430: Design File Sanity and Breaking Navigation Patterns

430: Design File Sanity and Breaking Navigation Patterns

Author: Brian Lovin, Marshall Bock February 25, 2022 Duration: 32:54

This week, we talk about design file sources of truth, Snapchat's evolution, and the qualities of great managers. In the Sidebar, we talk about building a YouTube channel from scratch, the opportunity for designers on YouTube, and ways to de-risk a new creative exploration.

Golden Ratio Supporters:

Zeplin lets designers spend more time on design, and less time prepping design files for the team. Effortlessly build user journeys with native connectors, flow groups, and text labels — no more maintaining extra layers in your design tool. Zeplin is so much more than just specs — get started for free to see why.

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:

  • Andrew Ambrosino
  • Chris Roy
  • Conor Mack
  • Peter Carleton
  • shanberg
  • Patrick Marx
  • Gabriel Valdivia
  • Alessa
  • Dorian Zlatan
  • Aslam Marzook

Main Topic:

This week, we talk about design file sources of truth, Snapchat's evolution, and the qualities of great managers.

  • Emily asks on GitHub: Hi! I'm curious how other teams maintain their "latest design" mockups for designs that have been shipped.
  • Zach asks on GitHub: I've always wondered how Snapchat was able to get away with a design that broke so many conventions, particularly in the way you navigate the app. Overtime, they seem to have been returning to a normal nav pattern, especially now with the new tab bar design. What do you think of the app's design and evolution, and do you know of any other apps that break the rules and still find success?
  • Mannnny asks on GitHub: Speaking of being a team lead or manager, what do you think are the core skills a manager should have? Also when do you know you’re ready to be a team lead or manager? Do you have to be a great IC to be a manager? I personally don’t think so, they’re very different roles and requires different skills.

Cool Things:

  • Brian shared Must, a prettier Letterboxd. If you are willing to trade visuals for social features, Must is nice!
  • Marshall shared Clear Spaces, an iOS app to create transparent widgets to clean up your Home Screen.

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…