Ben Derham
Front-end developer. Powered by metal and coffee. Supported by dogs.
Specialties
- Accessibility,
- Front-end Engineering,
- Training & Mentorship,
- React,
- GraphQL
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thinkmill method
Core concepts
Core concepts are an expression of a project‘s underlying data model and relationships, translated into a written format that the team can build an aligned understanding on.
thinkmill method
DACI
Created by Atlassian – DACI is a framework that helps delivery teams make effective and efficient group decisions.
thinkmill method
Mock API
Mock APIs imitate a real API by providing a realistic mock data response upon request. It’s useful during development and testing when live data is either unavailable or unreliable
thinkmill method
Process mapping
Process mapping surfaces the movement of information and user interaction throughout a system in the form of a flowchart. It captures assumptions or current-state realities related to how the system works, and helps expedite alignment, design, and development,
thinkmill method
Activity Mapping
Activity mapping is a way to dynamically capture, and work on, product requirements in a format that’s more useful than a static document.
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Progressive Web Apps (PWAs): A stepping stone towards a native mobile application
Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are now a viable option for providing a mobile experience that meets users’ high expectations. This article provides an introduction to the history of PWAs for those new to the topic, as well as what can be expected from them in 2024. We also look at where PWAs sit in the mobile landscape and how they can be a practical stepping stone towards a native application experience in the future.
· 11 min readarticle
Storybook and Mock APIs: A Powerful Prototyping Combo
No back-end? No worries! In this tutorial we’ll be using Storybook and a Mock API to create a mocked prototype so we can get on with keeping our stakeholders excited.
· 12 min readarticle
What we learned applying the Thinkmill Method to a complex accounting app
We recently wrapped up delivery of a feature for a client’s complex accounting app. The project presented a valuable opportunity to battle-test our thinking around how we build products. We implemented a range of activities and techniques from the Thinkmill Method, and came away with valuable insights related to where it shines, what’s needed in order for it to do so, and how to improve it going forward. Here‘s what we learned along the way.
· 7 min readarticle
Visualising a schema-led approach using FigJam
Thinkmill uses a schema-led approach to design, which involves building visual representations of data structures to help teams understand the underlying relationships and dependencies. Recently, we used the Schema Nodes FigJam Widget to visualise the schema and relationships.
· 2 min readarticle
A day out at DDD Perth 2022
Highlights from Perth’s annual inclusive conference for the tech community.
· 5 min read
More posts from other Thinkmill voices
Designing beyond the median user
For seventy years software has shipped one shape to every user. The confluence of design systems, headless platforms, and agent-native exposure has coalesced to make that constraint optional. A retrospective of the median-user problem and the new architectural horizon now opening.
· 10 min readWhat engineering teams owe for the AI speed boost
AI-assisted development genuinely accelerated engineering teams, but many organisations stopped at the velocity gains and ignored the accumulating debt. The costs: code nobody fully understands, weakened code review culture, bloated dependency trees, and architectural decisions made without real judgement about tradeoffs...
· 4 min readA behavioural framework for the monsters in your team
The AI in Design 2026 report captures a profession mid-mutation. The "Frankenjob" label the coverage put on it misses the seam where the real work happens.
· 5 min read
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