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At Smudge, we believe software should do more than connect systems, it should connect people to purpose. The KiwiRail Shield app is a great example of this. Together, we designed and built a safety tool that helps KiwiRail teams view live safety content, share insights, and strengthen a culture of care across the network. Before KiwiRail built the Shield app, operating rules were printed and collated in ring binders. Now, the KiwiRail team can simply log into their app and search for the rule they need. Easy, intuitive and automatically notifies users of updates to new rules. Projects like Shield show what we value most. Solving the right problem whilst designing tools people love to use. That same thinking underpins everything we do, from custom app development to our new Software Advisory and Prototyping services, helping organisations make confident and informed technology decisions. --- See how Shield is helping KiwiRail strengthen safety across the network: ⚫ https://lnkd.in/gR8DfFhQ

At Smudge we’re excited to be partnering with One New Zealand to support NZ businesses make the most of the One NZ Satellite Data network. 🛰️ One NZ Satellite Data can give your mobile app the power to go beyond traditional coverage and reach even the most remote locations. Smudge can help your business develop apps to be satellite enabled joining the likes of Google Maps, WhatsApp, AllTrails and AccuWeather. ⚫ Want to know more check out this video to see how easy it is: http://one.nz/sat-apps

Last week Reuben sat down with long-term Smudge Partner Simon Hart from The People Place Ltd to talk about leadership and organisational culture. We think this statement does a great job of summarising the conversation and how we think about culture at Smudge - "Organisations need to be intentional about designing the culture they want as they grow." We hope you find this conversation as insightful as we did.

Smudge are partnering with One New Zealand to support local New Zealand companies to get their apps ready for the One NZ new satellite data service launching next month. “Any business with a remote field force or who travel will be safer and can get more done with One NZ Satellite”, says One NZ Experience and Commercial Director, Joe Goddard. We're offering support to Kiwi app developers to optimise for this new satellite service joining those already available such as WhatsApp, Google Maps, AllTrails and AccuWeather. ⚫ To find out more about how to satellite enable your app, head to: one.nz/sat-apps for more info.

A massive congratulations to all the Design Institute of New Zealand’s 2025 Best Awards winners. A special shout out for those Gold Pin winners for the category sponsored by Smudge: Student Social Good 2025. ⚫ Sophie West, Zené Krige, from Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa College of Creative Arts ⚫ Mia Freeman, from AUT School of Art & Design ⚫ Jordan Tane, from AUT School of Art & Design ⚫ Tirama Te Marino Bramley, from the The University of Waikato --- Design for Social Good recognises and celebrates design work that has been undertaken with a significant benefit to communities and demonstrates the proven impact it has made.

This week has been full of both the realization of some dreams and exciting plans, and also working through some of the hardest and most frustrating challenges I’ve ever had to face. These thoughts are a bit of a Part 2 to things I've been learning as I get older. https://lnkd.in/gMkdR8nc It connects back to how the way we choose to show up can either widen the gap or create space for others and I think that same choice shows up in how we process our own weeks: do we lean only into the highs, or do we allow space for both? I don’t know where I learned to want to portray things as good or bad. Maybe it’s just a very human thing to make life easier. Maybe it’s the nuance that can be portrayed in the kinds of movies I’ve enjoyed watching. I do know it can be much easier to be in a situation where you don’t have to look for the gray or be curious in places where it would be much easier to discount something altogether. How do you even respond as to how your week is going? It’s been mixed? It’s full of both highs and lows. Do you focus on the wins or setbacks? It's a symphony with an oboe solo and a full modern orchestra at full volume? Maybe it's not quite that extreme. What level of of vulnerability do you bring to each conversation? How do you introduce yourself in one minute to people that you’re meeting for the first time compared to the way you show up with people that you’ve been working with for 15 years. I definitely don’t have all the answers and for me I just try and bring all of myself to each of the places I find myself in, experience the joy and excitement right next to the struggles and frustration and allow time to be with all of the emotions and share them as appropriate. The photo I've chosen is from a video shoot we’ve done this week with Jono Smit. Always great to work with you Jono. Sometimes sharing on LinkedIn, when it feels like most posts emphasize highlights, it’s easy to feel like no one else has lows. So today I’m sharing my mixed week in the hope that anyone navigating their own mix of highs and lows feels can see some of their own experience in mine.