It is with great sadness that I must announce that these next two weeks will be my last as a member of Filament Group.
Filament Group, without a doubt, changed my life in the best way and I am so very grateful to have been a part of it for seven and a half years.
Filament Group is truly unique in that the company offers what can only be described as super powers when you’re building for the web. When Robin Rendle eloquently says that “what you need to build a great website is restraint”, I simultaneously couldn’t agree more and can’t think of anyone who walks this walk better.
Filament Group’s DNA is the web at all levels and building productively for the web is what they do. Their specialty has always been front of the front end on the web but they've never limited themselves to that definition. Should designers code? Should coders design? These questions have always seemed irrelevant in this environment. Those focused in code have always been relentlessly curious about how to improve their own design skills and learn from knowledgeable designers. The designers do the same with code.
The focus is on making quality products, a mission to make a web that works for everyone. Considerations that stagnate in backlogs as mere afterthoughts at other companies are first class priorities at Filament Group:
High performance experiences on varying network and hardware capabilities.
A keen respect for prioritizing Accessibility up front, including respecting User Preferences like reducing on-screen motion, use of color and contrast, font sizes, among others.
A pragmatic and inclusive take on Browser Support.
Support for a variety of simultaneous input modes: keyboard, touch, mouse, voice, etc.
Understanding that solutions must go with the grain of the web and not against it, even if that means a little leniency from the requirements.
A unique understanding of how all of these factors blend together to facilitate some incredibly creative Responsive Design implementations.
Consider how productive one can be when working with people that truly understand the benefits of working with the grain of the web and not against it. How far could you go if you didn’t have to proselytize these fundamentals? What interesting next-level problems could you solve?
Todd, Patty, Maggie, Scott, and emeritus John, Jeff, Mat and Andrew: I have learned so much from you all. Your relentless work ethic and incredibly high standard of quality is nothing short of inspiring. It truly has been a pleasure.
