Insights
Perspectives on design systems, digital platforms, search visibility, and emerging technology shaping modern digital infrastructure.
Latest Writing
Latest Articles
Explore recent writing on design systems, development experiments, search strategy, and practical digital infrastructure.
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Insights
Building Our Proposal Intelligence System
John Hansen
March 31, 2026
We submitted our first FOIA request to the Department of Homeland Security to better understand how winning proposals are structured, evaluated, and decided within federal contracting.
Studio Updates
Aether Creative Studio Receives State of California DVBE Certification
John Hansen
February 13, 2026
Aether Creative Studio has been certified as a Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) by the State of California, reinforcing its commitment to accountable, compliance-ready digital systems for public-sector partners.
Development
Designing for search when you’re not the expert in the room
John Hansen
February 10, 2026
Design often starts in unfamiliar territory. So I created a small internal tool that turns images into SEO- and AEO-ready text, helping designers and developers stay accurate, accessible, and search-friendly.
Studio Updates
Aether Creative Studio Certified as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
John Hansen
February 3, 2026
Aether Creative Studio has been certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), confirming our eligibility to support federal and partner-led public-sector initiatives.
Insights
PX (Procurement Experience): Designing Digital Systems for Government Contracting
John Hansen
January 29, 2026
PX (Procurement Experience) is UX focused on the realities of government contracting. It centers clarity, credibility, and usability for procurement efforts working under compliance and time constraints.
Studio Updates
Aether Creative Studio Certified as a Los Angeles County Local Small Business Enterprise (LSBE)
John Hansen
January 23, 2026
Aether Creative Studio has been certified as a Los Angeles County Local Small Business Enterprise (LSBE), confirming our standing as a compliant, accountable local partner for public and private digital projects.
Development
The Boring Parts of iOS Apps That Actually Matter
Nikolai Annenkoff
January 21, 2026
Modern iOS development is full of exciting things to talk about: new Swift features, shiny UI frameworks, clever architecture diagrams. But most production issues don’t come from those places.
Development
Xcode Tips Every iOS Developer should know
Nikolai Annenkoff
January 5, 2026
When you spend hours in Xcode, the little things can add up to a lot of time saved. Here are three built-in tricks that can speed up your workflow and make editing code much less repetitive.
Studio Updates
Aether Creative Studio Certified as a State of California Small Business
John Hansen
December 30, 2025
Aether Creative Studio is now officially certified as a State of California Small Business, reinforcing our role as a compliant, accountable, and dependable local partner for public-sector and private digital initiatives.
Development
How ChatGPT drove a real customer conversion
John Hansen
November 4, 2025
How ChatGPT recommended one of our clients, ABC Heating & Air Conditioning, leading to a real conversion and renewed investment in their digital presence.
Studio Updates
Aether Creative Studio is now Client-First Expert Certified by Finsweet
John Hansen
September 15, 2025
Aether Creative Studio is now officially Client-First Expert Certified by Finsweet, bringing stronger structure, cleaner builds, and higher performance to every Webflow project we create.
Studio Updates
Aether Creative Studio becomes a Certified Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB)
John Hansen
September 15, 2025
This milestone reflects our values of service and innovation while opening new opportunities to create impactful partnerships and projects.
Studio Updates
Marking Our First Quarter
John Hansen
September 13, 2025
This first quarter of Aether Creative Studio has been about finding rhythm, learning from challenges, and growing alongside the people who placed their trust in us.