410: Agency vs In-House Design

410: Agency vs In-House Design

Author: Brian Lovin, Marshall Bock August 25, 2021 Duration: 26:46

This week, we compare agency vs. in-house design work, dissect the tradeoffs, and share interview tips for anyone moving from an agency to a product company. In The Sidebar, we share our favorite Keynote tips and tricks and our top strategy for telling a more clear story in a deck.

Sponsor:

  • Baronfig makes tools for thinkers: guided journals, simple notebooks, writing instruments, bags, desk organizers, travel accessories, and more. Their products are beautiful, functional, and simple — we use them and love them. Use the promo code DESIGNDETAILS21 to get 20% off your purchase of $50 or more.

Latest VIP Patrons:

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Golden Ratio Supporters:

Plume empowers a billion smart devices in homes and small businesses through a suite of adaptive WiFi, AI security, and parental control. They're hiring product designers to build the future of smart home services. They're hiring product designers with 2-5 years of experience shipping products — learn more at designdetails.fm/plume. Oh, and they just raised a $270m series E, so now's the time!

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.

Main Topic:

This week, we compare agency vs. in-house design work, dissect the tradeoffs, and share interview tips for anyone moving from an agency to a product company.

  • Brian Leach asks on Twitter: have you dudes done an episode on in-house design vs agency work? Would love some perspective on different ways to think about that dilemma

Cool Things:

  • Brian shared Dave on FX/Hulu. Push through S2E3 if it’s not your thing, the rest of the season ends on a high note.
  • Marshall shared Y the Last Man, upcoming on Hulu. Based on the trailer, the show looks true to the comics but we’ll have to see when it comes out!

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
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460: Arc Boosts ft. Gabriel Valdivia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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459: What Is Humane? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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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…