404: Visual Design and Craft ft. Justin Stahl

404: Visual Design and Craft ft. Justin Stahl

Author: Brian Lovin, Marshall Bock July 14, 2021 Duration: 58:38

This week, we talk with Justin Stahl about visual design and craft, the impact of design systems and tools on the visual landscape, tactical tips for a stronger design interview, and much more. In The Sidebar, we ask Justin about the best advice he’s ever received, becoming a manager, and knowing when it’s time to switch teams.


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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 bonus content going forward! Sign up at patreon.com/designdetails.


Followup:


Main Topic:

This week, we talk with Justin Stahl about visual design and craft, the impact of design systems and our tools on the visual landscape, tactical tips for a stronger design interview, and much more.

Justin is currently a Director of Product Design at Cruise. Before this, he was a Chief of Staff at Facebook Reality Labs, the Head of Product Design for Portal, and spent years as a product designer working an a wide range of Facebook products.


Cool Things:

  • Brian shared Tiger on HBO, a two-part documentary about the rise and fall of Tiger Woods. Even if you’re not super into sports, it’s worth a watch.
  • Marshall shared The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. It’s grim-dark fantasy, a good pick for anyone who enjoyed Game of Thrones.
  • Justin shared The Ideal City: Exploring Urban Futures, a book which chronicles the design of urban futures.

Design Details on the Web:


Byeee!


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

Design Details
Podcast Episodes
464: AI Grab Bag [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:27
This week, we talk about Open AI's GPTs-as-apps strategy, FigJam's AI tools, and our dreams for a future Jarvis-like experience.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can s…
463: Design Medley, Vol. 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:13
This week, we talk about the delicate art of using animation in interface design, how to use button sizes, and managing margins in type styles.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon suppor…
462: Refactoring a Design System [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:33
This week, Marshall breaks down his process, tips, and tricks to redesign a design system in Figma.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can subscribe starting at $1 per m…
461: Config and WWDC 2023 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:06
This week, we supply some cold (but thoughtful!) takes on everything released during last month's WWDC and Config 2023.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can subscribe…
460: Arc Boosts ft. Gabriel Valdivia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:21
This week, we dissect the recently-launched Arc Boosts to try and understand what they're for and where they're going.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can subscribe s…
459: What Is Humane? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:27
This week, we talk about Humane's latest product demo and what we think it means for the future of AI-powered personal devices.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can su…
458: How Do You Simplify a UI? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:18
This week, we share non-obvious tips and tricks for simplifying a UI.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can subscribe starting at $1 per month for access to bonus conte…
457: How to Find Focus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:20
This week, we talk about finding focus when there are infinite things to learn to become a better designer.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can subscribe starting at…
456: Should Designers Name Their Layers? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:53
This week, we fight about whether designers should name their layers (without saying "it depends").The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can subscribe starting at $1 per m…
455: Shift Happens ft. Marcin Wichary [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:06
This week, we talked with Marcin Wichary about Shift Happens, a book about keyboards. We dive into the details of the book, its publication, website, and more.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for ou…