Design Life

As designers our jobs can be done from anywhere! Ironically this can often mean that we don’t need to travel for work within a company, but opportunities can still arise to work with a team in another office, visit a client, go on a user research trip or perhaps travel to a conference. In this episode we discuss our experience with travelling for work, and share advice on how to stay productive du...

There’s often more to a project than just design. As designers we regularly find ourselves working with illustrators, copywriters, photographers and more. In this episode we chat about how we’ve worked with content creators and their involvement in the design process. In this episode we mention: Things I use – Femke’s blog post Nike+ Training App ConvertKit ‘I Am a Blogger’ Webflow Craft&Comme...

Handing over your design to a developer or a team of engineers for it to be built is an important part of the design process. In this episode we talk about that handoff and how to make it run smoothly so that everyone is happy, and the finished product matches your design! Are you a community member? Sign in to your account and get access to a free template of the Design Handoff Deck that you can...

Despite all the advances the world has made with gender equality over the years, there is still a severe lack of women in tech. In this episode we discuss our experience entering the tech industry and sharing our thoughts and frustrations on the matter. The Confidence Gap – Article on The Atlantic Startup podcast Phrases to replace ‘you guys’ Diversity and Inclusion at Patreon

For many designers, deciding what new design or prototyping tool to choose can be overwhelming, with new tools launching every month! How can you choose the right one while also maximising your time? In this episode we discuss how we go about learning a new tool and how we choose which tool to learn.

In this episode, we share our current struggles, both personal and professional and what we are doing to overcome them. We also look at the struggles we faced in our careers in the past, and talk about the catalysts that helped us to change. Ladies that UX Amsterdam Ladies that UX London Tobias Van Schneider Join the community!  

I think also goals are good checkpoints, like the time before you reach the goal is obviously a really important time but I think afterwards is equally important like stop reflect okay I achieved this and then think about what could be the next one

Ever have that feeling where you have too many passions and not enough time to do it all? This week we address this question from a listener who’s been struggling with feeling as though she has too many passions, and share our experience.

Recently, Femke attended a workshop about articulating design decisions and in this episode she shares a few nuggets of wisdom she learned there with you. We also discuss our experience presenting our work and getting stakeholders on board, and answer questions from our listeners.

Networking is a vital part of your design career, but at conferences or meetups it can be hard to drive a meaningful conversation. In this episode we discuss ways to move beyond ‘what do you do?’ when talking to new people at an event and share some examples of times when connecting on a deeper level has paid off for us.

Competition can be healthy or harmful, depending on how far you take it! In this episode we discuss an email from a listener about toxic competition, and share our experience with similar situations. Ux Conference London Femke’s Website ( live!) Epicurrence  

Do you ever feel guilty when you’re not spending time creating? It turns out, many creatives do. In this episode we discuss this guilt and why it’s irrational, and how to cope with it.

This week we get nerdy and talk about tech; more specifically, upgrading technology. When should you upgrade? Do you always need to have the latest device? How do we decide what to upgrade to? We discuss all of this and more!

As designers it sometimes feels like we are perpetually redesigning our own websites! In this episode we discuss our approach to tackling our redesigns and what tools we’re using to build the site, as well as share some advice for not getting overwhelmed with the task. Join the community!

As creatives, sometimes dealing with things like finances and paperwork don’t come naturally to us, but they’re important to figure out. In this episode we discuss the legalities and details of setting up an official business including accounting, expenses, paperwork, and when to even bother with registering it!

Both Design Life hosts have made the decision to shift their career in the past and change design disciplines: Femke from marketing to product design, and Charli from print to web design. In this episode we discuss what it was like to make this shift and share some advice for how to go about it if it’s something you’ve been thinking about doing too.

More and more designers and other creatives are starting to make video content these days, and there’s still plenty of room for you! In this episode we discuss getting started with making videos and give advice for dealing with the initial hurdles you’ll face. Join the community!

In this episode we discuss an approach to getting things done that might help you get more out of 2018 and finally complete some projects you’ve been trying to make time for by setting a monthly focus. Join the community!

Networking isn’t just for corporate people in business suits, it’s a handy skill to master as a designer! In this episode we discuss our experience with networking and share our best tips for finding the right people to talk to, and making the most of the connection. Join the Design Life Community !

This week we’re talking about boredom. It’s something that strikes us all every now and then and we shouldn’t be ashamed about that. In this episode we discuss the ways it affects us and some possible solutions for dealing with it. Join the Design Life Community !

All designers go through a stage where they create work they aren’t proud of. What should you do when you’re trying to build your portfolio up, but are working on projects you don’t love because you need the money? In this episode we discuss our own experience with this conundrum and share our advice for dealing with it. We have new stickers! Buy your pack now Join the Design Life community

Where do you want to be in your career in five years time? How about ten years time, or thirty? In this episode we discuss the future of our careers and what we want to achieve as designers. You’ll learn a little more about us and our goals, and hopefully we’ll get you thinking about what you want out of your career too so that you can make sure you’re on the right path. We have new stickers! Buy...

Launching something you’ve been working hard on to the world wide internet can be intimidating. In this episode we share what we’ve learned from launching things recently, what we wish we’d done differently, and give you advice to apply to your own launch no matter how big or small your audience might be. Join the Design Life community designlife.fm/stickers

The Design Life community has now launched! Join before Nov 20th and get discount pricing for life + a bonus free sticker pack. JOIN HERE. What could be better than gathering regularly with a group of people as motivated as you are to discuss your projects and get advice? In this episode we discuss mastermind groups and their value. You’ll get advice for finding the right people to start one with,...

Sign up for the community! Launching Nov 13th. Starting a new design job can be scary. Not only are there new colleagues to get to know, but new design processes and projects to get your head around, and no doubt a million questions. In this episode we continue our jobs series and share our advice for how to handle your first day of a new job.