Devign

Tom explores what it actually means to have a successful project, and how there are different ways to define this. Nick runs through some of his biggest project failures and the learnings from them. Could they have been avoided?

Tom and Nick chat about the different modes of learning. Tom has been through a wide gamut of modes from a university degree all the way to free online short courses. Is a degree needed or preferred in the development and design industries?

How can you get ahead and become a powerful self-learner in this industry? How do you stay motivated? Is it all worth it?

Tom explains how as he has developed his business there is less time doing, and more time thinking. Trying to discouple the idea that your value is your output.

Tom tries to answer the question “should I work for myself” and gets to the heart of the differences between running a business and working in an agency.

Nick runs through what an average day looks like for him and how it has evolved over time. But is there even such a thing as an average day anymore? He currently lives in a van while traveling around Australia - is this lifestyle sustainable in this line of work?

Is it best practise to develop websites mobile first? Should we always design websites mobile first? What does mobile first actually mean anyway?

We come back to one of the founding ideas of devign - the more we learn about each other’s profession, the better we become at our own.

How can we create websites that are more inclusive with limited resources? What is step one if I am just starting to become aware of the need for website accessibility? We can begin by understanding our biases and putting ourselves in the shoes of other people visiting websites.

Do you know what focus indicators are used for? Tom didn’t up until a few weeks ago, but realised he was deleting some important base styles and in doing so excluding people from accessing the website.

Today, Nick and Tom discuss what makes for a seamless microinteraction and playfully poke fun at which effects can inhibit user experience.

Sometimes interactions are fun and lure us in, but other times they are annoying and drive us away. Join us in breaking down why.

How useful is wireframing for building websites?

Some argue it has become entirely redundant. Prototyping tools like figma have helped to reduce the barriers for designing experiences which are closer to the end product. But are wireframes a necessary evil for gaining client approval, and for designers and developers to align? Or do wireframes leave too much to the imagination and set unrealistic expectations? Or is it that wireframing becomes subconscious as we advance as designers and developers?

Recorded pre-COVID. Niche. Niche, niche, niche. Did we say niche? Devign’s first European podcast episode brings Brent into the fold to talk about the differences between marketing a product, yourself as a service provider and yourself as an expert. Positioning as an expert means your knowledge and skills are way more scalable. Get paid to do the thinking.

Recorded pre-COVID. Make Them Talk founder Teri joins us this week to discuss social media strategy. When anyone with a device is posting on social media, how do you produce creative content with a strategic intent?

How do you use data and industry insights to create and then focus your social marketing efforts? Terri explains strategic audience targeting and using your point of difference to start the conversation with customers.