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Honest Design Talks episodes
- #120 Favorite product design books
Anfisa and Ioana talk about their favorite UX design books.
This episode was recorded in partnership with Wix Studio.
In this episode:
• What were some of the most influential books that shaped our careers?
• What are some of the must-read books that we would recommend to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in the industry?
Design book classics we mentioned:
- The design of everyday things (by Don Norman)
- Don't make me think (by Steve Krug)
- Visual Explanations (by Edward Tufte)
- Steal Like an Artist / Keep Going / Show Your Work! (by Austin Kleon books)
- Articulating Design Decisions (by Tom Greever)
- About Face (by Alan Cooper)
- Hooked (by Nir Eyal)
- The Culture Map (by Erin Meyer)
- Just Enough Research (by Erika Hall)
Recent must-read books we mentioned:
- Ruined by Design (by Mike Monteiro)
- The Politics of Design (by Ruben Pater)
- Mismatch (by Kat Holmes)
- Storyworthy (by Matthew Dicks)
- Design Is Storytelling (by Ellen Lupton)
- The Art of Noticing (by Rob Walker)
- The Design Thinking Playbook (by Michael Lewrick)
- Emotional Design (by Don Norman)
Check out these links:
Ioana's AI Goodies Newsletter
Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.
Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.
❓Next topic ideas:
Submit your questions or feedback anonymously here
Links:
🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa
🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana
🧡 Want to support us?
Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/mo
Follow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.
🗂 Our instagram
👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram
👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
40 min - #119 Emerging and future design roles
Anfisa and Ioana dive into how design roles might evolve in the future.
This episode was recorded in partnership with Wix Studio.
In this episode:
• What trends are currently shaping the design landscape?
• How do you envision the future of career growth within the design field?
• What do you anticipate for researchers and content designers, who also play integral roles in design organizations?
Check out these links:
Ioana's AI Goodies Newsletter
Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.
Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.
❓Next topic ideas:
Submit your questions or feedback anonymously here
Links:
🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa
🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana
🧡 Want to support us?
Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/mo
Follow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.
🗂 Our instagram
👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram
👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
34 min - #118 Mastering Whiteboarding and Take-Home Assignments in UX Design
Anfi and Ioana explore whiteboarding exercises and take-home assignments, discuss their experiences and share tips for successfully completing them.
This episode was recorded in partnership with Wix Studio.
In this episode:
•What are whiteboarding exercises and take-home assignments?
•What are some common examples of whiteboarding challenges and take-home assignments?
•When should you accept or decline assignments?
•What tips can help you successfully complete whiteboarding challenges and take-home assignments?
Check out these links:
Ioana's AI Goodies Newsletter
Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.
Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.
❓Next topic ideas:
Submit your questions or feedback anonymously here
Links:
🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa
🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana
🧡 Want to support us?
Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/mo
Follow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.
🗂 Our instagram
👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram
👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
42 min - #117 Designing for AI at Miro
Anfi and Ioana dive into the journey of an AI designer, exploring the transition from concept to production, the unique challenges of designing AI features, and the insights gained from user research that shape the process.
This episode was recorded in partnership with Wix Studio.
Episode Timestamps:
0:51 – Episode Intro
1:55 – Wix Sponsorship
3:26 – Regular Catch-up5:43 – Can you share your journey joining the new team as an AI Designer at Miro?
19:27 – How many of those initial concepts made it into production? What are the differences between a typical design process and an AI-driven one?
26:35 – What was your process for developing an AI feature?
34:05 – How does user research play into the development of AI-driven features?
38:37 – What was a learning from research that changed your perspectiveCheck out these links:
Ioana's AI Goodies Newsletter
Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.
Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.
❓Next topic ideas:
Submit your questions or feedback anonymously here
Links:
🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa
🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana
🧡 Want to support us?
Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/mo
Follow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.
🗂 Our instagram
👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram
👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
43 min - #116 Making design decisions w/Tommy Geoco
Anfi and Tommy delve into the value of specialization vs. generalization, managing tool overload, and strategies for intentional, high-quality design decisions within large companies.
This episode was recorded in partnership with Wix Studio.
Episode Links:
Tommy's website
Tommy's UX Decisions online course
UXtools survey and past reports
Episode Timestamps:
0:31 — Episode start
1:51 — Wix Studio partnership
3:31 — Tommy shares his journey as a designer
12:26 — Tommy discusses his unique strengths as a creator and designer
15:07 — Tommy shares his market insights and emphasizes the importance of experimenting with tools
22:47 — Which approach holds more value in today’s market: being a specialist or a generalist?
26:56 — How can designers navigate complex layers of approval and buy-ins when shipping products in large companies?
32:31 — Tool Overload in the Market: Is there potential for an all-in-one tool to emerge as the market leader?
36:42 — Course Announcement: Insights into design thinking, just-in-time learning, and more
39:30 — Craft vs. Intentionality: Balancing exceptional UX as a "north star" with intentional, well-justified design decisions
46:34 — Shifting Company Culture: How to move from quick fixes to a focus on high-quality design
52:19 — Key tips and takeaways for better decision-making in design
56:56 — Tommy’s approach to refining and iterating on his designs
Check out these links:
Ioana's AI Goodies Newsletter
Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.
Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.
❓Next topic ideas:
Submit your questions or feedback anonymously here
Links:
🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa
🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana
🧡 Want to support us?
Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/mo
Follow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.
🗂 Our instagram
👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram
👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
1 hr - #115 Making a difference as a designer w/Rachel Wu
Anfi and Rachel delve into the creative journey of a designer, with Rachel sharing her experience of how she approached a pitch, exploring non-linear approaches to design thinking, the value of diverse backgrounds, and the art of storytelling in design.
This episode was recorded in partnership with Wix Studio.
Episode Timestamps:
0:35 - Episode Intro
1:45 - Collaboration with Wix Studio
3:07 - Can you share your story as a designer? What led you to work with me at Mews on guest experiences?
4:58 - What inspired Rachel to become a product designer?
8:39 - Why did Anfi decide to discuss this episode’s topic with Rachel?
13:03 - Observing, noticing, and interpreting signals: The concept of hearing those whispers. What does that mean for you? Describe this process.
16:55 - Mapping insights into the bigger picture: Rachel’s approach to research, exploring solution spaces, and analogous industries. How they look at similar problems in other areas before returning to the same space for competitor research.
18:58 - Taking a non-linear approach instead of following the standard process: Abstract thinking and reverse engineering.
21:04 - Coming to design from a different background: Is it a drawback? Should designers follow standard paths? Anfi shares her experience at her university design program and the diversity of student backgrounds.
24:15 - Why did you choose high fidelity for the pitch? What was your thought process?
29:03 - Storytelling: How do you approach telling stories in a cohesive yet engaging way that keeps listeners interested until the end? (Song analogy)
32:40 - Extra thoughts: Presenting your voice to others and then hearing it back—how this helps identify areas to adjust, cut, or elaborate on. Why verbalizing thoughts is key to the feedback process.
42:52 - Why are you so good with words?
47:08 - Closing thoughts on imposter syndrome as a designer.
Check out these links:
Ioana's AI Goodies Newsletter
Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.
Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.
❓Next topic ideas:
Submit your questions or feedback anonymously here
Links:
🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa
🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana
🧡 Want to support us?
Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/mo
Follow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.
🗂 Our instagram
👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram
👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
50 min - #114 What to look for in a UX Role?
Anfi and Ioana explore the key factors that have shaped their career decisions and offer insights on making thoughtful choices for your professional journey.
This episode was recorded in partnership with Wix Studio.
Episode Timestamps:
0:58 - Episode Kickoff
1:04 - Special announcement about our new partnership with Wix3:01 - Life Updates8:43 - Reflecting on the mechanisms behind career decisions and key learnings so far25:40 - How to assess team dynamics, company culture, and project fit during interviews?Mentioned in this episode:
Platforms that provide insights into company cultures, organizational structures, and workplace experiences. These platforms aim to offer transparency to job seekers and employees by providing information like company reviews, salary data, and employee experiences.
• The Org
• Team Blind
• Glassdoor
Check out these links:
Ioana's AI Goodies Newsletter
Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.
Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.
❓Next topic ideas:
Submit your questions or feedback anonymously here
Links:
🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa
🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana
🧡 Want to support us?
Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/mo
Follow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.
🗂 Our instagram
👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram
👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
36 min - #113 Collaborating with developers
Anfi and Ioana share their experiences collaborating with engineers, what makes a great developer, and offer tips for improving teamwork.
Timestamps:
0:41 Episode’s intro and updates from Anfi and Ioana
05:00 How has your collaboration with engineers evolved over the last 10 years?
11:52 What qualities make a good engineer from a designer’s perspective?22:54 Tips for effective collaboration: How can regular syncing help improve teamwork? What are the strategies for staying on the same page with devs if you work remotely?Check out these links:
Ioana's AI Goodies Newsletter
Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.
Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.
❓Next topic ideas:
Submit your questions or feedback anonymously here
Links:
🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa
🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana
🧡 Want to support us?
Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/mo
Follow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.
🗂 Our instagram
👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram
👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
33 min - #112 Design market predictions
This episode was recorded during the Hatch conference in Berlin.
In this episode:
• What key trends shaped the design industry in 2023 and 2024? How do they influence the design market in 2025 and beyond?
• What can designers do today to stay competitive in the evolving design industry?
Check out these links:
Ioana's AI Goodies Newsletter
Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.
Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.
❓Next topic ideas:
Submit your questions or feedback anonymously here
Links:
🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa
🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana
🧡 Want to support us?
Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/mo
Follow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.
🗂 Our instagram
👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram
👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
41 min - #111 Becoming a mature UX designer
In this episode:
• What does it mean to be a mature designer?
• What key traits should you focus on developing as you advance in your design career?
• Is maturity in design the same as seniority, or is it something else?
• Hosts share practical tips, insights, and personal stories about navigating workplace conflicts and growing into a more mature designer.
Check out these links:
Ioana's AI Goodies Newsletter
Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.
Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.
❓Next topic ideas:
Submit your questions or feedback anonymously here
Links:
🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa
🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana
🧡 Want to support us?
Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/mo
Follow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.
🗂 Our instagram
👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram
👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
35 min
About Honest Design Talks
From the publisher's feed
Honest weekly conversations about Product Design careers, challenges, portfolios, mental health, and all things tech + design. Ioana and Anfisa together have 20 years of experience in the Product Design field and trying to share their main lessons to help anyone who's looking for a safe space with sincere and practical career advice.
To request the next topic DM us on IG:
🗂 instagram.com/honest_design_talks
👩💻 instagram.com/anfisign
👩🏻💻 instagram.com/uxgoodies
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