Who is Black Monolith?
Black Monolith is me, Jason Clauss. I named Black Monolith after the mysterious objects in 2001 which brought sentience to the apes. I see technology as a means of upgrading the sentience of mankind as those monoliths did for the monkeys, but only if it is designed properly. And that's what I aim to do. As technology becomes ever more powerful and ever more integrated into the everyday lives of humanity, the consequences of bad design become more dire. So that's why I do what I do.
What is your background?
I have been in technology of one sort or another since 1999, when I was designing websites for spending money. I really got my start in 2000 when I got a job at the University of Washington as a web designer. Back then "web designer" meant that you did graphics and code in addition to usability, and I discovered I liked the usability aspect far more than the other two parts, meaning that when I discovered there was something called "UX" which focused purely on usability, I immediately crossed over.
Before I got there, however, I did GIS and infographic design for Harvard and University of California, which gave me a strong foundation in information visualization. I also started a snowboard accessories business which sold to several major retailers in the Pacific Northwest, and that gave me a strong foundation in how businesses are run, including logistics, finance, marketing, and personnel management.
Over the past decade, I have moved into strategy, having focused increasingly on the high-level aspect of product science. I started Black Monolith to develop services that make use of my unique combination of skills and fill important gaps in the market.
Why hire Black Monolith and not someone else?
See the unique combination of skills above. With 25+ years of experience, I bring together an unmatched mix of
Technological literacy: This means I can work directly with the technical teams that actually implement products, ensuring fidelity of concept through the development process.
UX: My obsessive commitment to usability means that I learn about all aspects of what makes a product good, from cognitive science to ergonomics to information theory and beyond.
Business sense: I have started a number of businesses, and learned a whole lot about what to do, and what not to do. I know how to ensure that good design makes good business sense.
I also have a strong foundation in the principles of visual design, despite not being a visual designer. This makes me an excellent design leader as I can identify the best UI artists and come up with high-level visual concepts that maximize usability.
What industries do you specialize in?
My background favoring B2B and internal, employee-focused UX means that I focus on applications that involve:
Complexity: Lots of "moving parts", diverse types of information, large decision trees
Skill: I design things that get used regularly, so they reward user skill
Serious needs: I like to design systems where outcomes are consequential, such as life-or-death or financial circumstances
This means I like verticals such as:
Aerospace
Finance
Medicine
Law
Government
Construction
But I will work on any interesting project, regardless of the industry.
We need visual design. Can you help with that too?
I should make it clear that I am not a visual designer. By this I mean that I don't have the technical skills to actually render visual design. I am quite knowledgeable about visual design, however, which means that I can serve a leadership role where visuals matter. In particular, I focus strongly on the usability aspect of visuals. I highly recommend involving me on the visual design process because the absence of UX knowledge in UI design is what leads to poor usability. Things like flat design, tiny text, sharp-edged buttons, and low-contrast colors happen when a UX person had no role in the visual design.
Do you offer development?
I work with a number of very good developers including Americans as well as a LatAm team. If your project needs developers, please let me know, and I can get them involved.
At what part of the process do you prefer to get involved?
I discuss my role in the product process here. The earlier the better, as I excel in product strategy and strategy will define (and limit) everything that comes after. But it's never too late to get me involved. If you have already launched your product, I can help you with audits to improve product usability without breaking the budget.
Do you offer subscriptions?
Yes. If you would like to consider a service subscription, I offer bespoke arrangements. The basic structure is that, for a fixed monthly rate, I provide unlimited on-demand services. This means no hourly billing. If you'd like to consider this, book a call.
How soon can you start?
Right away. Stop wasting time and book a call.