After last episode's grim premise, Joe & Brian pull back from the edge and take a look at the other side of the current design industry: what is there that we can feel optimistic about in the current moment? Lots, it turns out.

Brian & Joe discuss the grim state of the UX industry right now. How did we get here? Where do we go from here? Grab a drink before you listen, let's chew on this together. 🍺

Joe and Brian discuss Temple Grandin's new book, 'Visual Thinkers'. Who are these strange creatures that walk among us, seeing things visually? Are you one of them? How do you see the world differently?

Brian & Joe discuss the recent tech layoffs, and what that means for the design world. Once again, designers are put back on their heels. Is this an opportunity for growth? Can we maybe reset expectations? Or will we once again have to dance the dance asked of us?

Ugh... 2022 is finally over. It's been a wild year in and out of the design world. Joe and Brian close out the old double deuce wondering is there still space for the weird, crazy, sometimes visionary designers?

Brian and Joe talk to Gina Trapani, CEO of the digital product shop Postlight. Postlight has been unlocking solutions for clients for the past 10 years, and we ask Gina to let us in on the insights of a running a successful design and engineering business. We talk about moving from a Doer to a Leader, the importance of Discovery, and why it’s important to do the work special to you on the weekend.

Joe and Brian discuss the dispiriting trend of the current tech stack driving how products are built. What does it mean when a product is designed not for the user, customer, or output, but for ease of technical deployment? What will the future hold if that trend continues? Should try and stop it?

We are back with a new season! We are kicking things off with some quick hits – designery things that happened while we were away crushing pixels and having babies.

Brian and Joe deep dive on the pernicious yet hidden effects that information architecture has on our daily lives, both in the digital space and outside of it. Is library science the one true skill necessary in the modern world? Is the current state of IA just a liminal space between analog sorting and tag-based search?

Brian and Joe break down whether creative work is calling, or just a job? Can a creative person be just as happy keeping their creative work to their hobbies? Is making money as a creative part of what being a professional creative is? And where do blenders come in to all of this?