What is the best thing that I love about my work?

My main interest is to help people to find a solution to their needs and live a happier life. Of course, it’s a very pragmatic take to this question, not in terms of happiness but in terms of making products and services better so people can do more and have more time for themselves.

What is my idea of perfect happiness?

I don’t think such a concept exists. There are happy moments, which are important, and there are moments with any other kind of feeling, and these are important too. I think there should be a certain form of appreciation for the wide gamut of our feelings, letting them exist, and treasuring happiness when arises.

What is my greatest fear?

To not find meaning.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself?

Sometimes I get in a mental state that is very clinical and hyper efficient: it’s very effective, but it also can cause collateral damage to relationships and people around me. Over the years I’ve come to be very careful about it, and to find the proper time and space.

Which living persons in my profession do i most admire?

I don’t have any cult of personality. I actually actively reject that, and I advocate to understand people as complex beings with positive and negatives. As such, I’ve a lot of people that admire for many reasons, but defining who’s the one that I “most” admire would be a simplification I wouldn’t agree on.

What is my greatest extravagance?

Being a multitude. While me is still me, I like to explore and indulge in extending and experimenting with different sides of me, different facets. It’s not something society understand very well, as it likes for individual to be monodimensional.

On what occasion would I lie?

To save someone’s life.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work?

Repetition. I’m getting closer to 20 years of professional experience in tech, and there are many things that change service, change product, but repeat over and over and over. While it’s still fun to take up again an old problem and try different approaches, there are still far better things to do.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work?

I’m never really happy about the work I produce. I know it works, sometimes works incredibly well, people are happy, and I’m able to improve indirectly the life of millions of people worldwide. Yet, I’m never completely satisfied. I see flaws and missing pieces in everything I do, even when people tell me it’s good as is. However, I tend to enjoy when happiness is shared among many. I’ve had some great moments about that, and I still remember with particular affection the work I did for UX for Good, with the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education and the Kigali Genocide Memorial. It was a truly deep experience.

If I could, what would I change about myself?

Everything probably. I already know myself, I’d like to try something different.

What is my greatest achievement in work?

Again, I don’t think things in terms of “greatest”. I’ve collaborated with some great people in projects that had extensive impact. Surely, the work I’m doing today with WordPress has a massive reach, but I even if with a lesser reach, the work I did for Good 50×70, sensibilizing designer and people around social topics and reaching all around the globe was an enriching experience.

What do the words ‘The Financial Freedom to Create’ mean to me?

If possible, it would mean the absence of worrying about surviving. That would remove the fears around doing stuff just because we need to “survive” and instead we could focus on our true calling.

Where would I most like to live?

Everywhere. If possible I would like to be able to move without restrictions everywhere in the world, stay there for a while, know the place, know the people, and then move.But it’s hard. Not just for technical limitations like housing, internet, visas, jobs, but also for the friends that one would have to leave every time.

What is my most treasured possession?

I try to not treasure possessions. It’s one of the way I practice non-attachments, even if it’s probably a minor one. I try to own few things, and to not feel attached to them.

What is my most marked characteristic?

I’ve no idea. I should ask someone that knows me.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city?  

A corner by the Thames, in the middle of London. It might be because I was born on a lake town, but I feel at ease with water.

What is my favourite place to eat and drink, in my city?

Probably The Gate, a vegetarian restaurant in London. I’m not vegetarian, but I appreciate how they are able to make incredible dishes that don’t make me miss meat.

What books influenced my life and how?

There are many. Probably one of the deepest influences were by Isaac Asimov with the Foundation series: a positive view on humankind, yet acknowledging all the intricacies of its psyche.

Who are my favorite writers?

Plenty, mostly in the realm of fantasy and science fiction. Neil Gaiman, Ursula K. Le Guin, Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, P. K. Dick, and so on. Great visionaries.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day?

Probably Vangelis. I keep going back to his melodies.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction?

Again I’ve no “heroes”, but… probably Alita, from the manga Battle Angel Alita, or Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life?

I’ve many people I know that are living, struggling, fighting, and evolving themselves. These are heroes, I’m afraid I’ve not other kind of “hero”.

Which movie would i recommend to see once in a lifetime?

Ghost in the Shell.

What role plays art in my life and work?

I need art. I sometimes forget how deeply I need it, but it’s part of who I am, even if probably it’s not visible from the outside. It’s a way not just to express myself, but also to reflect, make, meditate, detach and reconnect with the world.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime?

Far too many “greatest” questions in this questionnaire. I’ve quite a few people I would mention here, but I won’t because I’d surely be forgetting someone else that is as important.

Whom would I like to work with in 2017?  

I couldn’t really care less. As long as it’s good work, impactful, and they are good people, it’s game for me. I also find difficult to identify people: often the media tends to celebrate people for reasons that are different from their ability to work well with others. I’m skeptical of evaluating someone just for a bidimensional idea I have of them.

Where can you see me or my work in 2017?

I’ve few places, but I’d say the most relevant one is Intense Minimalism.

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me?

Retirement is a technicality that exists only for the way we frame the idea of “jobs” today. Passion clearly transcend any box we could put it into. It’s there. One can have a job aligned with their passion, or not. Passion has a life independent from this.

Which creative heroes should Peter invite to tell their story?

I’d suggest Margherita Pagani, Jacopo Romei, Babele Dunnit, Vivian Ceresero.

How can you contact me?

On my main site, Intense Minimalism, or on Twitter, @Folletto.