The hottest Design Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Culture Topics

The Age of the App is Over

Keeping Tabs by The Browser Company • 1 HN point • 30 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Apps Smartphones Computing Design
  1. Our smartphones have made us think about life in a specific way with apps, but our digital lives are more complex now.
  2. Our digital spaces should be designed around people, projects, and goals rather than the traditional app-centric model.
  3. We should have the freedom to search across all apps, build our own organizational structures, and express ourselves in our digital spaces.
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Why Jules Verne Would Love These French Wireless Bathys Headphones From Focal

Resiliency Tech • 0 implied HN points • 18 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Design Travel
  1. Jules Verne would love the French Wireless Bathys Headphones for their design and connection to technology and adventure.
  2. The Bathys headphones provide top-notch noise suppression, appealing especially to critical music lovers.
  3. The versatile Bathys headphones offer two noise suppression modes and can be used as wired headphones for home use.

An Interview with Matthew Bischoff

Syntopikon • 0 implied HN points • 14 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Design Development Apps Software Quality
  1. Matthew Bischoff started and runs Lickability, a software design & development studio, creating apps for known companies.
  2. Resources to learn software development include online courses, tutorials, and hands-on practice, emphasizing the importance of learning by doing.
  3. Well-designed apps are fast, easy to use, accessible, and solve real problems visibly crafted by a caring team.

L'Échelle de Valéry, ou Pourquoi les Gens Intelligents Créent des Produits Trop Compliqués

Mind Fooled • 0 implied HN points • 03 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Design User Experience Product Development Innovation Digital Products
  1. People tend to create products that are too complicated due to unconscious forces pushing towards complexity.
  2. The L'Échelle de Valéry model illustrates the spectrum between overly simplistic (Simplistic) and overly complex (Usines à gaz) products.
  3. To combat the trend of overly complicated products, actively expose yourself to user feedback and make efforts to simplify the design process.

Trend predictions & a trip down memory lane

The Digital Native • 0 implied HN points • 19 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Trends Fashion Music Food Social media Design
  1. 2010s trends are making a comeback, with elements like music and fashion becoming popular again.
  2. Different trends from the 2010s include Indie Tumblr kids, Hyperfeminine style, Vaporwave, and a phase with moustaches and big glasses.
  3. Predictions for future trends include matte makeup and heavier eye looks in fashion, resurgence of pop DJs in music, colorful and experiential food trends, and a return to VSCO filters in social media aesthetics.

3 Projects at Mirlo Studio · UPDATES

Mirlo Studio • 0 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration NFTs Design Education Music Humanities
  1. The Winter collection by Mirlo Studio is having a public sale for NFTs, with six pieces still available for collectors.
  2. Manuelita collection by Georgina Mauriño at Mirlo Studio is now showcased on a YouTube channel by Música por la Ciencia.
  3. MIRLOS platform by Mirlo Studio focuses on Music, Arts, and Humanities to offer decentralized learning opportunities for all ages.

Deciding the Structure for GPU Draw Commands

Hasen Judi • 0 implied HN points • 26 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Graphics Programming Design Hardware Software
  1. Deciding the structure for GPU draw commands involves implementing various elements like rounded rectangles, softness, masking, rotations, and color gradients to draw complex GUI elements.
  2. Consider the requirements and constraints of the GUI design, such as the need for bezier curves for specific use cases beyond SDF rounded rectangles.
  3. Improving the efficiency of drawing rectangles by simplifying parameters like corner radius, using turns instead of radians for rotations, and implementing a unified command struct for specifying properties of the draw commands.

Bottom line, up top

Mehdeeka • 0 implied HN points • 10 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design Creativity Marketing Writing Content
  1. Content design involves designing content for effective communication based on defined user needs.
  2. Efficiency in writing, such as getting to the point quickly, is crucial for engaging content.
  3. Consideration of accessibility and inclusivity in content creation is vital for ensuring all users can benefit from the information.

Why Play Is More Important Than Talent for Creativity

The Intersection • 0 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity Design Podcasts Interview Representation
  1. The permission to be wrong and freedom to play is crucial for creativity. Playful activities can help people step out of their comfort zones and reduce fear, fostering creativity, especially in corporate settings.
  2. Humility is key. Visiting craftspeople in Japan taught Ian the value of humble excellence, which he believes significantly impacts the final outcome of a product.
  3. Representation is important. Ian emphasizes the impact of having minority managers early in his career, recognizing the responsibility he has as a Black designer to pave the way for those who come after him.

Five thoughts for 2022

The Intersection • 0 implied HN points • 09 Jan 22
🕹 Technology Design Data Tech NFT Big Data
  1. 2022 is predicted to have ups and downs like 1999, followed by unexpected changes in the next 15-20 years.
  2. Creativity is now decentralized, open to anyone with determination to create, and technology plays a crucial role in democratizing creative work.
  3. The power is shifting from social media platforms to individual creators, making individual creators the focus rather than the platforms themselves.

The iMac

subtract • 0 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Computers Innovation Design History
  1. The iMac solved the problem of complexity in choosing a computer by combining everything into one package, making it easier and more appealing for consumers.
  2. Apple innovated by simplifying the connectivity process, using USB ports to replace multiple types and reducing the mental burden of setting up a computer.
  3. The iMac's aesthetic design, usability, and targeted marketing to educators made it the go-to choice for internet use, showing that simplicity and approachability can drive product success.

[Mock]Design a URL Shortening service like goo.gl or bit.ly

The ZenMode • 0 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Design System Architecture Security Scaling Database
  1. A URL shortening service converts long URLs into short, unique ones for easy sharing and remembering.
  2. The steps in shortening a URL involve inputting the long URL, generating a unique short URL, storing the mapping, and redirecting users to the original URL.
  3. Designing a URL shortening service includes high scalability, availability, key generation methods, security measures like rate limiting, and handling data growth using tools like distributed databases.

Understanding contrast ratio and accessibility

UX Psychology • 0 implied HN points • 14 Jan 22
🕹 Technology Accessibility Design User Interface
  1. Contrast ratio in design refers to how bright or dark colors appear on interfaces, impacting user perception and accessibility.
  2. Color blindness can affect how individuals perceive contrast, emphasizing the importance of designs that accommodate diverse visual needs.
  3. Adhering to WCAG guidelines for contrast ratios is crucial in ensuring accessibility for visually impaired users, but context and user-specific preferences should also be considered in design decisions.

AI Bring Back Analog Interfaces

Erik Explores • 0 implied HN points • 17 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Design Interfaces User Experience
  1. AI technology could bring back physical analog interfaces with buttons, dials, and sliders, allowing for innovative design concepts.
  2. Luxury brands use simple interfaces but signal sophistication through material quality and intricate design, challenging the assumption that simplicity equals low quality.
  3. Tactile feedback from physical interfaces like buttons and dials can be more user-friendly and efficient in tasks like driving and cooking compared to touch-based interfaces, due to the principle of progressive disclosure.

An insight into the future: What happens when Disney’s Magic Band system goes down?

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 21 Mar 15
🕹 Technology Systems Innovation Design
  1. Disney's Magic Band system went down, causing disruptions like no fast passes or park entry.
  2. Despite the system failure, Disney was prepared and had contingency plans in place, like recording transactions and billing later.
  3. The incident raises questions about the reliability of moving towards a cash-free society and the importance of incorporating backups into future designs.

USB-C and MagSafe

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 14 Mar 15
🕹 Technology Innovation Design Laptops
  1. Apple's new MacBook features only a USB-C port, replacing the traditional MagSafe power adaptor to enhance portability and battery life.
  2. The decision to remove MagSafe was likely driven by Apple's focus on battery optimization and the assumption that users would not frequently plug in the laptop during use.
  3. Apple is known for bold decisions like removing distinctive features in favor of design and functionality, which often positions them ahead of the industry trend.

Design, Tech & Algo, but nothing to show

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 29 Jul 16
🕹 Technology Design Tech Algorithms
  1. Focus on actually building something tangible rather than just talking about grand visions or concepts.
  2. It's important to iterate and test your ideas in order to make progress instead of just assuming you know the exact direction to take.
  3. When working on consumer products, ensure that there is something meaningful and usable to show to the public.

Arc: a modern browser.

Minute Review • 0 implied HN points • 13 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Browsers User Experience Design Updates
  1. Arc is a modern browser built on Chromium, similar to Chrome but with a new UI and UX.
  2. Arc has great design aesthetics, but the UX may require some learning and adjustment, especially with its unique features like separate workspaces.
  3. Although Arc has some energy cost and bug issues, it's still worth giving a try for its refreshing technology and free onboarding.

This is how tech is using behavioral science today

The Kahneman Bot • 0 implied HN points • 13 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Behavioral Science Product Management Design Engineering
  1. Product squads in tech actively use psychology and behavior science tactics like personalization and defaults to drive metrics.
  2. Top nudges used today include personalization, timely prompts, defaults, and social norms, while scarcity and commitment devices are less common.
  3. Personalization and defaults are perceived as the most effective techniques for driving metrics in tech products, with defaults being notably effective in behavioral science.

FAQ: Product and Design in early stage startups

Curious product • 0 implied HN points • 17 Mar 23
💼 Business Product Design Startups
  1. Having a full-time designer is often more beneficial for early stage startups than having a full-time product manager.
  2. In a product squad, engineering, product, and design roles should be balanced and share accountability for the product's success.
  3. Deciding whether product and design should be under the same leadership depends on factors like team development and domain knowledge.

Workflow orchestrators: Metaflow, Kedro, Luigi, Airflow, Flyte, Prefect and others

Data Science Daily • 0 implied HN points • 05 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Comparison Integration Design Debugging
  1. There are numerous workflow orchestrators available for data scientists to choose from.
  2. Consider the tool's design, local/remote running capabilities, and ease of interacting with output when selecting a workflow orchestrator.
  3. Choose a workflow orchestrator based on your specific use case, whether it's for data engineers, ML engineers, or data scientists.