New Layer

How do product designers build a portfolio when they don't have much work to show? Jasmine and Tanner explore the question in this episode of New Layer, highlighting the importance of creating work for yourself, diving deep into whatever work you do have, and always being honest in your portfolio.

What does the next few years hold for product design? If you're starting out in design today, or studying to work in product design, what should you focus on in order to get ahead of the curve? In this episode, Jasmine and Tanner explain why predictions are often silly things to focus on, and what you should look to instead.

Related: Morgan Housel's The Psychology of Prediction https://www.collaborativefund.com/blog/the-psychology-of-prediction/

A question designers ask at one point or another: when is a design actually done? In this episode of New Layer, Tanner and Jasmine discuss what it means to design, how that definition helps define when the work is done, and why that definition is going to be different for each individual, team, and company. If you want to better align your team (or just yourself) around design work, you'll want to listen to (and share!) this episode.

When it comes to taking breaks: are you proactive or do you wait until you're burned out and need it most? In this podcast episode, Tanner and Jasmine discuss the importance of proactively taking breaks from work. Whether small breaks throughout your day or work week, or larger breaks during a quarter or year. Hear from their experiences and insights on why breaks matter, how to make them effective, and what to do when the break is over and you're transitioning back into work.

Each December presents itself an opportunity to reflect over the past year as well as look ahead to the next. Both activities are prime for defining success, for yourself and your team. In this episode of New Layer, Tanner and Jasmine discuss the different factors that go into defining success and what it means for leaders on a design team: both formal people managers and individual contributors.

What is systems thinking and why does it matter for product designers? Tanner and Jasmine share why they believe systems thinking is a critical skill most designers today are missing, and what the root cause of that might be. Join us to hear anecdotes and examples of systems thinking in practice, as well as the relationship between systems design and service design, and much more.

When it comes to working in the modern design industry, there are challenges all designers must face. Tanner and Jasmine talk about the two most daunting challenges from their own career experience, as well as what to do when facing those challenges. This episode is a must-listen for all product designers, new and experienced.

How do we, as product designers, ensure the work we do is responsibly designed? Tanner and Jasmine share lessons learned in the world of ethical, moral, and responsible design during their time working at Facebook. From learning from past failures to building systems and habits of designing responsibly, this episode is meant to be a provoking one for all designers.

Meetings: we love them or hate them, but it doesn't have to be that way! In this episode of New Layer, Jasmine and Tanner share insights and examples around what makes a meeting effective. If the meetings you're running or attending don't have a clear (aligned upon) objective and outcomes, agendas, defined roles, and include everyone who might need to be there, they're not going to be effective. Similarly, in these days of mostly remote meetings the same lessons can apply, or can they?

What is a personal brand and why does it matter? Should you care about building your personal brand? In this episode, Tanner and Jasmine answer these questions and more, to underline why a personal brand—how you show up every day, in any format—matters whether you've deliberately invested in one or not.