Designing for, reflecting on,
human experience.
The WIP* digital garden of Jen Goertzen.
Winter 2025
Season of long shadows.
It’s the season of biting winds outside and “hibernation projects” inside. I’m revelling in a properly cold winter in my new home in Montréal as well as challenging new work with my new team at Parsnip. There’s a lot that’s new, but all of it feels familiar and like I’m back in my own skin (whilst wrapped up in a scarf).
As I get into this winter rhythm, I’m reflecting a lot on this website and what I wanted from it, why I designed it the way that I did. I hope to share more of this soon and either add more to this space or perhaps even take some away.

Notes
Reflections on design, design in life, and life in design. Ranging from first scribbles to thoroughly edited drafts.
Digital gardens, portfolios, and being online.Coming Soon
Projects, lists, outlines
Logs and snapshots of parts of my work and world, standalone but hopefully never static.
My experience in product design.
- Outline,
- Design
Presentations.
- List,
- Design
“Up to speed” book
Project
Library
Some books I’ve read, recommended, and abandoned.

Words Are My Matter
Ursula K. Le Guin

Braiding Sweetgrass
Robin Wall Kimmerer

The Wild Places
Robert MacFarlane

Dare to Lead
Brené Brown

English Pastoral: An Inheritance
James Rebanks

East of Eden
John Steinbeck

Bird By Bird
Anne Lamott

Sea of Tranquility
Emily St. John Mandel
* Welcome to my work in progress.
You may have noticed there is more promise of content than actual content. I’m trying a new approach to this website where I’m sharing pieces sooner, even when incomplete—website included. I hope you’ll come back to see how it’s grown.