Gatsby will be the best “no code” tool

Gatsby is inventing a new category of websites

Gatsby + WordPress is a great combination

How Gatsby works

Sketching exercises

Blocks enables non-developers to code, visually

Gatsby Admin enables non-developers to configure their sites

Gatsby recipes enables non-developers to setup their sites

# Gatsby
> _Gatsby is a free and open source framework based on React that helps developers build blazing fast websites and apps. ([gatsbyjs.org](https://www.gatsbyjs.org/))_

I started working at Gatsby in February of 2020. (see [I am joining Gatsby](https://mxstbr.com/thoughts/gatsby)) Here are some of the thoughts I have had related to it since then:

- [[Gatsby is inventing a new category of websites]]
- [[Gatsby will be the best “no code” tool]]
- [[Gatsby + WordPress is a great combination]]
- [[The benefits of static websites]]
- [[How Gatsby works]]
- [[Sketching exercises]]




Have an aptitude for serendipity

Invest in force multipliers

Talk to people

Build a diverse network

Invent by combining things in new ways

Seek discomfort

# Get more parts on the table

> _“The trick to having good ideas is not to sit around in glorious isolation and try to think big thoughts. The trick is to get more parts on the table." — Where good ideas come from_

The more "parts you have on the table", the easier it is to [[Invent by combining things in new ways]] and explore the [[Adjacent possible]]. The more connections you make, the more good ideas you can have. The more good ideas you have, the more you [[Have an aptitude for serendipity]] and the more you [[Always be shipping]]!

[[Build a diverse network]] and [[Work in public]] are two ways to increase the amount of parts I have on the table. The bigger and more diverse my friend group and the more I [[Talk to people]], the higher the chance somebody has that unique part on their table that connects my ideas to their thoughts. A good way of knowing if you’re on the right track is to [[Seek discomfort]].




Gatsby

# Sketching exercises
I learned about sketching exercises at [[Gatsby]] from [Shannon Soper](https://twitter.com/shannonb_ux) and they blew my mind. The amount of new ideas and inputs ([[Get more parts on the table]]) we got out of them was incredible. It’s like brainstorming, but it works.

Here is how to do a sketching session:

1. Everybody spends five minutes drawing a sketch of what they think the project in question could look like.
2. Everybody presents their sketch in 2 minutes, and then it gets discussed.
3. Repeat

By having every person involved draw a sketch you can quickly get a bunch of varied ideas on the table. We started seeing patterns immediately, and also got a bunch of great new input.

By repeating the process, everybody can copy the best ideas from everybody else and incorporate them with theirs to arrive at a first “consensus” and then take it further.




@mxstbr's working notes

Sketching exercises

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What do you think?