437: Scaling Design Critique

437: Scaling Design Critique

Author: Brian Lovin, Marshall Bock April 27, 2022 Duration: 29:34

This week, we talk about methods to scale design critiques with a growing team. In the Sidebar, we dig into the...details...of Figma's latest UI changes which added file type icons to file tabs.

Golden Ratio Supporters:

Zeplin recently shipped Flows!

Flows are a fast/effortless way to create and outline user flows and journeys. Designers can use flows to connect screens in seconds and map complete user journeys, showing not just the happy path but all possible paths and behaviors.

All you need to do is add screens you want in a flow, then add a connector which will snap into place to connect screens or design elements. You even add a label to clarify edge cases or error paths.

As you publish new versions of designs, your flows and connectors will get updated automatically as screens change.

Job Board:

We're curating the best product design roles from the world's most design-forward companies.

👉 Design Details Job Board

Universe is looking to hire a mid-level or higher product designer for remote work anywhere in the US. Universe opens up the possibilities of the internet, allowing anyone on earth to build a custom website or online store in seconds — without code, all from a phone. They’re looking for a Product Designer who is obsessed with the delightful possibilities of software and sees UI design as an artistic medium, not just a method of problem solving.

Dynaboard is the fastest way for developer teams to go 0 -> 1 on new web apps such as dashboards, admin panels, and approval flows. It combines multiple aspects of design and development tools into a single, collaborative experience. They are looking for their first Product Designer to join their high-velocity, early team to own the process of creating a new category of creative tool.

Glow is building the most elegant, powerful, and reliable crypto wallet. To do this, they need great designs — ones that are simple, familiar, and smart. Their small team is growing, and you’ll work closely with the team to craft new user experience patterns for interacting with crypto that will become the new normal for millions of people in the future.

Vagaro is hiring designers to build the booking, payments, and marketing solutions for growing businesses in the beauty, wellness and fitness industries around the world. if you want to have an immediate, direct and high impact through design, join Vagaro.

The Sidebar:

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Main Topic:

This week, we talk about methods to scale design critiques with a growing team.

Ryan Stone asks on GitHub:

Hey friends! My UX team has grown immensely in past year, to 30+ members. We have weekly 1-hour design crits where anyone can share work & receive feedback. This has been helpful in leveling up presentation and feedback-giving skills, as well as unblocking team members and maintaining alignment.

This has become challenging at scale though. Any tips to make crits more useful for larger teams, or are we destined to break apart?

  • Around can transcribe and collect meeting notes automatically.

Cool Things:

  • Brian shared Nightmare Alley, the latest screenplay from Guillermo del Toro. No spoilers here!
  • Marshall shared Play for iPad — native mobile prototyping, now on the big screen. It's good!

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
433: Making a Case for Icons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:16
This week, we make the case for designing product icons and discuss what to do if your team doesn’t want to invest in great iconography. In the Sidebar, we talk about how to incorporate default typefaces into your design…
432: Traits of a Good Manager [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:52
This week, we spent more time exploring the traits of a good designer manager. In the Sidebar, we talk about the design details of Apple’s Studio Display and Mac Studio.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segm…
431: Transitioning from Industrial to Digital Design [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:54
This week, we talk about transitioning industries and how to bridge the quality gap in a new field. In the Sidebar, we talk about storytelling and the surprising insights that can be found in engagement data.The Sidebar:…
430: Design File Sanity and Breaking Navigation Patterns [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 Yo…
429: Better Remote Onboarding [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:15
This week, we talk about the messy nature of remote onboarding and share our tips to make it suck just a little less. In the Sidebar, we talk about the visual design for the heads up display used in televised sports.Gold…
428: Teaching vs Micromanaging [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:02
This week, we talk about teaching versus micromanaging, or how to give feedback as a manager in a productive and growth-oriented way. In the Sidebar, Marshall shares his tips and tricks for organizing icon systems in Fig…
427: Tools for Thought ft. Mark McGranaghan and Adam Wiggins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:21
This week, we sat down with Mark McGranaghan and Adam Wiggins to talk about building creative tools, designing across devices and platforms, creating career capital, starting design podcasts, and more.Golden Ratio Suppor…
426: Senior++ Designer Expectations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:24
This week, we share some (hopefully) non-obvious paths to level up at work and exceed the expectations for a senior++ product designer. In the Sidebar, we talk about the importance of giving blunt feedback, and share way…
425: Overengineering Variants [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 shar…
424: The Art of Unsolicited Redesigns [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:39
This week, we talk about the art of creating unsolicited redesigns at work — how to approach them, how to wrangle complexity and rabbit holes, and what to do when you have something worth sharing. In the Sidebar, we shar…