369: Shallow Design Culture

369: Shallow Design Culture

Author: Brian Lovin, Marshall Bock October 21, 2020 Duration: 22:53

This week, we talk about the shallow parts of design culture, where superficial work tends to generate far more attention and praise. We dig into potential solutions for this, too. In The Sidebar, we recap and share our spicy takes on the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and HomePod mini.


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The Sidebar:

The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can subscribe starting at $1 per month for access to full episodes going forward! Sign up at https://patreon.com/designdetails.

In this week's Sidebar, we recap and share our spicy takes on the Apple Event, iPhone 12, and HomePod mini.


Follow up:

  • Gavin Nelson asked: "How does everyone organize their product design Figma files?"
    • Brian's current approach is a file per release, a page per feature.
  • Transcripts are going to live on our Design Details repository - we appreciate any and all contributions! We'll be pulling these onto the site in the future.

Tweets:


Main topic:

Daniel Burka tweeted:

The current culture of design is weird:

"I designed an icon with a gradient fill" ... everyone loses their shit 🎉

"I wrote a book explaining a design process" ... polite clapping 👏

"We spent three years designing a voting system used by millions" ... crickets 🦗

We discuss what designers can do to generate more excitement about larger, more systemic projects on social media.


Cool Things:

  • Brian shared TheLazyPeon, a YouTube channel dedicated to everything MMORPG. If you're a fan of the genre, you might find something new here.
  • Marshall shared Nectar, a new album from Joji. It's currently on repeat for both of us.

Design Details on the Web:


Hasta la vista!


Every week, Brian Lovin and Marshall Bock settle in for a thoughtful, often meandering chat that pulls back the curtain on how things are made. Their Design Details podcast lives in the rich space where technology and the arts intersect, focusing less on polished case studies and more on the real, sometimes messy, work of design. You’ll hear them dissect the nuances of product decisions, debate the evolving culture of creative teams, and share personal stories from their own experiences in the industry. It feels less like a lecture and more like eavesdropping on a conversation between two deeply knowledgeable friends. The discussions regularly venture into the philosophical side of craft, examining why certain choices resonate and how design shapes our daily interactions with the world. For anyone curious about the thinking behind the pixels and interfaces, this show offers a consistent, grounded perspective. Tuning in provides a sense of community and a candid look at the process, making it a staple for designers and creators who appreciate substance over flash.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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