Xertes — a small studio of experiments and archives.

Design Systems
UI Experiments
Field Notes
Latest:
"On Quiet Interfaces" — Nov 21, 2025

About Xertes

Xertes is an intentionally small digital studio focused on making calm, readable, and well-documented interfaces. We combine field research, design, and small pieces of code to shape tools that feel generous to their users.

Philosophy

We prefer interfaces that step back. Our work is inside the gap between function and poetry.

Process

Sketch, prototype, test, write. Every project ships with notes so future selves can understand decisions.

Selected Projects

Low-Light Reader

A reading environment that reduces cognitive noise and enhances focus.

Web app2025

Archive Lens

Tools to surface rare notes from long archives using lightweight tagging.

Toolkit2024

Signal Garden

A tiny dashboard for monitoring ambient metrics across projects.

Dashboard2023

Journal & Notes

Q
On Quiet Interfaces
Nov 21, 2025 • 8 min read

How removing ambient friction makes room for user agency. Short notes on typography, spacing, and the ethics of default settings.

A
Patterns in Small Tools
Oct 5, 2025 • 5 min read

A catalogue of patterns we return to when building micro-tools for daily workflows.

Contact

For collaborations, notes, or to share field research, reach out via the addresses below. We reply irregularly but thoughtfully.

hello@Xertes.example
@Xertes_studio
Subscribe

Get periodic notes. We send 2–6 letters a year.

Testimonials

AL
A. Lopes
"Xertes's notes changed the way our team documents decisions."
JM
J. Moore
"Practical, quiet, and surprisingly generous research outputs."