About
I’m Stephen Dixon. I design and build apps for Apple platforms and the web, and I run DXN Studio, an independent software studio in Manchester, UK.
I started making things for screens in 1997, teaching myself HTML at 11, and I’ve been contracting since 2008. Most recently I was Senior Design Engineer at Settlemate, a US startup. Before that I spent almost seven years at Strong, the strength-training app, as Senior iOS Engineer and Design Systems Lead, and before that I was at Buffer.
What I make
Cascade, a card game my son invented. Nozomu, calm nonogram puzzles. Naturalis, an illustrated field journal for the living world. AteIQ, meal tracking without the spreadsheet feel. Next up is Tully, a writing tool for solo makers.
How I work
Most of what I make now is built with AI, and some of it runs AI on the device. I care about where AI actually earns its place, and I write about that here: context engineering, AI-native UX, and how I ship apps with Claude.
My design leans on Japanese principles: space, restraint, things that wear well. Every screen should know what it’s asking for.
Outside work
I’m a dad of three. When I’m not building, I’m usually outside, reading history, or wandering round a castle.
Work with me
I take on a few client projects at a time. Email stephen@dxn.studio.