This week, we try to figure out the right time to give up on a fight when collaborating with stakeholders who have different opinions and priorities. We also cover a lot of feedback this week, discuss new design resources in The Sidebar, and share our cool things of the week. Golden Ratio Patrons: We're looking for partners to work with. If your team is hiring, launching a new product, or wants us to get the word out about a new initiative, please get in touch ! Latest VIP Patrons: Huge shoutout...
Apr 29, 2020•29 min•Ep. 345
This week, we introduce a new supporter-only show segment, The Sidebar. Each week we'll be sharing a story, pro-tip, shortcut, or design-related cool thing. Supporters on Patreon will hear the first story today! We also discuss the most over and undervalued design skills, including feedback from folks on Twitter. And, of course, we share our cool finds of the week! Golden Ratio Patrons: We're looking for partners to work with. If your team is hiring, launching a new product, or wants us to get t...
Apr 22, 2020•36 min•Ep. 344
This week, we dig into the dregs of our portfolios to critique some of earliest design work. We try to look for indicators of taste and fundamentals, but ultimately have a good laugh about our early mocks. We'd love to see your early work too, so share it with us on Twitter this week! Golden Ratio Patrons: We're looking for partners to work with. If your team is hiring, launching a new product, or wants us to get the word out about a new initiative, please get in touch ! Latest VIP Patrons: Huge...
Apr 15, 2020•34 min•Ep. 343
This week, we talk about counterintuitive user experiences that designers regularly design for in our day to day work. Let us know what we missed! As always, we catch up on feedback, tweets, and share our cool things of the week: a blog post explaining how to polish an interface, and a YouTube series about first-time reactions. Golden Ratio Patrons: We're looking for partners to work with. If your team is hiring, launching a new product, or wants us to get the word out about a new initiative, pl...
Apr 08, 2020•43 min•Ep. 342
This week, we share our tips and tricks for staying organized in Figma, simplifying the engineering handoff, and not getting bogged down in pages hell. This, plus some follow up, cool things, and a little social distancing check-in. Sponsor: Fathom Analytics – we love it, we use it, we can't recommend it enough. Fathom is a privacy-first analytics tool that provides all the right information about traffic to your websites. Some of our favorite features: Fathom doesn't use cookies, which means yo...
Apr 01, 2020•28 min•Ep. 341
This week, we dissect the newest iPad Pro and its new adaptive cursor, speculating on the future of cursor-touch hybrid interactions. Marshall also shares early feedback on a new prototyping tool and we find escapism in our cool things. Sponsor: Fathom Analytics – we love it, we use it, we can't recommend it enough. Fathom is a privacy-first analytics tool that provides all the right information about traffic to your websites. Some of our favorite features: Fathom doesn't use cookies, which mean...
Mar 25, 2020•32 min•Ep. 340
This week, we catch up with Meg Lewis, a designer, coach, writer, speaker, business-owner, podcaster, and all-around fun human being. We talk about building passive income streams, how to give advice, having strong opinions, and facing public criticism – among many other things. And as always, we share our cool things of the week included a very timely hygiene product, new mobile apps, and a YouTube playlist. Sponsor: Fathom Analytics – we love it, we use it, we can't recommend it enough. Fathom...
Mar 18, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 339
This week, we discuss the metagame of product design, thinking out loud about the skills we do in between the craft work that help us to be more effective, have more impact, and grow faster in our careers. As always, we dig into followup, talk about some fleet ing news, and share our cool things of the week! Sponsor: Fathom Analytics – we love it, we use it, we can't recommend it enough. Fathom is a privacy-first analytics tool that provides all the right information about traffic to your websit...
Mar 11, 2020•56 min•Ep. 338
This week, we discuss practical tips to level up your visual interface design skills, including tracing and focusing on a "learning by doing" mindset. And as always, we share our cool finds of the week including a new notes application and a creative TV show. Golden Ratio Patrons: We're looking for partners to work with. If your team is hiring, launching a new product, or wants us to get the word out about a new initiative, please get in touch ! Latest VIP Patrons: Huge shoutouts to our latest V...
Mar 04, 2020•33 min•Ep. 337
This week, we discuss strategies for giving better upward feedback to senior designers. We also share our thoughts on how to name your spacing components, list our favorite design podcasts, and as always, share this week's cool things for your eyes and computer. Golden Ratio Patrons: Sisu is looking for a thoughtful and data-savvy designer to help build the next generation of analytics software. You can find out more at sisu.ai . (You might recognize Sisu from our interview with Michie Cao ) Pat...
Feb 26, 2020•43 min•Ep. 336
This week, we discuss key lines, design tokens, and how to make your designs look consistent across all devices. We also discuss a compelling new design tool, add some listener follow-up to last week's discussion on self reviews, and discuss the pros and cons of using Sign in with Apple. As always, we share our cool things of the week, this time featuring a retroactive cooking show and a delightful way to enjoy movies a second time through. Golden Ratio Patrons: Sisu is looking for a thoughtful ...
Feb 19, 2020•40 min•Ep. 335
This week, we discuss the ins-and-outs of writing an effective self review: What should you talk about? How important is it? What does a bad self review look like? As always, we share our cool things of the week, this time including a new provider for Marshall's favorite esport, and a movie that is "cool" or...something. Golden Ratio Patrons: Sisu is looking for a thoughtful and data-savvy designer to help build the next generation of analytics software. You can find out more at sisu.ai . (You m...
Feb 12, 2020•36 min•Ep. 334
This week, we get deep into the weeds on creating layouts with Sketch's Smart Layout and Figma's Auto Layout, and compare the experience with implementing layouts in CSS and SwiftUI. This is a detailed exploration at the pros and cons of each toolset, and we try to find takeaways that can help us reconcile the wildly different mental models for each. As always, we share our cool things of this week including a content-blocking Safari extension and a novel about a cyberpunk future in which a trai...
Feb 05, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 333
This week, we answer two listener questions about designer-developer handoff. We dig into questions like: What does a good developer handoff look like? What information should it contain? What are systems to make the handoff more efficient for everyone involved? As always, we share our cool finds of the week, this time including a return of the 6-second video format and a useful language learning app. Golden Ratio Patrons: Sisu is looking for a thoughtful and data-savvy designer to help build th...
Jan 29, 2020•36 min•Ep. 332
This week, we talk about how to be meaningfully involved with the design community on Twitter. We share tips for finding people to follow, what to tweet about, and we dig into the value of building online connections with other designers. As always, we share our cool things for the week, including some futuristic-yet-spooky technology emerging in China, and a top-notch film production company. Golden Ratio Patrons: Sisu is looking for a thoughtful and data-savvy designer to help build the next g...
Jan 22, 2020•46 min•Ep. 331
This week, we dig into a three-part listener question about the difference between web and product design, collaborating with print designers, and what it takes to become a unicorn in 2020. As always, we share our cool things of the week, like a subreddit that will make you cry and a website that lets you edit its design. Golden Ratio Patrons: Flywheel is a delightfully designed managed WordPress hosting platform, thoughtfully built for busy creatives. Streamline your workflow with their slick p...
Jan 15, 2020•45 min•Ep. 330
In this first episode of the new decade, we look ahead to 2020 and enumerate some personal and professional goals for the year to come. And as always, we share some cool things (this week, with the help of a listener!), including an IRL magazine, a couple grumpy websites, and the final season of a show. Golden Ratio Patrons: Flywheel is a delightfully designed managed WordPress hosting platform, thoughtfully built for busy creatives. Streamline your workflow with their slick platform and sweet s...
Jan 08, 2020•46 min•Ep. 329
In this week's episode, we follow up on a bunch of your tweets, and then we get super semantic about naming conventions and component organization. And as always, we share a couple cool things like a vehicle upgrade and a feed reader. Golden Ratio Patrons: Flywheel is a delightfully designed managed WordPress hosting platform, thoughtfully built for busy creatives. Streamline your workflow with their slick platform and sweet set of workflow tools perfectly made for designers! Get started at getf...
Dec 18, 2019•50 min•Ep. 328
In this week's episode, we discuss the state of our industry's current design tools—especially in comparison to the tools available to other disciplines—and we speculate about what those tools could look like in the years to come. In News, we compare notes on Figma's newly released Auto Layout feature. And as always, we share a couple cool things like a flashcard app and a peek behind the park. Golden Ratio Patrons: Flywheel is a delightfully designed managed WordPress hosting platform, thoughtf...
Dec 11, 2019•41 min•Ep. 327
In this week's episode, we go to our patrons for a couple listener questions: one about adapting to shifting roles as a company rapidly grows, and one about the balance between creativity and meeting business needs. And as always, we share a couple cool things like a Star Wars series and privacy-based analytics. Golden Ratio Patrons: Sisu is looking for a thoughtful and data-savvy designer to help build the next generation of analytics software. You can find out more at sisu.ai . (You might reco...
Dec 04, 2019•43 min•Ep. 326
In this week's episode, we riff on a listener question about the influence of the physical world on digital interfaces, and we end up covering everything from video game controllers to sliders and shiny buttons. And as always, we share a couple cool things like a fun dramedy and another sci-fi novel. Golden Ratio Patrons: Sisu is looking for a thoughtful and data-savvy designer to help build the next generation of analytics software. You can find out more at sisu.ai . (You might recognize Sisu f...
Nov 27, 2019•56 min•Ep. 325
In this week's episode we dive into the murky waters of designing social proof in social networks. From upvotes to view counts, reputation to badges, there are a wide array of tools and patterns at a designer's disposal to communicate quality and popularity. But these patterns each have their own drawbacks, tradeoffs, and vectors for abuse. We dig into these, and more. Plus, as always, we share our cool finds for the week, this time featuring a Figma plugin and a beautiful indie video game. Gold...
Nov 20, 2019•46 min•Ep. 324
This week, we dive deep into the perils and triumphs of designing an onboarding experience for mobile. Strap in for a big brain dump as we discuss everything from App Store screenshots to sign-in methods to device permissions to user education. And as always, we share a couple cool things like a privacy-minded daily read and a post-post-apocalyptic streaming series. Sponsor: Flatiron School: Learn UX/UI design in 24 weeks and discover our global community on campus or online and go back to schoo...
Nov 13, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 323
This week, we're joined by Meg Robichaud and Ryan Putnam—incredible illustrators working at Lyft and Messenger, respectively—to follow up on a topic from last week's episode. Meg and Ryan share some of their experiences working as illustrators on product teams, and they shed a little light on how free resources can sometimes have a negative impact on illustration as a valued discipline. And as always, we share some cool things like a collection of essays, some creepy VHS tapes, a couple radio pl...
Nov 06, 2019•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 322
This week, the prolific Pablo Stanley joins us to talk about his path following a wide range of interests (including but not limited to architecture, music, fashion, comics, illustration, and design), and he shares his thoughts about the controversy surrounding his Open Doodles project and Design Twitter's reaction to it. And as always, we share some cool things, like a new video game, a creative portfolio site, and a tearjerking doctor show. Sponsor: Flatiron School: Learn UX/UI design in 24 we...
Oct 30, 2019•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 321
In today's episode we sat down with Jonathon Colman, a Senior Design Manager at Intercom, to talk about all things content. We dig into Jonathon's background and path into design, the role of content in user experience design, how content strategy and product design should work together, the future of AI and machine learning in content strategy, and so much more. That, plus our cool things of the week, as always! Sponsor: Flatiron School: Learn UX/UI design in 24 weeks and discover our global co...
Oct 23, 2019•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 320
In this week's episode, we answer a listener question about why product teams aren't comprised of more "unicorns," and we discuss a Twitter thread that questions whether being a hands-off design leader makes you less of a designer. And as always, we share a couple cool things, including a strangely amazing band and an ultimate guide. Golden Microphone Patron: Sisu is looking for a thoughtful and data-savvy designer to help build the next generation of analytics software. You can find out more at...
Oct 16, 2019•57 min•Ep. 319
In this week's episode, we dive deep into the murky depths of Dark Mode, discussing everything from OLED smearing and halation to tinting and elevation. Plus we read the results of the Twitter poll in which we asked you about your preferred dark background color. And as always, we share a some cool things like a crazy creative talk, a painting app for iPad, and a ridiculous illustrator. Golden Microphone Patron: Sisu is looking for a thoughtful and data-savvy designer to help build the next gene...
Oct 09, 2019•49 min•Ep. 318
In this week's episode, we dive deep on Android 10's new gestural navigation and how it compares to iOS, finally get around to talking a bit about the September Apple Event, and answer a listener question about what it means to be more proactive. And as always, we share a couple cool things like a new reality TV and some ever-comfy t-shirts. Follow-up: FoR LeSs tHaN ThE pRiCe oF aN ArTiSaNaL pOuR-OvEr aT sAiNt fRaNk'S, you can support us on Patreon! Shoutouts to our Day One Patrons : Abhishek Wa...
Oct 02, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 317
In this week's episode, we discuss the next evolution of Design Details towards becoming a fully listener-supported podcast. We share some background on the decision, our goals, and what's in it for you dear listener, if you are able to support this podcast. All this, plus follow up, a bit of news, and our weekly cool things as always. Follow-up: We'll be digging into the Apple event + Android 10 later - we extra promise. News: Brian found a buck-wild product launch video for a product called De...
Sep 25, 2019•35 min•Ep. 316
