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Dear Design Student
Advice on design from people who work for a living.
You know it’s time to quit your job if…
latest
You know it’s time to quit your job if…
Q: How long should I stay with my employer? The old way of sticking to one company for life feels too long but the new way jumping from…
Jennifer Daniel
2 days ago
What if I don’t want to be a CEO?
What if I don’t want to be a CEO?
Does this mean I’m not ambitious?
Ross Floate
3 days ago
Faster Contracts, Kill Fee
Faster Contracts, Kill Fee
Q: I’m drawing up my first contract with a client. How do I ensure the client doesn’t walk away from the project through no fault of my own…
Mike Monteiro
5 days ago
Do you have any professional regrets?
Do you have any professional regrets?
A round table
Dear Design Student
Sep 4
Give me a place to stand, and I will move the world
Give me a place to stand, and I will move the world
Changing the world without disrupting it.
Liam Campbell
Sep 3
Roads? Where We’re Going We Don’t Need… Roads.
Roads? Where We’re Going We Don’t Need… Roads.
Q: Do I ~*really*~ need a ten-year plan?
Brian McMullen
Sep 2
Go Boldly
Go Boldly
“This is a résumé you might be interested in.”
Dana Chisnell
Sep 1
How did you get your first design job?
How did you get your first design job?
A Dear Design Student Round Table
Dear Design Student
Aug 28
Mo’ Tools, Mo’ Problems
Mo’ Tools, Mo’ Problems
A Guide to Picking the Perfect Design Tool
Chantal Jandard
Aug 27
8 Reasons to Turn Down That Startup Job
8 Reasons to Turn Down That Startup Job
Q: I graduated from school this year and I’ve been looking for my first job. After interviewing around, I finally got a job offer at a…
Mike Monteiro
Aug 26
latest
Uncertainty is part of the job
Uncertainty is part of the job
Do your work, look at your work, judge your work.
Tim Brown
Aug 25
Trust Nothing, Murder Most
Trust Nothing, Murder Most
Fighting for an idea is noble, until it’s not.
Mike Monteiro
Aug 21
Come, friendly bots.
Come, friendly bots.
Is an algorithm going to take my job?
Ross Floate
Aug 20
Write Like a Human
Write Like a Human
What poetry can teach us about writing for digital
Sarah Skaggs
Aug 19
Headline TK
Headline TK
Q: Jennifer, outside your lack of talent and limited access to famous or powerful people, what is the toughest obstacle you must overcome…
Jennifer Daniel
Aug 18
What’s the smartest piece of advice you ever got?
What’s the smartest piece of advice you ever got?
A Dear Design Student Round Table
Mike Monteiro
Aug 17
Code and Rocket Stoves
Code and Rocket Stoves
Q: I’m designing a large-scale web app. How can I make sure that the technical stack stays robust and maintainable in the future?
Liam Campbell
Aug 14
Non-disclosure aggrievement
Non-disclosure aggrievement
I think I signed my rights away. Should I feel bad?
Ross Floate
Aug 13
What are conference organizers afraid of?
What are conference organizers afraid of?
“Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them.”―Margaret Atwood
Mike Monteiro
Aug 12
It’s Nice to Meet You
It’s Nice to Meet You
Q: I’m new to San Francisco and every time I go out for a burrito and network I never hear from anyone again. I’m tired of hanging out in…
Jennifer Daniel
Aug 11
What’s the WORST professional advice you ever got?
What’s the WORST professional advice you ever got?
A Dear Design Student Roundtable
Mike Monteiro
Aug 10
Balancing Act
Balancing Act
Finding —or losing — equilibrium in your work.
Liam Campbell
Aug 7
Why can’t my clients make decisions?
Why can’t my clients make decisions?
You’re giving them too many options.
Ross Floate
Aug 6
At Your Service
At Your Service
Q: How can I tell whether someone will be a good client?
Erika Hall
Aug 6
How 70s appliances can explain the difference between UX and UI.
How 70s appliances can explain the difference between UX and UI.
Q: I’ve heard people use UI and UX interchangeably.
Mike Monteiro
Aug 4
“Some personal news I am a brand.”
“Some personal news I am a brand.”
Q: I’m an independent designer. The kids say my success depends as much on self-promotion as it does on the quality of my work, but I can’t…
Jennifer Daniel
Aug 3
A Nightmare at 20,000 Pixels
A Nightmare at 20,000 Pixels
Q: I really messed up on a client project. What do I do about it?
Norcross
Jul 31
In Defense of CSS
In Defense of CSS
A love letter to the cascade
Liam Campbell
Jul 30
Stop looking for the Inspiration Fairy.
Stop looking for the Inspiration Fairy.
I’m afraid there is no magic dust.
Ross Floate
Jul 29
The Secret Cost of Research
The Secret Cost of Research
Q: How do I convince my client to pay for research?
Erika Hall
Jul 29
In Praise of the AK-47
In Praise of the AK-47
Q: I had a professor in school who went on and on about how well the AK-47 was designed. He stressed that as designers we should be able to…
Mike Monteiro
Jul 27
Q: Is it ever ok to include rejected pieces in my portfolio?
Q: Is it ever ok to include rejected pieces in my portfolio?
A: I don’t care
Ross Floate
Jul 24
One Weird Trick To See The Sausage Factory
One Weird Trick To See The Sausage Factory
Q: I would love to visit studios to see how they are doing things in the “real world.”
Erika Hall
Jul 23
School is for suckers
School is for suckers
Let learning happen wherever learning happens
Mike Monteiro
Jul 23
Stop Calling it A Personal Project
Stop Calling it A Personal Project
What are we getting out of self-initiated projects, and the self as subject?
Jennifer Daniel
Jul 20
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Dear Design Student
Advice on design from people who work for a living.
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