Design Life

Today we are talking about the a hot topic in the design industry - Design Systems. In today’s episode we share our experience of working with design systems, their benefits and how using an efficient design system can help your team. Join the community! Skillshare: Digital Product Design: Build a Flexible Design System That Lasts How to build your design system in Figma Complete guide to designin...

In this week’s episode we talk about something which is pretty on-brand for us - weekly planning. We cover how to plan your week, how to stay motivated and how to get things done. We share what works for us and how we plan to update our scheduling routines this year.

Many people will start a new job this year, but how can you make sure you get off on the right foot? In this week’s episode of Design Life we answer a question from a listener about getting the best start at a new job. We share our experiences of our first week in a new role, how we’ve helped new members of our teams to get off to a good start and how you can too.

In the first episode of Design Life for 2019, we evaluate our 2018 goals and see what we achieved. We also look ahead and chat about our new goals for 2019, the things that are important to us, what we want to achieve and how we plan to do just that. Femke's YouTube Channel Shawn Blanc - Plan your year CharliMarieTV - 2019

Design challenges can prove a controversial topic, specifically the kind you might complete as part of a job application. Some people think they have merit while others think they tread a fine line between free labour and giving prospective candidates the opportunity to show their skills. We get to the heart of the matter in this week's episode of Design Life, sharing our personal experience and s...

Here at Design Life we are big fans of attending conferences, and probably attend well above the average each year. How do we choose which ones to go to and why do we prioritise our attendance at conferences so highly? In this episode we talk about our favourite conferences and why they have earned that title.

Your relationship with your manager is an important one. How can you best cultivate it? In this episode of Design Life we talk about how to build a good relationship with your manager, the traits of a good manager and women in management roles. Join the community!

As the Design Life podcast approaches its three year anniversary, we record another episode IRL. This week’s episode is a friendly catch up about our work and goals where we talk about some books, podcasts and apps we’re loving right now. Yoga by Candace Text Expander App It doesn't have to be crazy at work Women who Work Podcast How Millennials can get rich slowly Secure with Serena Financing Boo...

Is your first idea ever your best idea? Is there ever a time where you design something once and then - BOOM! That’s it, done. In this episode of Design Life we discuss iteration. As a designer, when you design something new, it's the beginning of a process. Iteration takes practice. It takes time to refine your taste and your skill in design, you don’t just come up with one idea and call it done....

This unique episode of Design Life was recorded in Copenhagen after a fantastic weekend at Confront, a conference about dev and design. We are joined by a special guest, our friend and Design Life Community member Zach Grosser. For those who couldn’t be there, we share our key takeaways from the conference and chat about design systems, empathy and the relationship between dev and design.

Today we are talking about switching careers to become a designer. Charli was asked a question via her Youtube channel by a viewer who wants to switch from a career in marketing to a career in design. The feedback she has been given by recruiters so far is that she is over qualified for a junior role, but lacks the experience for a mid-weight design role. We try to shed some light on how our eager...

Gaining stakeholder trust can greatly influence the success of your project, but where is the best place to start? In this week’s episode we share our tips and experience to make the process of gaining stakeholder trust as straightforward as possible.

In a slight change to our usual series on design careers, in this episode we talk about the compensation packages we have been offered at varying stages of our careers. How can you negotiate to get the most out of your compensation package, and what can be included? Find out how we have used our compensation packages to our benefit. Full takeaways at designlife.fm/episode/138

Personal branding can feel like an insurmountable task to many designers. Designing a personal brand that communicates personality, style and professionalism is no easy task. In previous episodes we have spoken about the importance of a purposeful personal brand, that accurately portrays who you are as a designer. However in today’s episode we talk about the nitty gritty details of our personal br...

There is still value to be found in sharing unfinished work, but does it really belong in your portfolio? In this episode we discuss sharing unfinished work, when it is appropriate and how to present it in the best light. Staying Convertkit Frederique Matti Join the community! 🎟 Follow us on Twitter! 🐦 Rate us on Apple Podcasts! 🎙

On Design Life this week, we talk about productivity in the workplace. Being productive at work is about doing what you need to do to get the job done while also being aware that other people need you. We share what works for us while working in an office and being remote. Basecamp Pomodoro Technique Design Life: Bullet journalling for task management

Many designers want to welcome more development skills into their toolkit and become a hybrid. In reality however, it can be a struggle to fit in the learning required to develop complementary skills while also completing the tasks you were hired to do! In this episode Charli shares her experience of becoming a hybrid, and the practical steps she took to expand her skillset. Treehouse SUPERHi

User testing, or usability testing, can help designers get to know their user even better. It can reveal insights into the use of the product or site that the team otherwise might never know. In this episode we discuss how user testing at Uber works, and how user testing can help to further develop designer’s empathy for the user, benefitting designers and the design process at the same time. Zoom...

In this episode we answer a question from a member of the Design Life community who is wondering if they should follow the advice to ‘fake it ’til you make it’. We discuss the pros and cons of ‘faking it’, how to use it as a tool to boost your confidence if you’re feeling unsure of yourself and when to know to stop. Sarah Doody on ‘Faking it ’til you make it’ Fake it ’til you make it for designers

Data can be a powerful tool in a designer’s toolkit. A/B testing can help to prove or disprove our design hypotheses by checking them against the data to see what actually works. In this episode we discuss our experience with A/B testing and how it can help you to become a better designers. Show Links: How Netflix does A/B testing A/B testing at Basecamp Google Optimize VWO

It’s easy to get stuck in the same routine – same job, same tasks, same projects. However there comes a time when maybe it’s time to move on to something new. In this episode we discuss experiences we’ve had with moving on to new endeavours, and how you know you’re ready for a change. Webflow Simplecast Say hi on Twitter! And provide us feedback via email at hello@designlife.fm, review on iTunes,...

Have an idea for a new side project? With potentially a few already on the go, how do you make time for new side projects without neglecting your current ones? In this episode we talk about how we decide which side project ideas to pursue and how to decide which is worth investing in. Craft & Commerce Join the community!

User research is a vital part of the design process. It helps to inform your decisions and make sure that you’re designing the best solution to the problem. There are many different ways to do user research, and different points it could be involved in your process so that’s what we discuss in this episode! Jan Chipchase – Masterclass usertesting.com HotJar – website surveying

The creative process is like a rollercoaster. It has ups and downs, it can put you in a spin, and sometimes things are moving so fast you don’t even know what’s happening. In this episode we talk about the creative process and how we handle the low points to keep things moving.