but the flat, vague, long-winded Greek-English and Latin-English imposture that is often tolerated in our examinations and is allowed to pass current for genuine English, diminishes instead of increasing the power that our pupils should possess over their native language. By getting marks at school and college for construing good Greek and Latin into bad English, our pupils systematically unlearn what they may have been allowed to pick up from Milton and from Shakespeare. I must acknowledge very large obligations to Professor Bain's treatise on "English Composition and Rhetoric," and also to his English Grammar. I have not always been able to agree with Professor Bain as to matters of taste; but I find it difficult to express my admiration for the systematic thoroughness and suggestiveness of his book on Composition. In particular, Professor Bain's rule on the use of "that" and "which" (see Rule 8) deserves to be better known.[2] The ambiguity produced by the confusion between these two forms of the Relative is not a mere fiction of pedants; it is practically serious. Take, for instance, the following sentence, which appeared lately in one of our ablest weekly periodicals: "There are a good many Radical members in the House cannot forgive the Prime Minister for being a Christian." Twenty years hence, who is to say whether the meaning is " , i.e. members in the House," or "there are a good many Radical members of the House cannot &c."? Professor Bain, apparently admitting no exceptions to his useful rule, amends many sentences in a manner that seems to me intolerably harsh. Therefore, while laying due stress on the utility of the rule, I have endeavoured to point out and explain the exceptions. who and they all the Radical that The rules are stated as briefly as possible, and are intended not so much for use by themselves as for reference while the pupil is working at the exercises. Consequently, there is no attempt to prove the rules by accumulations of examples. The few examples that are given, are given not to prove, but to illustrate the rules. The exercises are intended to be written out and revised, as exercises usually are; but they may also be used for instruction. The books being shut, the pupils, with their written exercises before them, may be questioned as to the reasons for the several alterations they have made. Experienced teachers will not require any explanation of the arrangement or rather non-arrangement of the exercises. They have been purposely mixed together unclassified to prevent the pupil from relying upon anything but his own common sense and industry, to show him what is the fault in each case, and how it is to be amended. Besides references to the rules, notes are attached to each sentence, so that the exercises ought not to present any difficulty to a painstaking boy of twelve or thirteen, provided he has first been fairly trained in English grammar. vivâ voce The "Continuous Extracts" present rather more difficulty, and are intended for boys somewhat older than those for whom the Exercises are intended. The attempt to modernize, and clarify, so to speak, the style of Burnet, Clarendon, and Bishop Butler,[3] may appear ambitious, and perhaps requires some explanation. My object has, of course, not been to the style of these authors, but to show how their meaning might be expressed more clearly in modern English. The charm of the style is necessarily lost, but if the loss is recognized both by teacher and pupil, there is nothing, in my opinion, to counterbalance the obvious utility of such exercises. Professor Bain speaks to the same effect:[4] "For an English exercise, the matter should in some way or other be supplied, and the pupil disciplined in giving it expression. I know of no better method than to prescribe passages containing good matter, but in some respects imperfectly worded, to be amended according to the laws and the proprieties of style. Our older writers might be extensively, though not exclusively, drawn upon for this purpose." improve upon To some of the friends whose help has been already acknowledged in "English Lessons for English People," I am indebted for further help in revising these pages. I desire to express especial obligations to the Rev. J. H. Lupton, late Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, and Second Master of St. Paul's School, for copious and valuable suggestions; also to several of my colleagues at the City of London School, among whom I must mention in particular the Rev. A. R. Vardy, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. * * * * * Before electrotyping the Fourth and Revised Edition, I wish to say one word as to the manner in which this book has been used by my highest class, as a collection of Rules for reference in their construing lessons. In construing, from Thucydides especially, I have found Rules 5, 30, 34, 36, 37, and 40_a_, of great use. The rules about Metaphor and Climax have also been useful in correcting faults of taste in their Latin and Greek compositions. I have hopes that, used in this way, this little book may be of service to the highest as well as to the middle classes of our schools. FOOTNOTES: [1] Punctuation is fully discussed in most English Grammars, and is therefore referred to in this book only so far as is necessary to point out the slovenly fault of trusting too much to punctuation, and too little to arrangement. [2] Before meeting with Professor Bain's rule, I had shown that the difference between the Relatives is generally observed the Shakespeare. See "Shakespearian Grammar," paragraph 259. [3] Sir Archibald Alison stands on a very different footing. The extracts from this author are intended to exhibit the dangers of verbosity and exaggeration. [4] "English Composition and Rhetoric," p. vii. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Edwin Abbott Abbott (2007). How to Write Clearly: Rules and Exercises on English Composition. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/22600/pg22600.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

Almost every English boy can be taught to write clearly

How to Write Clearly: Rules and Exercises on English Composition by Edwin Abbott Abbott is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. Read this book online for free on HackerNoon! : How to Write Clearly: Rules and Exercises on English Composition Title : Edwin Abbott Abbott Author : September 14, 2007 [eBook #22600] Most recently updated: January 2, 2021 Release date : English Language TABLE OF LINKS PREFACE INDEX OF RULES. I. CLEARNESS AND FORCE. . WORDS ORDER OF WORDS IN A SENTENCE. II. BREVITY. CLEARNESS AND FORCE. WORDS. ORDER OF WORDS IN A SENTENCE. BREVITY. EXERCISES CONTINUOUS EXERCISES CLEARNESS. BURNET. BISHOP BUTLER. BREVITY. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Edwin Abbott Abbott (2007). How to Write Clearly: Rules and Exercises on English Composition. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/22600/pg22600.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

How to Write Clearly: Rules and Exercises on English Composition - Table of Links

Dependency injection (DI) is a wonderful thing. Simply add your dependency as a parameter to the constructor (most commonly) of your class, register it with you DI container, and away you go - the DI container will manage the rest. Some of the key benefits of DI are: greater testability, greater maintainability, and greater reusability. : { { ( dbContent = MyDbContext())
        {
            dbContext.Orders.Add(order);
            dbContent.SaveChanges(); Ok();
        }
    } { ( dbContext = MyDbContext())
        { orders = dbContext.Orders.ToList(); JsonResult(orders);
        }
    }
} : { MyDbContext _dbContext; {
        _dbContext = dbContext;
    } {
        _dbContext.Orders.Add(order);
        _dbContent.SaveChanges(); Ok();
    } { orders = _dbContext.Orders.ToList(); JsonResult(orders);
    }
} // without DI public class OrderController Controller ActionResult ( ) public Post Order order using var new return ActionResult ( ) public Get using var new var return new // with DI public class OrderController Controller private readonly ( ) public OrderController MyDbContext dbContext ActionResult ( ) public Post Order order return ActionResult ( ) public Get var return new However, I recently came across a use case where DI can be a real pain - dependency injection in inherited classes. The Problem I have recently been working a lot with the package, using it's request/request handler pattern to issue commands in the system (inspired by ). Mediatr Jason Taylor's Clean Architecture solution I typically create a RequestHandler base class that contains common dependencies and functionality. Each concrete request handler can then inherit from this base class. < , > : < , > : < >
{ {
        DbContext = dbContext;
    } IApplicationDbContext DbContext { ; } ;
} MyRequestHandler : RequestHandler<MyRequest, MyResponse>
{ { } { }
} public abstract class RequestHandler TRequest TResponse IRequestHandler TRequest TResponse where TRequest IRequest TResponse ( ) public RequestHandler IApplicationDbContext dbContext protected get Task<TResponse> ( ) public abstract Handle TRequest request, CancellationToken cancellationToken public ( ) : ( ) public MyRequestHandler IApplicationDbContext dbContext base dbContext Task<MyResponse> ( ) public override Handle MyRequest request, CancellationToken cancellationToken // handler logic The problem comes when I want to add more dependencies to the base class. Now I have to go through to every single concrete request handler and update the constructor to take the new dependency as well. Fortunately, the code will not compile if I miss one, so there is no risk of a runtime error, but it is still incredibly tedious work to have to update every single request handler. Also, you can end up with very large constructors, which obscures the intention of the class. < , > : < , > : < >
{ {
        DbContext = dbContext;
        CurrentUser = currentUser;
    } IApplicationDbContext DbContext { ; } ICurrentUser CurrentUser { ; } ;
} MyRequestHandler : RequestHandler<MyRequest, MyResponse>
{ { } { }
} public abstract class RequestHandler TRequest TResponse IRequestHandler TRequest TResponse where TRequest IRequest TResponse ( ) public RequestHandler IApplicationDbContext dbContext, ICurrentUser currentUser protected get protected get Task<TResponse> ( ) public abstract Handle TRequest request, CancellationToken cancellationToken public ( ) : ( ) public MyRequestHandler IApplicationDbContext dbContext, ICurrentUser currentUser base dbContext, currentUser Task<MyResponse> ( ) public override Handle MyRequest request, CancellationToken cancellationToken // handler logic The Solution - Dependency Aggregates The solution to this problem is really quite simple. Rather than injecting the dependencies directly, create a new class that contains the dependencies (known as an aggregate) and inject that instead. {
    IApplicationDbContext DbContext { ; }
    ICurrentUser { ; }
} : { {
        DbContext = dbContext;
        CurrentUser = currentUser;
    } IApplicationDbContext DbContext { ; } ICurrentUser CurrentUser { ; }
} < , > : < , > : < >
{ {
        DbContext = aggregate.DbContext;
        CurrentUser = aggregate.CurrentUser;
    } IApplicationDbContext DbContext { ; } ICurrentUser CurrentUser { ; } ;
} MyRequestHandler : RequestHandler<MyRequest, MyResponse>
{ { } { }
} public interface IDependencyAggregate get get public class DependencyAggregate IDependencyAggregate ( ) public DependencyAggregate IApplicationDbContext dbContext, ICurrentUser currentUser public get public get public abstract class RequestHandler TRequest TResponse IRequestHandler TRequest TResponse where TRequest IRequest TResponse ( ) public RequestHandler IDependencyAggregate aggregate protected get protected get Task<TResponse> ( ) public abstract Handle TRequest request, CancellationToken cancellationToken public ( ) : ( ) public MyRequestHandler IDependencyAggregate aggregate base aggregate Task<MyResponse> ( ) public override Handle MyRequest request, CancellationToken cancellationToken // handler logic Now if I want to add a new dependency, the only places that I need to change the code are in the DependencyAggregate class and the RequestHandler base class (I don't need to make any changes to the inherited classes). Conclusion In this post I have described a simple method for managing dependency injection in inherited classes, by creating a dependency aggregate class to inject into the base class. This ensures that new dependencies can easily be introduced with having to make changes to every inherited class. I post mostly about full stack .NET and Vue web development. To make sure that you don't miss out on any posts, please follow this blog and . If you found this post helpful, please like it and share it. You can also find me on . subscribe to my newsletter Twitter Previously published at https://samwalpole.com/handling-dependency-injection-in-inherited-classes

How to Create a Dependency Aggregate Class to Manage DI: Clearly Exemplified

I lead the technology industry business unit for a fast-growing analytics firm. And one of the perks of my job is the numerous conversations I get to have with a variety of prospects or clients. I recently read the novel ‘ by Rolf Dobelli, which deals with systematic cognitive errors of human beings as a result of our evolution. The Art of Thinking Clearly’ I enjoyed reading the book immensely, relating those cognitive errors to what I experience every day. I am selecting a few rampant cognitive errors mentioned in the book and linking them to situations I have come across. Neo-mania Def: The mania for all things new and shiny. The desire to have automation, machine models, artificial intelligence, and other such cutting-edge capabilities is intense in organizations today and probably justified. However, it’s alarming to see many of these efforts promise a very large ROI but never deliver it. marketing learning I once had an executive of a large organization say without batting an eyelid - “We have invested millions in a big data environment, and we now need to figure how to use it.” I am always disappointed when I hear things like — “Can you tell me how I can use machine learning capabilities in my business/function?” I wonder if anyone would say it if I replaced ‘machine learning’ with ‘statistics’. Conversely, the best use of ML/AI is when the need or a business problem was identified first and ML/AI emerged as a solution. Swimmer’s Body Illusion Def: Confusing the process of selection for effect. Rolf explains in the book that swimmers don’t have great bodies because they swim a lot; they are swimmers because their physique is suitable for swimming. I have seen companies falling to this illusion when they look to replicate an analytics success story from companies that seem to be doing very well and claiming that analytics is driving their success. It’s safe to say that the retail industry has the most mature analytics capability, but nobody is blaming the analytics team at Sears and Macy’s for their decline. In my opinion, most companies would succeed in their analytics initiatives if they just are more rational and use data to be just that. (Read more: Building an analytics-first organization ) Authority Bias Def: The tendency of human beings to follow authority without question, a culture most visible in religion but equally prominent in businesses. When I ask my clients why they were following a particular strategy, the responses most often indicate an authority bias. Interestingly, the bias seems more obvious when the perceived results from the strategy are less obvious. My advice to my clients has always been to focus on outcomes and not on the process. I am amazed even now that such a conversation isn’t always easy. The Paradox of Choice Def: Too many choices causing decision paralysis and subsequently leading to poor decisions. The number of , vendors, and technologies today is confounding. One would expect then that most clients would be happy with the choices they make. However, I haven’t seen a company that is entirely happy with its selection of business intelligence (BI) or . analytics solutions analytics platforms If only they hadn’t compared the tools with each other but against a prioritized list of their own needs, they would have come to a better decision. Default Effect/Status Quo Bias Def: A strong tendency to cling to the way things are, even when they put us at a disadvantage. Most tech companies with revenues of $500 million to $2 billion are hyper-focused on growth. The most important part of achieving growth is to size the market right, find the account segments to focus on, and then have the sales force or channel partners gain market share. One would imagine that these companies would have nailed this process well. I am yet to come across one. (Read more: Business Transformation — How Big Data Analytics Helps ) Alternative Blindness Def: Systematically forgetting to compare an existing offer with the next-best alternative. I have run across companies with no analytics capabilities looking to hire a team first, spending a million dollars, and losing quite a bit of time before they see any capability in action. When we provide them the alternative to spend less than half a million and have the capabilities stand up in six months, one would imagine it would be a no-brainer. It is, but only to our clients. *Please note that the terms and their descriptions are from Rolf Dobelli’s book. (This article was authored by Maruti Peri and first appeared on LinkedIn , the BRIDGEi2i blog & Datafloq .)

Master “The Art of Thinking Clearly” Before Making Your Analytics Investments!

6 Of The Best Google Review Management Software Tools In 2025, Tried & Tested

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Ritesh Lad is an expert in strategic proposal writing, specializing in crafting competitive proposals for government and commercial tenders in IT, consulting, financial services, and digital marketing. Currently, he serves as a Senior Proposal Writer at Talantage LLC (USA), where he is responsible for developing and managing tender documentation for government and corporate clients. Having worked on numerous large-scale, global, and complex multi-million-dollar opportunities with an impressive 96% success rate, Ritesh has seen firsthand that a well-crafted proposal is a powerful marketing tool in itself. It’s not just about securing a contract, it’s about establishing credibility, building client trust, and reinforcing brand’s authority in the industry. In this interview, Ritesh shares his insights on what it takes to achieve a high success rate in proposals, how he navigates challenges, and why a creative approach is essential in proposal writing. Ritesh, you initially studied Computer Engineering, but later on, your career path shifted towards Marketing, Business Analysis, and Proposal Management. Why did you choose these fields? My career has been an evolution of skills and interests rather than a shift. When I pursued Computer Engineering, I was fascinated by the power of technology, how systems are built, and the logic that drives them. But as I delved deeper into the industry, I realized that technology alone is not enough, it needs a compelling story, a strategy, and a market-driven approach to truly create an impact. That’s where my interest in the fields you mentioned started taking shape. That curiosity led me to pursue an MBA in Information Technology, where I refined my ability to connect technical solutions with business needs. How did your career develop further? During my early career in IT services and consultancy, I became deeply involved in proposal writing and business development. I enjoyed not just working with technology but translating it into real business value, helping clients understand why a particular solution was the best fit for them. Later, my Master’s in Marketing further strengthened my understanding of brand positioning, sales enablement, and digital marketing in the IT space. Now, my role revolves around crafting winning proposals that don’t just check compliance boxes but tell a compelling, persuasive, and strategic story. I believe that marketing in the IT sector is about more than just promotion. It’s about understanding market trends, client pain points, and how technology can solve real-world problems in a way that resonates with decision-makers. Can you please tell us more about your current role of a Senior Proposal Writer? At Talantage LLC, we specialize in talent solutions, business consulting, and workforce strategy. My role as a Senior Proposal Writer is to develop proposals that secure high-value contracts, particularly in the public and commercial sectors. My job is not just about writing responses to RFPs but about crafting market-driven narratives that align our capabilities with the client’s needs in a persuasive and strategic manner. I work closely with leadership to identify win themes, position solutions effectively, and ensure that our proposals are not just compliant but truly compelling. It’s a mix of strategic marketing, business development, and content expertise, and it allows me to leverage both my technical background and marketing skills in a way that drives real business results. You have worked on large projects across multiple industries. What are the most significant projects you have contributed to, and what role did you personally play in their implementation? I’ve had the privilege of working on high-stakes, multi-million-dollar proposals where the difference between winning and losing is often in the details. One of the most significant projects I worked on was a $50M+ digital transformation initiative for a Fortune 500 company. The challenge was to demonstrate why our IT solution was superior, not just in terms of technology but also in terms of cost-effectiveness, scalability, and long-term ROI. My role was to develop a strong win theme, create persuasive messaging, and align our proposal with the client’s strategic priorities. Through targeted storytelling and data-backed insights, we successfully secured the contract. Another major success was a $30M proposal in the financial services sector. The client was hesitant due to concerns about regulatory compliance and integration risks. My approach was to simplify complex technical jargon into business-friendly language and reinforce our proposal with real-world case studies and competitive differentiators. By focusing on how our solution improved operational efficiency and reduced risk, we won the contract. What do you believe contributed to the high success rate? What solutions did you propose to achieve these results? The key to these wins was my ability to blend marketing strategy with proposal development, ensuring that every response was not just a document but a strategic business tool that convinced decision-makers. A crucial factor in achieving a high success rate in proposals is a combination of data-driven decision-making, competitive analysis, and marketing-oriented storytelling. Every proposal I work on starts with a deep dive into market research and client insights. Understanding the client's challenges and aligning our solutions with their business goals and industry trends is essential. One of the most impactful strategies I use is value-driven messaging. Instead of simply listing technical features, I frame our solutions in terms of their business impact, how they improve efficiency, reduce costs, or drive innovation. For example, in IT transformation projects, I integrate benchmarking data, industry best practices, and customer success stories to reinforce credibility. Another major factor is compliance without compromise. Many companies focus so much on meeting RFP requirements that they miss the opportunity to differentiate themselves. I ensure that proposals are not just compliant but also engaging, visually appealing, and strategically positioned to highlight competitive advantages. Can you share a specific proposal or project where you had to overcome significant challenges to achieve success? One of the most challenging proposals I worked on was a one of the high-stakes government bank RFP in India for a digital transformation initiative. The project was particularly complex because it involved strict compliance regulations, aggressive deadlines, and a highly competitive bidding process. The biggest challenge, however, was that the client was skeptical about security and cost efficiency in transitioning their legacy systems into a cloud-based infrastructure. Time was against us, we had less than three weeks to put together a proposal that not only met technical and compliance requirements but also convinced the client of the long-term business value of our solution. To tackle this, I took a marketing-driven approach to the proposal. Rather than focusing solely on technical specifications, I emphasized ROI projections, operational efficiency gains, and real-world case studies demonstrating successful cloud migrations. I collaborated with our cybersecurity experts to develop a risk-mitigation strategy, detailing how our solution adhered to security standards. I also integrated interactive visual storytelling elements into the executive summary, infographics, security framework diagrams, and comparative cost-benefit analyses to simplify complex concepts for non-technical stakeholders. Despite the tight deadline, the proposal was submitted on time and with precision. The client was highly impressed by how clearly we articulated both technical feasibility and business benefits. The result? We won the contract, and the client later praised our approach as one of the most comprehensive and compelling proposals they had reviewed. What knowledge and skills should a Proposal Writer have today to succeed in the market? One of the most crucial skills is the ability to analyze market trends and customer needs. Clients today are looking for more than just technical specifications; they want to understand the business impact of a solution. This means a successful Proposal Writer must be able to translate complex IT solutions into compelling business cases that highlight ROI, competitive advantages, and innovation. Another essential skill is data-driven decision-making. The use of AI, automation tools, and CRM systems like Salesforce has changed the way we approach proposals. Today’s Proposal Writers must leverage data analytics to optimize proposals, ensuring they align with client expectations, industry benchmarks, and past proposal performance. Additionally, digital transformation has led to an increased focus on visual storytelling. Static, text-heavy proposals are becoming outdated. Instead, organizations are incorporating infographics, interactive elements, and video summaries to make proposals more engaging. This means Proposal Writers must also have a basic understanding of design principles, content marketing strategies, and digital engagement tactics. How do you think this role will evolve in the near future? Looking ahead, I see it evolving further with AI-generated content, hyper-personalized proposals, and real-time collaboration platforms that will make the proposal process even more dynamic. The writers who will stand out are those who can strategically integrate technology, storytelling, and marketing insights to create proposals that not only comply with requirements but also leave a lasting impact. What helps you stay creative in your work? Creativity in proposal writing is about finding innovative ways to capture attention, engage decision-makers, and tell a compelling story. I stay creative by constantly exploring new storytelling techniques, design strategies, and digital marketing trends. Inspiration comes from advertising campaigns, brand storytelling, and even behavioral psychology, all of which help me craft proposals that stand out. Can you give an example of a time when you had to develop a creative solution to meet a client’s needs? One example was a strategy I developed for a highly competitive IT services proposal where the client was overwhelmed with vendor responses. Instead of submitting a traditional PDF proposal, I suggested creating an interactive digital experience. We built a customized landing page for the proposal that included video testimonials and interactive infographics to visualize the solution’s benefits. This approach allowed decision-makers to explore key content at their own pace, making the proposal not just informative but also engaging. The client was highly impressed, and we won the contract, primarily because we differentiated ourselves through an innovative, client-focused approach.

“Winning and Losing is Often in the Details.” Ritesh Lad on the Art of High-stakes Proposal Writing

Product designers often act as intermediaries in the IT world. They need to balance business goals, user needs, and developer constraints. That’s why soft skills matter just as much as technical ones. We all know this in theory, but in practice, there’s no clear list of essential soft skills for product designers. So, you might end up trying to master them all, hoping it’ll make you a better designer. Product designers often act as intermediaries in the IT world. They need to balance business goals, user needs, and developer constraints. That’s why soft skills matter just as much as technical ones. We all know this in theory, but in practice, there’s no clear list of essential soft skills for product designers. So, you might end up trying to master them all, hoping it’ll make you a better designer. That's precisely what I did until I reached the position of lead designer at Yandex. A few months in the new role helped me identify the four key soft skills I needed. Once I developed them, my design process became much more structured—no more scrambling between tasks, staying late, or constantly reacting to urgent requests. With clear priorities and proper documentation, I knew exactly what to focus on at any given moment. my design process became much more structured I believe that these soft skills would be helpful to any designer, regardless of their grade. Skill #1: Timeboxing for Designers Skill #1: Timeboxing for Designers Once I became a lead designer, my daily routine changed drastically: often half of my day became occupied with urgent meetings that were never planned in advance. As a result, my weekly schedule began falling apart, and it was getting harder to complete all the planned tasks on time. I realized that significant changes were needed in how I manage my work time. I switched from a simple task list to fully scheduling my day in a calendar. The logic behind this decision is simple: a list can be endless, while time slots in a calendar are finite. It’s impossible to squeeze more tasks into your calendar than your eight working hours permit. Thanks to this change, I could see the real number of tasks I was able todo in a day. a list can be endless, while time slots in a calendar are finite. In my view, a calendar is similar to a bank app in a way. In it, all the blanks signify free time, while occupied slots are equal to your "budget" for tasks. When I look at the slots as expenses of different types, I can roughly estimate how much each task costs and which are the most "expensive" ones. calendar is similar to a bank app in a way Tips Tips Reserve 20-30 minutes each morning to prioritize your design tasks: mockups, reviews, design QA, etc.


You don’t need to add every single task to your calendar. Instead, focus on scheduling ‘focus blocks’—groups of related tasks that require your attention within a specific time frame.


Reserve 1 hour for lunch, ideally at the same time every day, so the development team or PMs clearly see when you’re unavailable, preventing sudden meetings during your creative time.


Schedule a specific time to address colleagues’ questions. Of course, you'll never guess the exact time when questions might arrive. However, reserving a slot for this activity will help you to be more precise in calculating your daily "budget." Reserve 20-30 minutes each morning to prioritize your design tasks: mockups, reviews, design QA, etc. Reserve 20-30 minutes each morning to prioritize your design tasks: mockups, reviews, design QA, etc. You don’t need to add every single task to your calendar. Instead, focus on scheduling ‘focus blocks’—groups of related tasks that require your attention within a specific time frame. You don’t need to add every single task to your calendar. Instead, focus on scheduling ‘focus blocks’—groups of related tasks that require your attention within a specific time frame. Reserve 1 hour for lunch, ideally at the same time every day, so the development team or PMs clearly see when you’re unavailable, preventing sudden meetings during your creative time. Reserve 1 hour for lunch, ideally at the same time every day, so the development team or PMs clearly see when you’re unavailable, preventing sudden meetings during your creative time. Schedule a specific time to address colleagues’ questions. Of course, you'll never guess the exact time when questions might arrive. However, reserving a slot for this activity will help you to be more precise in calculating your daily "budget." Schedule a specific time to address colleagues’ questions. Of course, you'll never guess the exact time when questions might arrive. However, reserving a slot for this activity will help you to be more precise in calculating your daily "budget." I think that these 4 steps are a good starting point for experimenting with a calendar. If something changes during the day, disrupting the plan you prepared in the morning, make sure to make the corresponding changes in your calendar (either in the moment or in the evening). This way, you'll get the exact picture of how you spend your work time, and it'll help you with daily planning in the future. how you spend your work time How to Deal With Urgent Questions From Colleagues How to Deal With Urgent Questions From Colleagues When developers or PMs reach out urgently about edge cases or implementation details, quickly assess if their question affects the current sprint. If not, batch such design-related questions into your designated review time.


Wait until you have a list of non-urgent questions. It's easier to answer several questions in a row than to get distracted by answering 1 question every 10 minutes. That's exactly why you should create a dedicated "question time" slot.


If the subject requires your full attention, suggest answering later or planning a meeting. It'll take just a couple of minutes to create a time slot for this, while a lengthy conversation can distract you from your current activity. So, here's where the skill of negotiating will come in handy: ask your colleague whether the conversation can be delayed. As my experience shows, it is possible more often than you might expect.


Set notifications so that they won't disappear immediately after popping up. If you see them, it'll be easier for you to estimate whether some questions can wait, and not to miss anything truly important. If you receive a question offline, set a notification in Reminder (macOS). This way, you won't forget to answer your colleague a bit later. When developers or PMs reach out urgently about edge cases or implementation details, quickly assess if their question affects the current sprint. If not, batch such design-related questions into your designated review time. When developers or PMs reach out urgently about edge cases or implementation details, quickly assess if their question affects the current sprint. If not, batch such design-related questions into your designated review time. Wait until you have a list of non-urgent questions. It's easier to answer several questions in a row than to get distracted by answering 1 question every 10 minutes. That's exactly why you should create a dedicated "question time" slot. Wait until you have a list of non-urgent questions. It's easier to answer several questions in a row than to get distracted by answering 1 question every 10 minutes. That's exactly why you should create a dedicated "question time" slot. If the subject requires your full attention, suggest answering later or planning a meeting. It'll take just a couple of minutes to create a time slot for this, while a lengthy conversation can distract you from your current activity. So, here's where the skill of negotiating will come in handy: ask your colleague whether the conversation can be delayed. As my experience shows, it is possible more often than you might expect. If the subject requires your full attention, suggest answering later or planning a meeting. It'll take just a couple of minutes to create a time slot for this, while a lengthy conversation can distract you from your current activity. So, here's where the skill of negotiating will come in handy: ask your colleague whether the conversation can be delayed. As my experience shows, it is possible more often than you might expect. It'll take just a couple of minutes to create a time slot for this, while a lengthy conversation can distract you from your current activity. Set notifications so that they won't disappear immediately after popping up. If you see them, it'll be easier for you to estimate whether some questions can wait, and not to miss anything truly important. If you receive a question offline, set a notification in Reminder (macOS). This way, you won't forget to answer your colleague a bit later. Set notifications so that they won't disappear immediately after popping up. If you see them, it'll be easier for you to estimate whether some questions can wait, and not to miss anything truly important. If you receive a question offline, set a notification in Reminder (macOS). This way, you won't forget to answer your colleague a bit later. Once I learned how to budget my time, it became easier to deliver polished design iterations consistently and dedicate focused time to detailed UI reviews. Clear time boundaries allowed me to defend critical design tasks from unnecessary distractions. Skill #2: Make Design Meeting Summaries Skill #2: Make Design Meeting Summaries No matter if you’re a junior or a lead, you’re not gonna have all the answers on tap—especially when devs start grilling you about edge cases. Yet, the more knowledge you have, the more you are valued by your colleagues. Every correct answer, every promise that was kept, or advice that you gave to a teammate would give you a "+1" point to your (imaginary) work score because it shows that you are a reliable team player. Every correct answer, every promise that was kept, or advice that you gave to a teammate would give you a "+1" point to your (imaginary) work score because it shows that you are a reliable team player. More than anyone else, a lead designer needs to be well-organized and keep track of all work meetings: he won't allow himself to forget about questions that are waiting for a reply or promises that need to be kept. I try to summarize all the meetings I attend. Tips Tips Record everything that requires changes: new mockups, new goals, new meetings.


If it's appropriate, take the initiative in taking records. Firstly, it will increase your value for a team. Secondly, it will help you to remember important information. The same applies to 1:1 meetings.


At the end of the meeting, suggest summarizing the main points. Make sure that everyone is on the same page.


Choose a shared space specifically connected to your design workflow—like linking meeting summaries directly to design tasks in Jira, or embedding them in Figma files, so that devs and other designers easily see relevant decisions. Record everything that requires changes: new mockups, new goals, new meetings. Record everything that requires changes: new mockups, new goals, new meetings. If it's appropriate, take the initiative in taking records. Firstly, it will increase your value for a team. Secondly, it will help you to remember important information. The same applies to 1:1 meetings. If it's appropriate, take the initiative in taking records. Firstly, it will increase your value for a team. Secondly, it will help you to remember important information. The same applies to 1:1 meetings. At the end of the meeting, suggest summarizing the main points. Make sure that everyone is on the same page. At the end of the meeting, suggest summarizing the main points. Make sure that everyone is on the same page. Choose a shared space specifically connected to your design workflow—like linking meeting summaries directly to design tasks in Jira, or embedding them in Figma files, so that devs and other designers easily see relevant decisions. Choose a shared space specifically connected to your design workflow—like linking meeting summaries directly to design tasks in Jira, or embedding them in Figma files, so that devs and other designers easily see relevant decisions. How to Deal With the Information Overload How to Deal With the Information Overload Information overload is a common case if you've just switched a company or taken up a new role. Talk to your colleagues. If you need to take notes, politely ask the speaker to pause. If you feel like you're losing track of the conversation, ask them to repeat or rephrase their statement in a simpler way.


Record meetings, especially those focused on complex design decisions or UX flows. This is helpful if you later need to revisit tricky interactions or clarify edge cases. Plus, these recordings can speed up onboarding new designers who join your team later. Talk to your colleagues. If you need to take notes, politely ask the speaker to pause. If you feel like you're losing track of the conversation, ask them to repeat or rephrase their statement in a simpler way. Talk to your colleagues. If you need to take notes, politely ask the speaker to pause. If you feel like you're losing track of the conversation, ask them to repeat or rephrase their statement in a simpler way. Record meetings, especially those focused on complex design decisions or UX flows. This is helpful if you later need to revisit tricky interactions or clarify edge cases. Plus, these recordings can speed up onboarding new designers who join your team later. Record meetings, especially those focused on complex design decisions or UX flows. This is helpful if you later need to revisit tricky interactions or clarify edge cases. Plus, these recordings can speed up onboarding new designers who join your team later. Treat meeting recordings as a backup: they will always be ready in place for you in case you need to freshen up your memories. Files can be kept in iCloud. Just don't forget to clean up the storage from time to time. Thanks to this skill, I gained a reputation as a well-organized and reliable designer. Skill #3: Properly Document Your Design Decisions Skill #3: Properly Document Your Design Decisions Every design decision comes with hours of research, thinking, and meetings. However, after time, some decisions might appear vague or even counterintuitive. This is the case when no one takes notes regularly and meticulously. As a result, some arguments in favor of a certain decision get forgotten. In turn, it brings up a new round of discussions on the questions that seemed to be solved a long time ago. Then, a new decision emerges that might overlook certain details or edge cases. All in all, your team loses precious time and starts to doubt each other. To avoid this, it’s crucial to document all your design decisions. document all your design decisions. Tips Tips For non-obvious decisions, make sure to leave comments in your mockups on how you arrived at this outcome. Non-obvious decisions are the ones that came as a result of multiple team discussions.


Don't forget to attach links or screenshots of discussions or research that led to a certain decision. My team uses Slack, which lets us copy links to threads. We often attach this type of link to the files that we prepare for developers. For non-obvious decisions, make sure to leave comments in your mockups on how you arrived at this outcome. Non-obvious decisions are the ones that came as a result of multiple team discussions. For non-obvious decisions, make sure to leave comments in your mockups on how you arrived at this outcome. Non-obvious decisions are the ones that came as a result of multiple team discussions. leave comments in your mockups Don't forget to attach links or screenshots of discussions or research that led to a certain decision. My team uses Slack, which lets us copy links to threads. We often attach this type of link to the files that we prepare for developers. Don't forget to attach links or screenshots of discussions or research that led to a certain decision. My team uses Slack, which lets us copy links to threads. We often attach this type of link to the files that we prepare for developers. This skill helped me not only to level up my own productivity but also to make communication among my teammates more smooth and cohesive. Skill #4: Review Your Work Regularly Skill #4: Review Your Work Regularly To become a stronger designer, you need clarity about your strengths in UX, UI, research, communication, and other essential skills in your design toolkit. For that reason, it’s essential to keep track of all your work tasks—from quick UI tweaks to prominent metric-moving features—and to review your design decisions from time to time. This habit will help you understand your strengths and recognize the areas of potential growth. Tips Tips Thoroughly document every task that you have finished. Create a list with links to the tasks.


If you work on large tasks where you influence the product's metrics, try to be precise when describing:

goals
what you've done – in steps
results – with metrics
further steps Thoroughly document every task that you have finished. Create a list with links to the tasks. Thoroughly document every task that you have finished. Create a list with links to the tasks. If you work on large tasks where you influence the product's metrics, try to be precise when describing:

goals
what you've done – in steps
results – with metrics
further steps If you work on large tasks where you influence the product's metrics, try to be precise when describing: goals
what you've done – in steps
results – with metrics
further steps goals what you've done – in steps results – with metrics further steps Keeping thorough documentation of your design work makes it easier to track decisions, iterate on past solutions, and revisit the reasoning behind mockups when refining features. Instead of spending time piecing together past discussions, you’ll have a clear reference for why certain choices were made. This habit also streamlines knowledge sharing with teammates and ensures that well-thought-out decisions don’t get lost over time. So, Let's Sum It Up The skill of budgeting my work time allowed me to manage my daily workload more productively. As you can imagine, productive days build into productive weeks, supporting long-term planning, too. As I started making meeting summaries and taking care of documentation for the team's design decisions, the communication among team members became smoother and more precise. Lastly, the habit of keeping track of my tasks was invaluable for my professional growth as I was able to review my decisions and set myself new goals on a regular basis. I hope these four soft skills, which helped me adapt to my new role, will also benefit young designers eager to grow quickly.

A Designer’s Take: Soft Skills to Level Up Your Craft

Photo Courtesy of Furkat Kasimov Photo Courtesy of Furkat Kasimov Photo Courtesy of Furkat Kasimov A tech innovator is about to take a different path towards business literature. Furkat Kasimov, the co-founder of LeadsMarket.com, reveals his forthcoming book, "Don't Do This: A Guide to Business Survival," offers a sobering look at what it takes to succeed in today's cutthroat business age. Don't Do This: A Guide to Business Survival Don't Do This: A Guide to Business Survival He is ready to share insights that have propelled his company to nearly $100 million in annual revenue. But this is not a tale of an overnight success but a story of relentless determination, strategic thinking, and learning from failures, both his own and others'. A Journey Through Vision and Efficiency A Journey Through Vision and Efficiency Kasimov built his empire from the ground up, leveraging a combination of education, experience, and an uncanny ability to see around corners in the digital marketing landscape. His philosophies allow him to build a lean, efficient organization that punches well above its weight class in the competitive age of lead generation. His insights could not be more timely as the publishing industry grapples with seismic shifts. The global book publishing market, valued at $93.8 billion in 2024, is projected to reach $108.8 billion by 2030, according to recent market research. This growth is happening against a backdrop of rapid digitization, with e-book sales expected to hit $23.12 billion by 2026. To guide business leaders to avoid the obstacles that can hinder even the most promising ventures, Kasimov has written "Don't Do This: A Guide to Business Survival" to turn potential pitfalls into the foundation for businesses’ success. Organic Growth and the Power of Self-Funded Success Organic Growth and the Power of Self-Funded Success Kasimov's vision extends far beyond the traditional boundaries of publishing and marketing. He sees a future where small, highly skilled teams augmented by AI can accomplish what once required hundreds of people. This isn't just theoretical. LeadsMarket.com has already implemented AI and machine learning to improve programmer productivity by 50 percent. "We have never taken a single dollar of outside investment," he states. "Every bit of our growth has been organic, funded by our revenue. It's a testament to the power of strategic thinking and efficient operations." "We have never taken a single dollar of outside investment," "Every bit of our growth has been organic, funded by our revenue. It's a testament to the power of strategic thinking and efficient operations." A Compass for the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs A Compass for the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs As our conversation winds down, Kasimov reflects on the lessons he hopes readers will take away from his book. "Success is not magic. It is a combination of strategic planning, operational efficiency, and a commitment to ethical practices," he states. "Success is not magic. It is a combination of strategic planning, operational efficiency, and a commitment to ethical practices," He emphasizes documenting and refining business processes, preparing for every eventuality with "understudies" for key personnel, and implementing clear objectives and key results (OKRs) across the organization. These may not be the flashy secrets many aspiring entrepreneurs hope for, but they're the foundation for lasting success. Kasimov's measured, strategic approach offers a refreshing alternative. His book published this March is becoming required reading for anyone serious about building a sustainable business in the AI-driven future. "Ultimately, the most valuable innovation is not a new technology or a clever marketing trick. It's the ability to see clearly through the noise and hype, to focus on what truly drives value and growth," he concludes. "Ultimately, the most valuable innovation is not a new technology or a clever marketing trick. It's the ability to see clearly through the noise and hype, to focus on what truly drives value and growth," As he turns back to his work, one gets the sense that this clarity of vision is precisely what sets Kasimov apart in the crowded field of entrepreneurial gurus. "Don't Do This: A Guide to Business Survival" promises to be more than another business book. It is a compass guiding the next generation of entrepreneurs through the stormy seas of the modern business landscape, helping them navigate the treacherous waters of AI integration, sustainable growth, and ethical leadership. The unconventional wisdom of Kasimov is set to challenge and change the understanding of what it truly takes to build a lasting, impactful business in the 21st century. This article is published under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging program. This article is published under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging program. This article is published under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging program. This article is published under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging program. Business Blogging

Furkat Kasimov Unveils Business Secrets in Entrepreneurial Success through Upcoming Book

Фуркат Касімаў раскрывае бізнес-сакрэты поспеху ў прадпрымальніцтве ў будучай кнізе

Furkat Kasimov revela los secretos del éxito empresarial en su próximo libro

Furkat Kasimov Mengungkap Rahasia Bisnis dalam Kesuksesan Wirausaha melalui Buku Mendatang

フルカット・カシモフが近日出版予定の本で起業家として成功するためのビジネス秘訣を明かす

Фуркат Касимов алдағы кітап арқылы кәсіпкерлік табыстың іскерлік құпияларын ашады

Furkat Kasimov가 출간 예정인 책을 통해 기업가적 성공의 비즈니스 비밀을 공개합니다.

Фуркат Касимов алдыдагы китеп аркылуу ишкердик ийгилигинин бизнес сырларын ачып берди

Furkat Kasimov ເປີດເຜີຍຄວາມລັບທາງທຸລະກິດໃນຄວາມສໍາເລັດຂອງຜູ້ປະກອບການໂດຍຜ່ານປື້ມທີ່ຈະມາເຖິງ

Furkat Kasimov dia manambara ny tsiambaratelon'ny fandraharahana amin'ny fahombiazan'ny fandraharahana amin'ny alàlan'ny boky ho avy

ෆුර්කට් කාසිමොව් ඉදිරි පොත හරහා ව්‍යවසායක සාර්ථකත්වයේ ව්‍යාපාරික රහස් හෙළි කරයි

Furkat Kasimov เผยเคล็ดลับทางธุรกิจในการประสบความสำเร็จของผู้ประกอบการผ่านหนังสือเล่มใหม่ที่จะวางจำหน่ายเร็วๆ นี้

فرکت قاسموف نے آنے والی کتاب کے ذریعے کاروباری کامیابی کے رازوں سے پردہ اٹھایا

CLEARLY

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CLEARLY

clearly.earth

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Since 2021

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CLEARLY

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