423: What We Learned in 2021

423: What We Learned in 2021

Author: Brian Lovin, Marshall Bock December 16, 2021 Duration: 48:33

This week, we recap how we grew, and the things we learned, in 2021. In The Sidebar, we look forward to 2022 and talk about some of our personal and professional goals for the new year.

Sponsor:

Patreon is hiring product designers in San Francisco and New York City. Today, Patreon is at the heart of the creator economy. In the last 8 years, the product has grown to support more than 250k creators, who are collectively supported by more than 8 million patrons. So far, Patreon has paid out more than $2.5 billion to creators, and are now on pace to pay out over $100 million every month.

Patreon's design team is small, but growing. The opportunity for impact on the product, and on millions of creators and patrons around the world, can't be overstated. The team is dedicated to leveling up the craft of Patreon's products, shipping beautiful experiences, and building the best tools to help anyone make a living on the internet.

If you're a designer looking for your next level up, get in touch with Patreon's design team and tell them we sent you!

Golden Ratio Supporters:

Patreon — Patreon is hiring product designers in San Francisco and New York City to build the future of the creator economy. Join their small team and level up today.

Sympli — Sympli Pulse is a version tracking application for Figma that lets you and your team clearly understand what's going on — even with hundreds of frames, components and design files — and answer the most painful questions about who changed what and why, adding context to your design decisions. Find Pulse in Figma Community. Learn more at Sympli.io.

Play — Play is the first native iOS design tool made for teams creating mobile products. Design, prototype, and collaborate, directly from your phone. With Play you can experience your design as you create it while taking full advantage of native iOS features not found in other design and prototyping tools. Full access invites available for the first 25 people here!

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.

Latest VIP Patrons:

  • Sean McGuigan
  • Aislinn Kelly
  • Petteri Tiilikka
  • Eric
  • Katie Chen
  • Gabe de la Mora
  • Jonathan
  • Sander Kalmus
  • Y. Chen
  • Miranda Lemmer

Follow up:

  • Complainisode follow up:
    • Graham Connell tweeted: To pile on to the complainisode, animations that take way too long drives me nuts! Like a hover animation that takes a full second to complete. AHHHH
    • Antonija Pek tweeted: complain episode...Apps not having dark mode (ahem @figmadesign), electron apps that suck all the RAM, services that are US only, everything is now subscription based...To name a few
    • Brian wrote about iMessage spam workflows.

Main Topic:

This week, we recap where we grew, and the things we learned, in 2021.

Cool Things:

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
413: Design Mentorship [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:27
This week, we talk about design mentorship: what does an effective mentor do, how to find a mentor, how to avoid giving bad career advice, and more. In The Sidebar, we talk about obsessing over the pixels, wasting time o…
412: Side Project Perfectionism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:19
This week, we talk about how we combat perfectionism in our side projects, the value of shipping, and why sharing a project too early can backfire. In the Sidebar, we recap Apple’s September event with our hot takes and…
411: Follow-upisode [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:31
This week, we follow up on last week’s conversation about designing at agencies, hiring contractors, Yelp’s app icons, and Bock’s Constant. In the Sidebar, we talk about designing with your mind’s eye and how learning to…
410: Agency vs In-House Design [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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…
409: Twitter’s Follow Button [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:33
This week, we talk about Twitter’s new follow buttons. Are they a mistake? Or a fix for something broken that we’d all become used to? Our opinions on buttons emerge! In The Sidebar, we talk about what to do with time of…
408: News Desk, Vol. 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:34
This week, we talk about Yelp’s new logo and app icons, Apple’s new child safety initiatives, and the miniature masterpieces of the Olympic pictograms. In the Sidebar, we curate practical negotiation tips, strategies, an…
407: Pixel 6 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:46
This week, we talk about the new Pixel 6 announcement, how it stacks up against the competition, and what we’re most excited about. In The Sidebar, we share our design regrets: things we shipped that ended up being mista…
406: Who Leads UI Design? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:55
This week, we dig into questions like: who should design a team’s visual style guide? And: who should break a tie in subjective aesthetic arguments? In The Sidebar, we share our tips and strategies for succeeding as a ne…
405: News Desk, Vol. 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:43
This week, we talk about the new Microsoft emoji, a cool Android 12 feature, the joy of watching Apple iterate in public, and the new “King of Buttons” aka the Steam Deck. In The Sidebar, we talk about the challenge of h…
404: Visual Design and Craft ft. Justin Stahl [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 Jus…