Mitch and Namdev revisit an early topic - critiques. What are they good for? What are they bad at? And what exactly are you supposed to do in class if you get rid of them? They also dig into new approaches they’re taking in the class room with assignments that help students to teach themselves and open-ended creative initiatives.

A Critique of Critique

Through process is a podcast about how we become designers, hosted by Namdev Hardisty and Mitch Goldstein.

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Mitch and Joshua are joined by Sean Blanda for a conversation about truth, bullshit, and posturing. Sean is the Director and Editor-in-Chief of 99u, an organization that publishes books, magazines, online content, and also holds an annual conference for creative professionals and students. We discuss Sean’s ideas about self-proclaimed experts, knowing the actual value of listening to other people, and developing your own voice as a creative practitioner. We also debate the value of self-awareness, and try to understand what to look for in a conference.

Defend That Kernel (with Sean Blanda)

Joshua and Mitch talk about design competitions with guest Brian Edlefson, who is a designer and educator from Michigan. Mitch was just a judge at AIGA Minnesota’s Design Show 2016, and Brian was a judge of the same Design Show in 2014. We try to understand the value of design competitions, and explore issues that comes from judging work that exists within a competition instead of inside a real context. We also consider what is missing from these competitions, and wether they are worth entering or not.

Competition (with Brian Edlefson)

Mitch and Joshua are joined by designer and educator Tim Belonax for a wide-ranging chat about process. We consider how to teach process as both an approach and as a methodology, without merely asking students to imitate their teachers. Tim also talks about his time at Facebook’s Analog Research Laboratory, and his book “The Reward is in the Process”. We also debate the value and distraction of social media, and discuss why podcasting is becoming such a popular way to discuss design.

The Idea Of Process (with Tim Belonax)

Mitch speaks with designers and twin sisters Amy and Jennifer Hood from Hoodzpah Design Co. in Southern California. Amy and Jen explain how they became successful designers without the benefit of a traditional college education, and what they wish students were learning in college. They also consider the importance of self-initiated projects, and what it is like being women in today’s design culture.

Don't Be Afraid (with Amy and Jennifer Hood)

Since graduation is coming up, Mitch talks with his former students Carra Sykes and Marleigh Culver about how school prepared (and did not prepare) them for life as working designers. We also find out how they got their current jobs, what inspires them, and what being a young female designer is like in today’s world. Carra and Marleigh also offer advice for soon-to-graduate students about what’s next.

A Critique of Critique

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