Side Projects
Designing Beyond the Screen: The Knuckle
The Knuckle, a CNC-machined pool cue holder, started with a simple observation: most cue holders on the market are cheap, generic, and built to fail. They lack personality, durability, and a design that reflects how dedicated players actually feel about the game.
Through years of league play and tournaments, I kept hearing the same frustration: “I just wish there was something better than the cheap ones on Amazon—they’re awful!”
That was the moment I realized there was an opportunity to design a better solution.
I set out to create a cue holder for players who care about quality - something clean, durable, and thoughtfully crafted. From early sketches to CNC prototyping in aluminum, the process became a hands-on extension of my design practice. Every iteration focused on usability, material choice, and long-term durability, just like the products I design in digital spaces.
This project reflects my belief that great design doesn’t stop at the screen. Whether I’m shaping a product experience or machining a physical object, I’m driven by the same principles: identify real problems, experiment with purpose, and build solutions that people genuinely enjoy using.
Alpha Decoder: Designing for Real Learning Needs
The Alpha Decoder began with a clear problem: young learners in my classroom needed a better way to crack the code of reading. What started as Sharpie-labeled cups evolved over years of research, iteration, and prototyping into a precision-crafted, hand-machined stainless steel manipulative used in classrooms around the world.
This project pushed me to apply the same design principles I use in digital products—empathizing with users, defining the problem clearly, and iterating relentlessly—to a physical tool that supports meaningful learning outcomes. Early ideas moved from pencil sketches to digital models in Illustrator and SolidWorks, then through multiple physical prototypes using SolidCAM and CNC machining.
Working alongside a collaborator, we refined the design through testing and feedback, focusing on durability, clarity of use, and tactile engagement. Over eight years, hundreds of Alpha Decoders have found their way into classrooms across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia, helping learners build confidence one letter at a time.
Alpha Decoder is a reminder that great design isn’t confined to screens—it’s about identifying real problems, creating thoughtful solutions, and iterating until something works genuinely well for the people who need it.
