Request for comment

I’ve noticed a concerning trend in virtual meetings. Here’s what happens: Somebody gives a presentation on a complicated topic—a launch plan, a project with a big dependency, a new way of doing things. Then, they pause for questions and there are none!

Hang on a moment! No questions? Seriously?!

This is deeply concerning. Over time, failing to ask questions leads to confusion, false consensus, and breakdowns in communication. To me, the worst thing is when the presenter leaves thinking everybody is aligned. (That’s rarely the case.)

So, why does this happen? I have a couple hunches.

1. Nobody is listening. They’re busy—they’re working, they’re eating, they’re just not “present.”
2. People need time to digest. If the audience actually was listening, they probably need a moment. Don’t mistake silence for comprehension.

What can we do?

In my own meetings, I’m establishing a few standards to improve our presenter + audience environment.

For the presenter

• During the presentation: Use sign posts — If you need a specific person or team to hear something, mention them! “Sam, I know you’re working on XYZ. This next feature is relevant to you.” In speech & debate, we called these “sign posts.” They’re little verbal cues that re-engage your audience—and they help ensure that your key stakeholders actually hear the most important parts of your presentation.
• After the presentation: Give everybody a minute — Ask for 1 minute of complete silence at the end of your presentation before launching into a Q&A. Don’t give into the temptation to make small talk. Instead, let everyone think for a minute. It’s intentional, it’s valuable, and the questions will come.

For the audience

• Be present: Close your other windows (especially Slack)
• Be present: Keep your camera on
• Be present: Take notes during the presentation

I’ll continue to refine my approach & may update this post as I test new strategies with my team.

Back in 2019, I had the chance to interview Stewart Brand—the Whole Earth Catalog founder who helped shape how we think about information sharing and collaborative systems. Brand understood something fundamental: the best ideas don’t emerge fully formed from a single mind. They evolve through open dialogue, iteration, and community input.

This stuck with me as I was setting up this blog and its URL system. Why follow the tired convention (e.g., /blog/ or /insights/)when there’s a much better model sitting right in front of us?

Enter the RFC: Request for Comments.

For over 50 years, RFCs have been the backbone of internet development. Every major protocol, from HTTP to TCP/IP, started as someone saying “here’s an idea—what do you think?” These weren’t proclamations from on high, but working documents designed to be challenged, refined, and improved.

That’s exactly how I want to approach design thinking here. My posts aren’t definitive statements, they’re starting points for conversation. Whether I’m breaking down a product decision, exploring a design pattern, or questioning industry assumptions, I’m really saying: “Here’s my current thinking—help me make it better.”

So when you see /rfc/ in the URL, know that your comments, disagreements, and extensions are not just welcome—they’re the whole point! Like the internet itself, the best ideas here will always be the ones we build together.

Now, about that comment system…

Note: This post was drafted in collaboration with Claude, Sonnet 4