The Busy Creator Podcast with Prescott Perez-Fox

The Busy Creator 43 w/guest Bob Calvano

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Bob Calvano (@bobcalvano) runs the digital media & design studio for A+E Networks, and oversees the development of mobile apps, websites, interfaces, and a variety of other design elements for A+E’s brands.

This conversation discusses his origins in digital and traditional design work, how he manages a diverse team of designers and programmers, and the challenges of working in the always-changing business of television and entertainment.

Show Notes & Links
  • TV is the first screen; computers are the second screen; mobile is the third screen
  • Bob describes himself thoroughly as a husband, father, son, brother, drummer, speaker, friend, designer … at different times
  • “Proudly hyphenated”
  • A+E, Lifetime, History, FYI — television networks under the A+E umbrella
  • Basement storage racks
  • Bob started as a fine artist & illustrator, later worked as an in-house designer for Panasonic
  • An early business found Bob and his partner painting & airbrushing motorcycles, boats, etc.
  • Oxygen Network
  • R/GA, digital agency
  • To move from creative agencies like media to less-creative agencies like pharma, banking, etc.
  • The Narcissism of Minor Differences
  • Bob’s team focuses on “digital execution” of many different projects
  • “mobile-first” mentality for the websites
  • “watch” apps for Android and iOS (for watching, not timepieces)
  • XBOX 360
  • Roku
  • AppleTV
  • Amazon Fire TV
  • “media agnostic” — problem-solving is more important than a particular execution
  • “integrated branding” or “360 campaigns”, putting all the pieces together
  • Erica Heinz, previous guest on The Busy Creator Podcast (episode 10)
  • A+E’s studio is packed with “Product Designers”
  • “It’s a designer-slash-developer world.” ← Click to Tweet
  • Waterfall method, sort of outdated but still in use in many agencies/teams
  • “A show idea could come from anywhere.” ← Click to Tweet
  • Duck Dynasty, not-so-accidental smash hit
  • Netflix Original Programming
  • Amazon Original Programming
  • Vimeo Original Programming
  • A+E Studios, upcoming original content producers
  • Forthcoming Apple Watch
  • Responsive design vs. breakpoints
  • Microsoft changes rendering engine for Outlook
  • Vikings, on The History Channel
  • The History Channel app for iOS
  • No traffic department
  • We did an entire episode about Project Management Application & Collaboration Software
  • Vessel
  • “T-Shaped People“, originally an IDEO term

    • T-Shaped skillset

  • “The Static Photoshop Comp is slowly becoming extinct.” ← Click to Tweet
  • “Photoshop is a “mullet-shaped” tool; 90% of the users only use 10% of the features.” ← Click to Tweet
  • Vijay Mathews was a previous guest on The Busy Creator Podcast (episode 32)
  • Designers should have a background in Calculus (jeez, what a cranky bastard)
  • Google Ventures design sprints
  • Lifetime app for iOS
  • Oxygen app for iOS
  • A&E app for iOS
  • All the networks have social media followings (too many to list, in fact)
    • Tools
    • Blank paper (for sketching during conversations)
    • “watch” apps
    • History Here app for iOS
    • Jira by Atlassian
    • Freedcamp (a free version of Basecamp)
    • Trello
    • Sketch
      • Techniques
      • Use Agile framework for your design+development projects
      • Use Scrum framework to keep teams together
      • Kanban board to manage project stages
      • Mine your own data
      • Set up “teams of three”, where Art Directors work closely with a UX/UI designer and a developer
      • Turn your Project Managers into Scrum Masters on a Product Team (same thing but on a different model)
      • Use an all-digital workflow
      • Hire T-Shaped People and encourage them to grow
      • Present clickable prototypes rather than flat comps — it yields better results, even if it takes slightly longer
      • Use transit time to prepare for, and recover from, the working day. Meditate or at least mentally plan. 
        • Habits
        • Sketch during conversations; think out loud
        • Capture and measure all possible statistics; use data & metrics to inform decisions
        • Don’t base everything off data & metrics; trust your gut as designers 
        • Keep your finger on the pulse of design & digital media by going to conferences, taking classes, subscribing to magazines, take field trips
        • Wake up at 5:45
        • Eliminate Gluten & Dairy
        • Take the stairs! If you’re a commuter, they’re always right there.
        • On weekends, sleep as late as kids & dogs will allow
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            The Busy Creator Podcast with Prescott Perez-FoxBy Prescott Perez-Fox & friends