Design Better

Over the seven years doing the show, we noticed a pattern in those who achieve their career goals fastest—they consciously invest in themselves by building skills and knowledge. And one of the best ways to learn is to have direct access to people who inform and inspire.

Today, we’re launching a premium service called DB+ designed to help you learn faster and grow your career. Subscribers to the Power Listener plan get access to episodes ad-free and a week before everyone else for the price of your daily coffee.

For folks who want direct access to some of the guests we’ve had on the show and industry experts, we have another tier for Accelerated Learners. Each month, we’ll invite you to AMA (Ask Me Anything) conversations with big names in design and tech from companies like Nike, Netflix, and The New York Times. 

We’ll dive into topics most relevant to your work to help you learn from those with deep experience. You’ll have a chance to ask questions about UX research, UI design, the creative process, getting ahead in your career, and more.

Here are some of our upcoming AMAs:

Meredith Black, DesignOps superstar at the New York Times

Greg Hoffman, former Chief Marketing Officer at Nike

Brad Frost, author of Atomic Design

Felix Lee, founder of ADPList

If you’re unable to attend, no sweat. You’ll get a private feed of every AMA so you never miss an opportunity to learn. And it’s also affordable. For less than what you’d pay for a sandwich at your local deli, you can become a DB+ Accelerated Learner.

Also, entire teams can get access to DB+ too. To learn more, get in touch with us at [email protected].

We love this show, and we’re excited to continue to expand Design Better to feed your passion for design. We want to help you learn more and stay inspired. Subscribing to DB+ is one of the best ways to do that.

Early bird subscribers get 50% off for the first three months (until November 17th when the sale ends). Visit designbetter.plus to learn more and subscribe. You’ll also get early access to our interview with one of the most creative bands in the world, OK Go.

Thank you so much for your support, and for being a fan of the show.

-Eli & Aarron

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Aarron first met Paula Scher as a grad student in Philadelphia. He worked at the Temple University gallery and was hanging an exhibition of her posters when they first spoke about her work. He didn’t know at the time how significant her influence on graphic design was, but her work made an impression on him.

Paula’s work and kinetic typography sits in the canon of graphic design history. Described as the “master conjurer of the instantly familiar,” Scher straddles the line between pop culture and fine art in her work.

She’s been a partner at Pentagram since 1991 where she has led the redesign of numerous major brands including Citi and Tiffany & Co.

One other fun story from the show…we learn the real backstory behind the Citibank logo that Paula created, and the story isn’t the same one you’ll find if you Google it.

This is the second episode of our series on design history, to be followed by interviews with legendary designers like Jonathan Hoefler, design curators like Paola Antonelli, and design historians like Barry Katz.

After the interview, stay tuned for another special conversation with Heath Ceramics, which was founded by Edith Heath in the 1940s and played a major role in defining the mid-century modern aesthetic.

Learn about the origins of Heath Ceramics and bring the history home with a special discount that we'll share at the end of the conversation.

Heath Ceramics is one of our sponsors for this series on design history. Bring Heath home and take 15% off your online order using code “DesignBetter” between now and October 31st.Heath Ceramics is one of our sponsors for this series on design history. Bring Heath home and take 15% off your online order using code “DesignBetter” between now and October 31st.

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Visiting the links below is one of the best ways to support our show:

Heath Ceramics: We love Heath Ceramics. They're the types of objects you pass on from generation to generation, the kind of gift you bring to a wedding, or the dishes that you'd want to put on a beautiful Thanksgiving table. You can support our show, bring Heath home and take 15% off your online order using code “DesignBetter” between now and October 31st: dbtr.co/heathceramics

American Giant: Makers of the best hoodie on the planet, their clothing is American-made, ethically produced, and built to last. What more could you ask for? Save 20% off your first order with American Giant using our promo code DESIGNBETTER at checkout. dbtr.co/americangiant

Methodical Coffee: Roasted, blended, brewed, served and perfected by verified coffee nerds 🤓 : https://methodicalcoffee.com (use code "designbetter" for 10% off of your order).

Brain.fm: Music scientifically proven to increase focus. We use it to focus on important work, tap into our creativity, and wind down at night when we need to rest. As a Design Better subscriber, you can take 30% off of your subscription: https://www.brain.fm/designbetter

Freehand by InVision: The intelligent whiteboard that's half the price of Miro and Mural: https://freehandapp.com

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Help us make the show even better by taking a short survey: www.dbtr.co/survey

If you're interested in sponsoring the show, please contact us at: [email protected]

If you'd like to submit a guest idea, please contact us at: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show notes and transcript: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/bonus-episode-matt-d-smith#details

We’ve got a special bonus episode for you today. Matt D. Smith, better known as MDS, is the founder of Shift Nudge, and he has a mission to lead a new generation of interface designers to build the digital products of the future.

Matt’s courses on Shift Nudge have helped thousands of students at top companies like Apple, Figma, Lyft, Slack, and more, learn the visual skills of interface design, even when they didn’t start with a design background. 

In today’s episode, we talk about the elements of a great UI, typography, color theory, and where people often go wrong in UI design.

One more thing before we get to the show. Design Better listeners can get access to 3 free lessons from shift nudge for a limited time. Just go to shiftnudge.com/designbetter to get free access.

Matt D Smith earned his BFA in Graphic Design from UGA in 2005 and has specialized in interface design ever since. He’s led projects around the world, served as an adjunct design professor, guest lectured at Harvard, and taught workshops at conferences all over the US.

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Visiting the links below is one of the best ways to support our show:

Heath Ceramics: We love Heath Ceramics. They're the types of objects you pass on from generation to generation, the kind of gift you bring to a wedding, or the dishes that you'd want to put on a beautiful Thanksgiving table. You can support our show, bring Heath home and take 15% off your online order using code “DesignBetter” between now and October 31st: dbtr.co/heathceramics

American Giant: Makers of the best hoodie on the planet, their clothing is American-made, ethically produced, and built to last. What more could you ask for? Save 20% off your first order with American Giant using our promo code DESIGNBETTER at checkout. dbtr.co/americangiant

Methodical Coffee: Roasted, blended, brewed, served and perfected by verified coffee nerds 🤓 : https://methodicalcoffee.com/ (use code "designbetter" for 10% off of your order).

Brain.fm: Music scientifically proven to increase focus. We use it to focus on important work, tap into our creativity, and wind down at night when we need to rest. As a Design Better subscriber, you can take 30% off of your subscription: https://www.brain.fm/designbetter

Freehand by InVision: The intelligent whiteboard that's half the price of Miro and Mural: https://freehandapp.com/

***

Help us make the show even better by taking a short survey: www.dbtr.co/survey

If you're interested in sponsoring the show, please contact us at: [email protected]

If you'd like to submit a guest idea, please contact us at: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show notes and transcript: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/llisa-demetrios#details

Mid century modern design aesthetics are enduring and as relevant today as ever. Perhaps no designers influenced those philosophies more than Charles and Ray Eames whose body of work transcends media and is still being produced today.

It’s hard not to think of the Eames’ as monolithic design heroes, but today we’re taking a different look at them as human beings. We’re talking with Llisa Demetrios, Chief Curator of the Eames Institute and the granddaughter of Charles and Ray.  

In this interview, we get to know some of the personal stories behind the legendary designers, from how they met, to Llisa’s experience having two of the most creative grandparents a child could wish for.

This is the first episode of our series on design history, to be followed by interviews with legendary designers like Paula Scher and Jonathan Hoefler, design curators like Paola Antonelli, and design historians like Barry Katz.

After the interview, stay tuned for a special conversation with Heath Ceramics, founded by Edith Heath in the 1940s and which played a major role in defining the mid-century modern aesthetic.

Learn about the origins of Heath Ceramics and bring the history home with a special discount that we'll share at the end of the conversation.

Heath Ceramics is one of our sponsors for this series on design history. Bring Heath home and take 15% off your online order using code “DesignBetter” between now and October 31st.

Llisa Demetrios is the Chief Curator for the Eames Institute, a non-profit 501(c)(3) public charity that aims to equip everyone with the lessons of Ray and Charles Eames, so that anyone can solve problems through design.

Llisa has also been a bronze sculptor for over twenty years. She makes mainly in bronze material sculptures for contemplative retreats set in homes, private gardens and corporate spaces.

Additionally, Llisa has worked as an archivist for both the Eames Office and MOMA.

Please visit the links below to help support our show:

Methodical Coffee: Roasted, blended, brewed, served and perfected by verified coffee nerds 🤓 : https://methodicalcoffee.com/

(use code "designbetter" for 10% off of your order).

Brain.fm: Music scientifically proven to increase focus. We use it to focus on important work, tap into our creativity, and wind down at night when we need to rest. As a Design Better subscriber, you can take 30% off of your subscription: https://www.brain.fm/designbetter

Freehand by InVision: The intelligent whiteboard that's half the price of Miro and Mural: https://freehandapp.com/

Help us make the show even better by taking a short survey: www.dbtr.co/survey

If you're interested in sponsoring the show, please contact us at: [email protected]

If you'd like to submit a guest idea, please contact us at: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey everybody, we have a special bonus episode for you today. We're having a conversation with Bayard Winthrop, the founder and CEO of American Giant, one of our favorite clothing companies.

This episode is all about the intersection of design and entrepreneurship. Designers often hear that they need to develop business acumen: they need to know how a business works, and how a product makes money. And Bayard shares some of those insights here in our conversation.

This episode is different in one other way: it's our very first sponsored episode. We want to occasionally bring you stories from brands that we love, who share our values, and who we feel have something to teach us about design.

American Giant’s mission is threefold: to make clothing that stands apart, grow jobs for people who need them, and revitalize local communities. They also care deeply about sustainability, and makes clothes that are durable, not disposable. Bayard speaks in depth about their mission in this episode, and it’s one of the reasons we love the brand.

Another reason is the clothing itself. Sometimes being a designer can be painful, because we pay attention to all the details: we check into a hotel room and the faucet doesn't work right, or the light switch is in the wrong place, or they don't have space in the closet for your luggage. So when we encounter a company like American Giant— where it’s clear that every little detail from the zippers to the stitching has been cared for immensely—it’s something that we want to bring into our lives.

We love everything about American Giant, and we know you will too. Their clothing is American-made, ethically produced, and built to last. What more could you ask for?

We’ve got a special partnership running with American Giant, where Design Better listeners can get 20% off your first order. Just go to dbtr.co/americangiant and use the code “DESIGNBETTER” at checkout.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to our second Design Better episode on the creative process. You may not know Ed Catmull’s name, but there’s almost no doubt you’re familiar with his work. As the co-founder of Pixar, he’s responsible for helping to create movies ranging from the original Toy Story on through The Incredibles, Wall-E, Moana, and Inside Out. 

Ed has a background in computer science, and as someone who pioneered many of the computer graphics and digital animation techniques that we now take for granted, he has a unique perspective on the intersection of technology and creativity.

We chat with Ed about his transition from creating things himself, to leading creative teams; the elements of a sustainable creative culture, and how to give people feedback so they’ll actually listen to you.

Ed also collaborated with Steve Jobs longer than probably anyone else who knew him—for over 30 years—and we hear some stories that haven’t been told anywhere else. 

One more quick thing before we go: we have some amazing guests lined up for our upcoming AMAs, like Judy Wert Debbie Millman, which are filling up quickly. Go to our events page and you can register for free.

Show notes: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/ed-catmull-the-journey-from-lucasfilm#details

Dr. Ed Catmull is co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios and the former president of Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Disneytoon Studios. For over twenty-five years, Pixar has dominated the world of animation, producing #1 box office hits that include iconic works such as Toy Story, Frozen, Cars, and The Incredibles. Pixar’s works have grossed more than $14 billion at the worldwide box office, and won twenty-three Academy Awards®, 10 Golden Globes Awards, and 11 Grammys, among countless other achievements.

Dr. Ed Catmull’s book Creativity, Inc.—co-written with journalist Amy Wallace and years in the making—is a distillation of the ideas and management principles he has used to develop a creative culture. A book for managers who want to encourage a growth mindset and lead their employees to new heights, it also grants readers an all-access trip into the nerve center of Pixar Animation Studios—into the meetings, postmortems, and “Braintrust” sessions where some of the most successful films in history have been made.

Dr. Catmull has been honored with five Academy Awards®, including an Oscar of Lifetime Achievement for his technical contributions and leadership in the field of computer graphics for the motion picture industry. He also has been awarded the Turing Award by the world’s largest society of computing professionals, the Association for Computing Machinery, for his work on three-dimensional computer graphics.

Please visit the links below to help support our show:

Methodical Coffee: Roasted, blended, brewed, served and perfected by verified coffee nerds 🤓 : https://methodicalcoffee.com/products/design-better-coffee

(use code "designbetter" for 10% off of your order).

Brain.fm: Music scientifically proven to increase focus. We use it to focus on important work, tap into our creativity, and wind down at night when we need to rest. As a Design Better subscriber, you can take 30% off of your subscription: https://www.brain.fm/designbetter

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the first episode in our Design Better series on the creative process. In this series, we’re going beyond the confines of design to speak with some of the most creative people in the world, to learn how they approach collaboration, come up with innovative ideas, and overcome creative obstacles.

We’ll speak with guests like Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar; Autumn Durald Arkapaw, cinematographer for Loki and Wakanda Forever, and OK Go, one of the most creative bands in the world right now. Before we get there though, we have a very special guest for you.

You may have first heard of David Sedaris from his annual reading of The Santaland Diaries on National Public Radio in the U.S., a story that chronicles his misadventures as Crumpet the holiday elf, and has been a holiday tradition for over 30 years.

Or, if you’re like us, you may have gotten to know him from some of his early books like Naked. And if you don’t know David Sedaris, you’re in for a real treat. We chat with David about his acute powers of observation, how he prototypes his essays in front of live audiences, and whether fear exists in his creative process.

One quick announcement before we get started. We’re continuing to explore new ways to help you learn, grow your career, hone your craft, and get inspired here at Design Better. As part of that, we’d like to invite you to 3 free AMAs (“Ask Me Anything”) with some amazing experts: 

First, on September 21st, Dan Mall, founder of Design System University, who’s helped companies ranging from Eventbrite, to Nike, to United Airlines, develop and deploy sustainable design systems will share what he’s learned to help designers get the respect they deserve while scaling digital products sustainable.

Next, on September 28th, Judy Wert, co-founder of Wert & Co, who has been guiding the careers of top designers through ups and downs in the job market, will join us for an open discussion where you can ask questions, get career guidance, and gain perspective on the challenging design and tech job landscape.

Finally, on October 4th, Debbie Millman, host of Design Matters —the first podcast about design, and one of the longest running shows in the world—will be with us and you’ll have a chance to ask one of the best interviewers in the world what inspires her and what she’s learned about creativity over the course of her career.

For more details and to sign up for free to each AMA, go to dbtr.co/AMA2023.

David Sedaris is the author of Barrel Fever and Holidays on Ice, as well as collections of personal essays, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, and his most recent book, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, each of which became an immediate bestseller.

Please visit the links below to help support our show:

Methodical Coffee: Roasted, blended, brewed, served and perfected by verified coffee nerds 🤓 : https://methodicalcoffee.com/

(use code "designbetter" for 10% off of your order).

Brain.fm: Music scientifically proven to increase focus. We use it to focus on important work, tap into our creativity, and wind down at night when we need to rest. As a Design Better subscriber, you can take 30% off of your subscription: https://www.brain.fm/designbetter

Freehand by InVision: The intelligent whiteboard that's half the price of Miro and Mural: https://freehandapp.com/

Help us make the show even better by taking a short survey: www.dbtr.co/survey

If you're interested in sponsoring the show, please contact us at: [email protected]

If you'd like to submit a guest idea, please contact us at: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Design Better co-hosts Eli Woolery and Aarron Walter explore the intersection of design, technology, and the creative process through conversations with inspiring guests across many creative fields. Whether you’re design curious or a design pro, Design Better is guaranteed to inspire and inform. Episodes are released semi-weekly. Vanity Fair calls Design Better, “sharp, to the point, and full of incredibly valuable information for anyone looking to better understand how to build a more innovative world.”

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We recently hit our 100th episode, and we have a big announcement to share.

If you haven't already subscribed to our Substack at https://designbetterpodcast.com/ head over there so you can stay up to day with all the latest episodes, as well as our free newsletter.

Thank you for your support!

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Show notes: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/bonus-episode-with-don-norman-panel

In this special bonus episode, renowned scholar and author Don Norman (The Design of Everyday Things, Design for a Better World) leads a discussion with recognized design leaders about how design can and should play a role in solving the biggest challenges of humanity today. This conversation was recorded at a live online event August 17, 2023 produced by the UX Design Institute. Panelists who participated in the conversation with Don Norman include Brenda Laurel (researcher, writer, and consultant), Irene Au (Design partner at Khosla Ventures and former Design Better guest), and our own Aarron Walter. Gareth Dunlop is the MC of the event.In this hour-long conversation the panelists discuss:

Learn more about the UX Design Institute, the gold standard in UX education at:

https://www.uxdesigninstitute.com/

Get Don Norman’s new book Designing for a Better World at: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262047951/design-for-a-better-world/

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