Working File

Working File episodes:

• 11.14.2017

  26 — Shows That Could Have Been

  This is our last episode of Working File, at least for a little while. Linda and Maurice join Matt and Andy to go down the list of possible topics for shows that we never got to make. It's a Working...

  
• 11.01.2017

  25 — What the Future Holds

  This episode features Matt and Andy having a one-on-one conversation about the future of Working File and the difference between expressive and functional design projects. Links DiscussedOn the GridNumerologyThe Beginning of InfinityDavid ColeWaterfall Model

  
• 10.17.2017

  24 — Too Short to Scoop the Ice Cream

  Matt is back for a lively discussion with Victoria and new contributor Daisy Sun about self-esteem and how to get a job when the world tells you that you're underqualified. Should you apply for a job if you don't meet...

  
• 10.03.2017

  23 — Location, Location, Location

  Matt and Andy take an episode off and Maurice wrangles three new contributors from all over the country to discuss how geography influences design community. Richard Wade Morgan, Kim Green, and Jamal Collins call in from Atlanta, Boseman, and Clevenland,...

  
• 09.19.2017

  22 — Something to Say

  Long time contributor Maurice Cherry organized this episode where Andy, Matt, and new contributor Jon Lewis discuss what it's like starting your own business as a designer. What are the reasons to start something new instead of getting a normal,...

  
• 09.05.2017

  21 — Don’t Hug your Phone

  We take a break from our normal topical panel shows this week for something different. Prompted by an interview with Simon Sinek, Andy and Linda have a one-on-one discussion about our generation's attitudes towards work and social media. How does...

  
• 08.22.2017

  20 — Lessons Learned

  This episode is all about education. Andy, Matt, Meg, and Maurice share their origin stories as we discuss the differences between being self-taught and learning about design through a formal, paid program. How do you find your voice when you...

  
• 08.08.2017

  19 — A Human Podcast

  Annie and Jon join us for a speculative discussion about the future of design. Will artificial intelligence and machine learning replace us in the future? How will we develop taste in automated systems? What will become of our industry when...

  
• 07.25.2017

  18 — Maturity and Experience

  On this episode, Matt, Andy, and Kristy are joined by new contributor Sabrina Majeed to discuss what it means to be senior in any field. Find out what potential employers think of your years of experience and what it means...

  
• 07.11.2017

  17 — Back and Forth Forever

  This episode reunites Matt and Andy with Dan Auer, cohost of On the Grid, the podcast that eventually led to the creation of Working File. We get caught up on developments in Dan's life and discuss how we've grown and...

  
• 06.27.2017

  16 — I do Squiggles and Gradients

  Robyn and Chappell join us for an episode all about the presence or absence of “weird” sensibility in graphic design. We start off talking about the new art direction of Bloomberg Businessweek but end up discussing capitalism, Snapchat, and the...

  
• 06.13.2017

  15 — Listener Questions

  Andy and Matt are joined by Lola and Kara to answer listener questions about design managers, creative staffing agencies, how user choice affects modern product design, and of course, whether or not design can change the world. Links On a team, what...

  
• 05.30.2017

  14 — A Room Full of Strangers

  Andy and Matt are joined by Cap and Maurice to talk about our relationship with conferences and other design events. Even though all four of us have spoken at events before, why is it that we almost never attend them...

  
• 05.16.2017

  13 — Money Talks

  On this episode we’re tackling a potentially sensitive subject: money. Linda and Annie join Matt and Andy for a candid discussion about their past jobs and how much money they made doing them. When is it appropriate to negotiate for...

  
• 05.02.2017

  12 — Verbal Design

  Chappell and Robyn join us for a lively episode wherein we discuss the language we use to describe ourselves and our work. With her recent transition to the private sector, Chappell gives us her take on agency life and the...

  
• 04.18.2017

  11 — Comparing Notes

  Matt and Andy are on their own this week having a practical discussion about proposals and how we communicate with potential clients. What is the right amount of information to provide and the best way to provide it? Why do...

  
• 04.04.2017

  10 — Institutional Value, Individual Agency

  This episode is all about our relationship with the AIGA and more general feelings about design community and discourse. Annie, Matt, and Andy are joined by new contributor Nicole Killian to discuss our relationship with the AIGA and centralized representation...

  
• 03.21.2017

  9 — A System for Others to Succeed

  Matt and Andy are joined by Kristy Tillman and new contributor Cap Watkins to discuss design management. We learn about some of the traits of bad managers and discuss how to advocate for design within an organization. Should design work...

  
• 03.07.2017

  8 — Proving Yourself to Yourself

  Kara Haupt and Victoria Rushton join us on the eve of Matt’s wedding and the first day of Kara’s new job for a candid discussion about our confidence and sense of self-worth. As designers, our value is constantly measured against...

  
• 02.21.2017

  7 — Rearranging Deck Chairs on the Titanic

  This marks the beginning of a conversation that we’ll be continuing in the future: the relationship between design and politics. Maurice Cherry and Robyn Kanner join us to talk about whether or not design is inherently political, turning down jobs...

  
• 02.06.2017

  6 — Using Yourself as a Constraint

  This episode, featuring Linda Eliasen and Jon Gold, addresses the relationship between the design process and production. Does an understanding of the materials and techniques used to manufacture your designs make you a better designer, or hold you back from...

  
• 01.24.2017

  5 — Who Gets to Say No

  Victoria Rushton and Annie Yiling-Wang join us to discuss criticism in a professional context. For many of us, what was once formal critiques with peers during our education has been replaced by a confusing array of criticism from a variety...

  
• 01.10.2017

  4 — Making Something that’s Missing

  Andy and Matt are joined by Kristy Tillman and Lola Landekic for a conversation about side projects and the culture that surrounds them. We talk about the virtues and pitfalls of pursuing a self-initiated projects and whether we should hold...

  
• 12.27.2016

  3 — A Thing to be Seen

  On this episode of Working File, which is actually the first one we ever recorded, we’re joined by Satchell Drakes and Jen Mussari to discuss being a designer in the public eye. How is being a famous designer different than...

  
• 12.13.2016

  2 — The Artist and the Problem Solver

  This episode is all about the distinction between working individually and working collaboratively. Gitamba Saila-Ngita and Meg Lewis join us for a discussion where we talk about our preferred work environments, the difference between design education and practicing design professionally,...

  
• 11.28.2016

  1 — An Industry Inside of Every Industry

  Our inaugural show is all about the state of the design community, design journalism, and what Working File should be. Chappell Ellison and Maurice Cherry join us for a conversation about the difference between design discourse in public and private...