Unpacking Design

Although it’s an unfortunate reality that having a great resume is still part of our process for employment in the 21st century, it’s still one of the most common ways that we introduce ourselves to prospective employers. When we don’t have a connection in our network to new opportunities and we’re ready to join another design firm, our resume is one of the ways to put our best foot forward and get through the door to an interview. How do we tell our story to these prospective employers and how do we craft it? Learn more in this episode where we unpack resumes.

There are days when we just need a week off to focus on the art of doing nothing. This is probably one of the hardest things for any designer to do because our minds are always coming up with new fantastic ideas to pursue. What does a week off to focus on our mental health look like for Mike? Find out in this week’s episode of Unpacking Design Life.

With a powerful tool like a laser cutter where any designer’s ideas can come to life in physical form, it’s often a difficult task to come up with original products to create, share, and potentially sell. That’s where it’s helpful to brainstorm new ideas with your friends who can bring new ideas to the table that you haven’t considered. What are some potential products that could be developed on a laser cutter? Find out in this week’s episode where we unpack laser cutting ideas.

Every designer has a vision or dream for where they want their careers to ultimately end up. For some, their careers are a financial vehicle that allows them to spend their free time in their own way. For others, they want their careers to allow them to pursue the kinds of design opportunities that inspire them. How can young designers stay relevant in their careers without losing sight of important skills, design ideas, and trends?

Every designer eventually finds the best process for bringing their projects from concept to completion. For some, it might start with endless sketching that results in a great idea. For others, it may be a logic process that starts with precedent studies, emulating those projects, and eventually transforming the studies into the final deliverable. What is your design process and how has it developed over time? Learn more about how Tim applies the scientific method to his design and how he stays focused on his projects when he’s feeling overwhelmed in this episode.

There’s no question about the benefits of living a healthy life and its positive impacts on a designer’s ability to focus and be creative. From food to exercise and amount of sleep, Mike and Tim talk about their personal habits that have contributed to their success so far in their careers and personal endeavors.

What happens from the time a designer gets up in the morning to the time they go to sleep on an average day? Learn more about what a typical day in the lives of Mike and Tim is like in this episode.

When running multiple brands simultaneously, how do you mentally separate and focus on each one independently? For some people, like Mike, it helps to make each brand as visually different as possible to maintain a clear separation between them. Learn more about the projects that Mike is currently working on and the importance of mentally compartmentalizing multiple projects and brands in this episode.

One of the trending co-working space leasing companies in the United States of America is WeWork, which offers open desks, comfortable furniture, kitchens, bars, private offices, and other amenities in major cities around the country. This is one of the most popular options for freelance designers because of their locations and amenities. What’s so great about working at a co-working space like WeWork? Learn more about the benefits for designers renting spaces at a place like WeWork in this episode.

When we think about the work being created at design firms, there’s often a dilemma of ownership that employees face. Who owns the work that’s being produced? The obvious answer is that the design firm owns everything being produced at the office. Can employees also claim ownership if they were an integral part to specific projects? Learn more about design ownership and how everyone who is part of a project and the unwritten rules to how it can be used in this episode.