425: Overengineering Variants

425: Overengineering Variants

Author: Brian Lovin, Marshall Bock January 20, 2022 Duration: 24:41

This week, we share tips for crafting component variants to avoid the dreaded variant-explosion problem. In the Sidebar, we talk about Tesla’s latest UI refresh, where we see auto interfaces going in the future, and share some of our favorite car dashboard design details.

Golden Ratio Supporters:

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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.

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Main Topic:

This week, we share tips for crafting component variants to avoid the dreaded variant-explosion problem.

  • Bryan Maniotakis asks about Figma variants on GitHub: Based on your experience, is this method sustainable? Is forcing the user to hide/show layers a better option to reduce complexity? Should I break out the component into more subcomponents to create fewer variants, but which causes more clicking around?

Cool Things:

  • Brian shared the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock as a nice upgrade to your home’s deadbolts. Auto-locking and unlocking are great features, and the ability to share access with a partner or friends is awesome, too.
  • Marshall shared Lian-Li UNI Fans, a modular, daisy-chainable fan module for your custom PC build.

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
383: Invisible Design [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:10
This week, we talk about “invisible design” – those products and experiences that go unnoticed when present, but would be immediately noticed if absent. In The Sidebar, we react to the new Tesla Model S refresh.Latest VI…
382: Designing Phygital Experiences [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:59
This week, we talk about designing experiences that weave between meatspace and screens. In The Sidebar, Marshall gives a deep dive into using modifier keys to level up your Figma productivity.Latest VIP Patrons:SherriKe…
381: Scope Creep [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:24
This week, we dive into scope creep: how to deal with it, how to avoid it, and how to build its inevitability into our workflow. In The Sidebar, Marshall shares some Smart Office tips for working at home.Latest VIP Patro…
380: Designing WhatsApp ft. Priyanka Kodikal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:55
This week, we catch up with Priyanka Kodikal, a design manager leading consumer design at WhatsApp. We talk all about her journey as a designer, and what it's like building WhatsApp. In The Sidebar, we answer a simple qu…
379: Shipping Personal Projects [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:35
This week, we talk through our playbook for shipping personal projects. In The Sidebar, we weigh the tradeoffs of building an online persona. Should designers thought lead?Latest VIP Patrons:Adrian CorscaddenMartin Marič…
378: 2020 Clipstravaganza! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:33
This week, we compiled all of our cold opens, stingers, and outtakes into a single 2020 Clipstravaganza! This is our final episode for 2020 – thank you everyone for listening and supporting us this year. We'll catch you…
377: Future-Proof Designer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:12
This week, we talk about the skills and tools that designers can learn to become future-proof. In The Sidebar, we share our impressions, tips, and best practices for using Figma Variants.Latest VIP Patrons:Jesper Andrell…
376: Shipping Quality UI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:07
This week, we talk about tips and processes for shipping a high quality UI. In The Sidebar, we discuss the Silicon Valley trend of job hopping every few years.Latest VIP Patrons:Matt CrowleyYannickMegan LearnC. AndersonJ…
375: Reconsidering Consistency [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:56
This week, we talk about the tradeoffs and considerations of designing for consistency. In The Sidebar, we share tips and strategies for starting a podcast.Latest VIP Patrons:Ashish NegiAlyssa ZhangTiffany C YuAleksandra…
374: End of the Mac Era? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:01
This week, we discuss the future of designing on Macs. Are we moving to a PC-dominated future in the field? In The Sidebar we nit pick through the latest changes in Figma's Auto Layout v3.Latest VIP Patrons:Maxime Daraiz…