Hi, I’m Abby. I’m a Technical Product Manager with a background in computer science, focusing on building ethical, human-centered technology. Over the years, I’ve worked in various engineering and product roles, primarily in AI, infrastructure, and security.
These days, I’m diving deeper into a Master’s program in Software and Systems Security at Oxford. My focus? Building trustworthy digital systems, especially in healthcare.
Outside of work, I’m a mom, a storyteller, and someone who finds meaning in connecting big ideas with real-world impact. Whether I’m designing a secure system or scribbling ideas between childcare breaks, I’m always asking the same questions: Who is this for? Why does it matter?
Translating Research into Actionable Change
My current work focuses on bridging disciplines such as AI, security, ethics, and design and ensuring that the work we do reaches and supports people in the real world.
That process isn’t always straightforward. One of the challenges I face is clarifying my narrative across these varied domains while staying true to my values. I also spend a lot of time trying to translate insight into action, especially across academic, product, and personal contexts.
It’s a constant balancing act of deep work vs. timely delivery, clarity vs. complexity—but it’s a challenge I genuinely love.
My First Encounter with HackMD
I first discovered HackMD back in 2016 when a friend recommended it. Right away, I was hooked by how intuitive and straightforward the markdown format was. I could get my thoughts out quickly without wrestling with formatting or overhead.
Even better, multiple people can edit the same file simultaneously. That blew my mind a little. Since then, HackMD has been a quiet companion across both personal and professional projects—from quick reflections to collaborative notes.
Creating Space for Every Voice
HackMD has become an integral part of how I build community. It offers a low-barrier way for people to contribute, especially those who might feel intimidated by more formal tools like Git or complex documentation systems.
I’ve used it to co-write meeting notes, brainstorm across time zones, and share ideas in their rawest form. That openness creates momentum. Whether it’s in study groups, product teams, or cross-functional sprints, HackMD provides a platform for people to think aloud and be heard.
One of my favorite memories was at HITCON Community. Where we used HackMD to take shared notes in real time during the event.
People from different backgrounds were capturing talks, translating insights, and riffing off each other’s ideas—all in the same doc. It was more than documentation. It was real-time co-creation. And it made the space feel electric.
Why Communication is Culture
For me, shared knowledge and clear communication are the heart of any healthy community.
When people know what’s going on and why it builds trust. When they can add their voice to the conversation, it builds ownership. HackMD encourages both. It invites collaboration without requiring polish.
That sense of psychological safety of being able to say, “Hey, I’m not sure, but what if…”—that’s where real innovation starts.
From Notes to Alignment
My team and I use HackMD for almost everything. Brainstorming, specs, and weekly notes—if they need to be accessible and collaborative, they live in HackMD.
One of the most significant benefits is the ability to view edits in real-time. That transparency fosters shared ownership. Everyone can see how the idea evolves. Everyone can weigh in. It flattens hierarchies and invites alignment.
Has it changed our workflow? Absolutely. It’s made idea capture and iteration so much smoother. We can move quickly, make decisions, and stay on the same page—without needing endless meetings.
Breaking Silos with a Single Source of Truth
On a past project, we were designing an authentication flow for a healthcare IoT device. The engineering team was focused on protocol security. The design team was thinking about usability. I was trying to align both with regulatory compliance.
Everything was siloed—Jira tickets, Figma files, code branches—and no one had a holistic view. So I started a HackMD note and turned it into a living project brief.
It had everything: user stories, open questions, meeting minutes, API endpoints, even a Mermaid chart for the flow.
Suddenly, the designer could see the technical constraints and comment directly on them. The engineers understood the rationale behind usability tradeoffs. That document broke down walls and turned fragmented updates into collaborative problem-solving. It was a game-changer.
HackMD as a Thinking Tool
Today, HackMD is my primary notebook. It’s where I think through problems, connect ideas, and structure research.
I use it to draft specs for engineers, post outlines for stakeholders, and even plan future research diaries or annotated bibliographies.
It’s the bridge between my work and the world—a place to refine messy thoughts before they reach a wider audience.
Advice for Teams Considering HackMD
If you’re just getting started, my advice is simple:
Start small. Use it for one thing—maybe a weekly check-in doc or a project kickoff and make it the “single source of truth.” Let your team experience the ease of real-time collaboration, and watch the adoption grow from there.
Also, embrace the idea of working drafts. HackMD shouldn’t be reserved for polished documents. Let it be the place where messy, half-baked thoughts live, too. Lowering the bar to contribute means you won’t lose those early, brilliant sparks of insight.
Why HackMD Works for People Like Me
What I love about HackMD is its simplicity. Anyone can jump in. That accessibility makes it incredibly powerful, especially in cross-functional settings where different people bring different tools, vocabularies, and priorities.
HackMD gives us a shared space where we can be transparent, collaborative, and—most importantly—human. It’s not about perfection. It’s about participation.
Looking Forward
One thing I’m excited about is using HackMD to “build in public” more often. I want to start publishing more of my working notes, including research diaries, security deep dives, and annotated readings. Not just for visibility, but as a way to think alongside others.
Ultimately, technical progress is built on a shared curiosity. HackMD makes that curiosity visible.
Final Thoughts
For me, HackMD is more than just a tool. It’s a mindset. It reminds me that every technical challenge is also a human one—that behind every spec or design debate, there’s a conversation waiting to happen.
And having a space that facilitates those conversations? That’s not just helpful. That’s transformative.
