Fidelity: Design Podcast

Jon is interrogated about his criminal record, while Bill laments the death of knobs and dials. We discuss the importance of setting expectations with stakeholders when designing with your back against the wall. Plus, advice for choosing the right artifacts to show up with when time is tight.

Bill resists buying an Apple Watch Ultra, no thanks to Jon. We chat about UX bootcamps, and the importance of building a tendency to be a self-starter when considering a career in tech. Note: we aren’t opposed to UX bootcamps—but if you’re considering the investment, know what you’re getting into before you sink your teeth in.

We talk about the latest controversy on design Twitter. Jon doubles down on naming layers, and Bill finally admits that naming layers is marginally useful.

How designers work in the tech industry is largely driven by a ubiquitous tech culture—so much so that the expectations of designers across different companies seem to blend into each other. However, even with a largely uniform set of tenets and behaviors that designers adhere to, the role of design in driving product decisions is something a lot of junior designers either feel uncomfortable doing or simply haven’t been exposed to. In this episode, Jon and Bill chat about ways that designers can push things forward with the simplest tools of the trade.

Presenting can be both exciting and draining. And whatever your personal feelings are on presenting, it’s an integral and necessary part of every designer’s work. Jon and Bill talk through concepts, ideas, and practical tips for presenting your work at differing levels of fidelity and effort.

In a very different episode, we cut loose and chat about Jon’s obsession with pulling the perfect espresso shot, and Bill’s troubling preoccupation with shining shoes.

We have a wide ranging discussion with visual and brand designer Amy Devereux about her craft. Amy and Jon face off in a design trivia challenge, and Jon forgets to name some layers.

We couldn’t stop at just one episode about designing for mobile—in this slice we talk about constraints, capabilities, and how these shape mobile design solutions. We chat about listening to music while designing, and Jon geeks out on golfing apps.

Jon and Bill give their top 5 tips and advice for student and junior designers—including how to set yourself apart in the interview process and how to start building your career early on. A bet is made on what Apple will announce at the upcoming iPhone event.

Jon and Bill go back and forth on feedback—how to receive it, how to give it, and why it’s foundational to our work not only as designers, but also as life-long learners. We also lament the fall of the Honk app.

Jon and Bill chat about designing for mobile native—how we got our start designing apps, and why you should think about mobile experiences, even if you don’t plan to ship. Bill wonders about old designers.

In this inaugural episode, product designers Jon and Bill chat about their cool selves, the origins of the show, and topics you can expect in future episodes.

This week Jon and Bill converse about fidelity and how to consider approaching different levels of fidelity based on the problem at hand. Plus, Bill is jealous of Jon’s Figma files.