David Lidsky's Blog, page 137

The revolutionary approach to accessible design

When design meets empathy, consumers get products that work better for them.

Navigating the nexus between design innovation and practical application reveals a stark truth: Constraints, not freedoms, often spur the most creative solutions. Our journey into accessible furniture and product design is less about overcoming limitations and more about embracing the profound potential of human-centric design. 

Imagine a future where no child dies of undernutrition

We can build that future together.

Ask almost any pediatrician or child expert, and they will tell you: Good nutrition is the foundation for healthy development, especially during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. When children are well-nourished, they are better able to grow, learn, and engage with their communities, and to be resilient in the face of illness.     

Level from the start: Pro sports reimagined

A blueprint for sustainable growth

The 2025 WNBA season is upon us, and it’s already making waves. From Caitlin Clark draining logo threes to Paige Bueckers debuting for the Dallas Wings, and the Golden State Valkyries hitting the court for the first time, pre-season coverage has been electric. For those of us who’ve spent years advocating for women’s sports, the buzz surrounding this season isn’t just exciting, it’s a powerful reflection of the league’s progress and promise.

Airbnb goes all in on everything but the ‘bnb’

From booking a massage to hiring a professional photographer, Airbnb’s new strategy doubles down on services and experiences.

Since its last major redesign in 2022, Airbnb has been all about the destination: staying in homes so unique or glamorous—from McMansions with amazing pools to surrealist homes in a shoe—that they might be worth a trip unto itself.

Why a Brazilian pulp exporter is raising fears of another toilet paper shortage

Suzano SA, the world’s largest exporter of pulp used to make toilet paper, says tariffs are disrupting the supply chain to the U.S.

Everyone has their individual bad memories of the pandemic, but one collective nightmare of the early days of that miserable period is the struggle to find toilet paper at your local store. Now, tariffs are bringing concerns about a toilet paper shortage back to the forefront.

Microsoft layoffs today: Tech giant cuts around 6,000 jobs, nearly 3% of workforce, including at LinkedIn

The company’s latest worker reduction, its biggest in years, comes weeks after it reported upbeat earnings and guidance after AI investments.

Microsoft is cutting less than 3% of its global workforce, including at LinkedIn. The company employed an estimated 228,000 workers as of last June, meaning the layoffs will affect approximately 6,000 employees. The tech giant, which makes the popular software products Windows and Word, will make cuts across various locations, teams, and roles.

Google goes maximalist with its new Material Design kit

Everyone from Gen Z to Gen X is looking for more expressive interfaces. With its updated design language, Google is giving people what they want.

Eleven years after Google first announced its grand unifying theory of design—Material Design—it’s introducing its third major revision to the system.

Called Material 3 Expressive, the company will tell you that it is its most “researched update” ever, promising to help people find what they’re looking for on the screen faster than before. But it’s also the company’s most maximalist design system to date. Still enabling quieter minimalist designs, sure, but embracing bolder colors, more playful animations, and all around more overt approaches to interface. There’s a new roundness to almost every component, right down to the tips of Google’s new default typeface, Google Sans Flex Rounded, which replaces the hard-edged terminals on letterforms with smooth tips.

Farmers take a wait-and-see approach to Trump’s trade war

Monday’s announcement of a 90-day truce between the U.S. and China backed up the reluctance of many farmers to hit the panic button.

Minnesota farmer Dan Glessing isn’t ready to get too upset over President Donald Trump’s trade wars.

Couples are saying ‘I do’ in ‘Minecraft’ as virtual weddings become more popular

More couples are tying the knot in digital worlds, saving money and celebrating love in the places they met online.

Destination weddings are out, and virtual weddings are in.

At World Cup 2026, soccer will be more than just a game

Its significance globally extends beyond sport.

Soccer, football, futebol, voetbal. Whichever moniker the world’s favorite game’s 3.5 billion fans use to describe this mega sport, this beautiful game is going through a cultural evolution creating more impact beyond the game than ever before.