The hottest Design Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Design Topics

Discomforts of Great Design Management

Product Composition • 117 implied HN points • 03 Mar 23
🪑 Design Management Trust Responsibility Scalability Authenticity
  1. Your work in design management is naturally unquantifiable, leading to anxiety and dissatisfaction in many managers.
  2. As a design manager, prioritize building trust with your team, even in challenging situations.
  3. Design managers need to be responsible for the output, not just facilitate, and balance scalable with unscalable practices.

#115 Curve ball

Design Lobster • 339 implied HN points • 08 Aug 22
🪑 Design Furniture Architecture Innovation
  1. Cyma curves, also known as 'S' curves or the line of beauty, flow in reference to an invisible straight line or 'chord', adding elegance and sophistication to designs.
  2. Vladimir Kagan revolutionized sofa design by incorporating padding within the frame, creating iconic pieces like the Serpentine sofa, emphasizing curved shapes for comfort and social interaction.
  3. Curves in design can evoke both historical and future elements, as seen in Oscar Niemeyer's architectural work, showcasing the dynamic nature of curved forms.

Critique of Kvarteret Backklövern detailed development plan in Solna

The Third Place • 59 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🪑 Design Urban planning Architecture Sustainability Aesthetics
  1. Encouraging diversity in building typology within neighborhoods can foster inclusivity and community integration.
  2. Prioritizing pedestrian and cyclist accessibility in urban planning can lead to sustainable and vibrant communities, like Barcelona's superblocks.
  3. Balancing practicality with cultural enrichment, such as including entertainment or cultural facilities in development plans, is essential for creating thriving and lively communities.
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Discussing the present and future of visualization with Jon Schwabish

Alberto Cairo's The Art of Insight • 39 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
🪑 Design Data Visualization Graphic design Information Design User Experience
  1. Visualization is changing fast, and it's important to keep up with new ideas and methods. This evolution makes it exciting to learn and grow in the field.
  2. There isn't a main online place where designers can share their work and chat about it yet. Having a common space could help everyone connect and improve together.
  3. The approach to design should focus on flexibility rather than strict rules. This mindset can benefit not just design work but also how we teach others about it.

Designing the AI Future

New World Same Humans • 11 implied HN points • 07 Dec 25
🪑 Design Digital Design UX Design Strategy Product Design AI Design
  1. A research service is focusing on the intersection of technology, business, and creativity to help professionals make sense of rapid change. It targets marketers, designers, strategists, innovators and other knowledge workers who need clear foresight.
  2. The central challenge is crafting an AI-powered future that’s worth living in, not just more capable systems. Decades of design experience suggest feeling, relevance, and human consequences will matter more than technical capability alone.
  3. The approach is to explore these questions through deep essays and conversations so ideas become practical insight. Those resources aim to help people see what’s coming and do work that matters.

Let's Reconsider Moveable Chairs in Public Space

The New Urban Order • 99 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
🪑 Design Public Space Urban planning City Development
  1. Designing vibrant public spaces involves more than just adding moveable chairs, as it may sometimes feel like a shortcut to thoughtful design.
  2. Placemaking in cities has seen success with quick and cost-effective improvements using moveable chairs, but there's a need to consider the long-term development and meaningful enhancements of public spaces.
  3. Cities should move beyond relying solely on moveable chairs and explore more innovative and comprehensive approaches to developing public spaces that align with both form and function.

The Full Moon Podcast

New World Same Humans • 8 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
🪑 Design Product Design User Experience Interaction Design Design Strategy
  1. A new podcast called Full Moon has launched as a research service exploring the intersection of technology, business, and creativity.
  2. The first episode focuses on design — saying it’s a crucial moment, that we’re all designers now, and drawing lessons from early digital days to help design in the age of AI.
  3. Listeners are invited to watch and sign up, with paid members getting the next essay on the January full moon, hinting at a regular, member-focused release rhythm.

#121 Accessible design

Design Lobster • 219 implied HN points • 31 Oct 22
🪑 Design
  1. Accessible design should consider making clothing easier for individuals with various physical abilities, like hidden magnetic buttons and innovative fasteners.
  2. Thought-provoking design concepts, such as objects intentionally designed to be uncomfortable, can make us reflect on the fine line between convenience and frustration in everyday objects.
  3. Accessibility in design is crucial as it allows everyone, regardless of abilities, to unleash their full potential.

9 trucs que j'ai pas mis cette semaine

L'Atelier Galita • 59 implied HN points • 13 Jan 24
🪑 Design Interior Organization
  1. Consider drawing main passage routes when arranging furniture to optimize space and movement.
  2. Sacrificing a beloved piece of furniture can significantly improve the sense of space and freedom in a room.
  3. Establishing a storage protocol can help maintain organization and cleanliness in living spaces.

#109 Make do and mend

Design Lobster • 299 implied HN points • 16 May 22
🪑 Design Restoration Creativity Architecture Quotes
  1. Repairing and maintaining items can lead to creative and bold outcomes, reinventing things in original ways.
  2. Fixes and repairs can actually enhance designs, making them more beautiful and functional.
  3. Design is often about redesign, inheriting previous design choices and revisiting them with new perspectives and intentions.

Design in the Intelligent Age

The Intersection • 59 implied HN points • 05 Dec 23
🪑 Design Technology Creativity Interdisciplinary Art Professional development
  1. To stay relevant as a designer, it's important to move beyond traditional design roles and embrace technology and new skillsets.
  2. The role of design is debated, with some saying it's less important than technology, but in reality, design is crucial for bringing ideas to life.
  3. Being a bridge between disciplines, understanding different mindsets, and learning varied languages can help designers become the lead character in the evolving creative landscape.

Sustainable Papers, Printers, and How to Evaluate Climate Solutions

Green Graphic Design • 78 implied HN points • 06 Jun 23
🪑 Design Climate Packaging Creativity
  1. Canopy's Eco-Paper Database lists thousands of international stock options ranked by eco-friendly standards.
  2. Canopy ranks printers in North America, providing a starting point for finding a sustainable printer.
  3. A Better Source offers resources for sustainable packaging design, including experimental solutions and smaller-scale suppliers.

#108 It's a process

Design Lobster • 299 implied HN points • 02 May 22
🪑 Design Process Reasoning Events Quotations
  1. The design process can sometimes feel like magic when a solution comes together, often due to abductive reasoning that brings out novel ideas.
  2. Creativity thrives in spaces outside of formal work processes, like in unscheduled moments or unconventional events like 'unconferences'.
  3. Design work is a continuous journey of developing new understandings and appreciations as you navigate through the stages, emphasizing the importance of flexibility in thinking.

#114 Sunshine design ☀️

Design Lobster • 239 implied HN points • 25 Jul 22
🪑 Design Architecture User Interface
  1. Anisotropic design describes virtual objects with appearances that change based on viewing angles, potentially revolutionizing user interfaces.
  2. In architecture, utilizing features like rotating roof-light covers can transform everyday actions like adjusting light into magical experiences.
  3. Great design, like well-placed sunlight on a building, has the power to enhance and reveal beauty in the environment, much like other forms of art.

#107 Sitting comfortably?

Design Lobster • 299 implied HN points • 18 Apr 22
🪑 Design Fashion Furniture Product Art Innovation
  1. In the late 19th century, there was a debate on acceptable women's clothing, with the Rational Dress Society advocating for comfort and autonomy over traditional restrictive garments like corsets and bustles.
  2. The kotatsu heat table is a clever Japanese design combining a low dining table with a blanket and electric heater, providing warmth and coziness while reducing the need to heat an entire room.
  3. Bréné Brown's quote 'Lean into the discomfort of the work' reminds us that discomfort can lead to growth and innovation, urging us to embrace mindfulness and vulnerability in our design work.

Lobster long-read #2: Digital Mannerism

Design Lobster • 698 implied HN points • 15 Dec 20
🪑 Design Architecture Typography Modernism
  1. Design in digital interfaces has evolved from skeuomorphism to flat design to neumorphism, combining elements of the real world with digital aesthetics.
  2. The history of architectural movements like Modernism and Post-modernism can provide insights into the evolution of digital design trends, such as Flat Design and the potential for a Digital Baroque.
  3. Current trends in neumorphism in interface design show a shift towards expressive and 3D elements within the constraints of digital screens, akin to the principles of architectural Mannerism.

Driving and Dragging Loops

the shimmering void • 116 implied HN points • 24 Nov 24
🪑 Design Experience User Interface Interaction Game design Teaching
  1. Good design is all about drawing people in. If users don't want to engage with your work, it doesn't matter how good it looks.
  2. The early experience matters a lot. If users struggle at the beginning, they might give up, so make sure to guide them through the initial steps smoothly.
  3. Creating an engaging experience is like making music. It's about balancing challenges with rewards, helping users feel a natural flow as they progress.

2023 annual review of "A Good Interface"!

A Good Interface • 39 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🪑 Design User Interface Video Games Newsletter Game design
  1. The writer quit their job, sold belongings, and traveled to create a game and explore, turning this journey into newsletter content.
  2. In 2023, the writer focused on sharing insights on UI/UX design for video games, posting consistently on Substack.
  3. For 2024, the writer plans to continue sharing design insights and personal project updates while aiming for reader interaction and feedback.

Eco-Inspired Fonts, and Turning Scallop Shell Waste into Innovative Materials

Green Graphic Design • 58 implied HN points • 13 Feb 23
🪑 Design Fonts Sustainability Recycling Materials Creative
  1. Discovering inspiring eco-themed fonts can add a unique touch to design projects.
  2. Repurposing scallop shells into helmets for fishermen showcases innovative recycling solutions.
  3. Localized recycling initiatives can have a significant positive impact on specific communities and environmental sustainability.

Ten principles of good design

A Bit Gamey • 33 implied HN points • 22 Jun 25
🪑 Design Graphic design Industrial Design User Experience Product Design
  1. Good design should be simple and focus on what's really important. Less is more when it comes to creating functional products.
  2. A product must be useful, attractive, and easy to understand. If a product fails to meet these needs, it won't be successful.
  3. Sustainable design is vital, as it helps protect the environment and creates lasting products that avoid trends and fads.