The hottest Design Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Dispatch from Sundance

Chance Operations • 158 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Film Technology Creativity Design
  1. The documentary 'Eno' premiered at Sundance to sold-out audiences and sparked discussions about the future of technology and film.
  2. The film 'Eno' is created using generative software, resulting in a unique viewing experience every time it's shown.
  3. There has been significant press coverage and excitement surrounding the film 'Eno' and its innovative approach to filmmaking.

The Future of Design? Using AI to Enhance Human Cognition and Creativity

UX Psychology • 119 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Design Metacognition UX
  1. Monitoring emotional reactions in design using AI and biosensors can promote self-reflection and enhance creativity in UX work.
  2. The Multi-Self tool combines EEG sensors and machine learning to provide real-time feedback on emotional responses during design tasks.
  3. Designers showed varying responses to AI-based emotional feedback, with novices relying on it more for guidance while experts often trusted their own judgment.

#124 Design Symbols

Design Lobster • 499 implied HN points • 12 Dec 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Design Symbols Origins Meaning
  1. The origin of common design symbols can often be traced back to specific historical contexts, like the play button symbolizing movement of tape in early tape players.
  2. Symbols can efficiently represent values and concepts; for example, the Nike swoosh symbolizing motion and victory communicates brand values effectively.
  3. Symbols acquire meaning through habitual use, highlighting the power of symbols in communication and representation in design.
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A Guide on Semiconductor Development

Irrational Analysis • 239 implied HN points • 02 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Semiconductors Design Verification Manufacturing Packaging
  1. Semiconductor development involves a complex process that can take 2-4 years to create a leading-edge chip, starting from digital design to post-silicon validation.
  2. Timing closure is a crucial step in the design process, ensuring that the delays of various circuit elements are aligned with reference clocks to optimize chip performance.
  3. Pre-silicon verification is essential before tape-out to catch physical design flaws that might impact the functionality and performance of the chip.

Thinking on the page

Austin Kleon • 1278 implied HN points • 08 Feb 22
🎭️ Culture Art Writing Creativity Design Philosophy
  1. Writing and drawing help to develop ideas, rather than just expressing them. Sometimes you need to start making marks to discover what you really think.
  2. Thinking is a back-and-forth process between your mind and your materials. What you draw or write can lead to new thoughts and connections.
  3. It's important to externalize your ideas on paper. By getting them out of your head, you can see patterns and create new insights more easily.

Primordial USB on Atari 8-bits

Goto 10: The Newsletter for Atari Enthusiasts • 117 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Computers Connectivity Design History
  1. Atari 8-bit computers were more advanced than other personal computers of the late 1970s, with superior graphics and design.
  2. Atari used a well-designed Serial Input/Output (SIO) connector for peripherals, allowing easy connection and daisy-chaining of devices.
  3. The Atari SIO connector, developed by Joe Decuir, served as a predecessor to the USB standard due to its single-port, plug-and-play design.

A true mini store

Tabletops • 137 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Design Architecture
  1. A new mini store was created in a 1:64 scale model of Apple Garosugil in Seoul, meticulously detailed and crafted by Juyeong.
  2. Apple Hongdae, a new outdoor store in Seoul, is set to open on January 20 with a unique curved glass corner entrance near Hongik University.
  3. Apple Nanjing East in China underwent renovations, including a new upper level design with Avenues and a rare 5-foot MagSafe bay.

Do People Prefer Curved Lines?

UX Psychology • 218 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
🔬 Science Psychology Design Perception Cognition User Experience
  1. Research indicates that people generally prefer curved lines over straight or angular ones due to associations with grace and gentleness.
  2. Preference for curves is not just psychological, but has roots in our perception of safety and nurture, related to our evolutionary past.
  3. In design, understanding people's preference for curved lines can help create more visually appealing and effective products, but individual factors like personality and culture also play a role.

Beauty in Simplicity

Mindful Matrix • 119 implied HN points • 21 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Principles Design Simplicity Innovation
  1. Simplicity in software engineering is crucial for elegant solutions. Simple code is easier to maintain, read, and collaborate on.
  2. Prioritizing simplicity leads to streamlined debugging, improved scalability, and lower technical debt. It makes adapting and deploying software faster and more user-centric.
  3. Applying simplicity principles involves starting simple, avoiding premature optimization, focusing on core features, implementing incrementally, and leveraging existing tools. Embracing simplicity in coding doesn't mean avoiding complexity entirely, but finding beauty and efficiency in straightforward solutions.

Ion Torrent Proton Chip Manifold

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 09 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Innovation Engineering Hardware Design Manufacturing
  1. The Ion Torrent Proton uses a unique chip manifold design that is quite intricate and beautiful. It seems it can't be made from a single piece; instead, it might need to be made in two parts and then joined together.
  2. The chip manifold's complexity showcases advanced engineering in its design and fabrication process. This attention to detail highlights the innovation in developing such technology.
  3. The information shared is for paid subscribers, indicating that there are exclusive insights available for those who support the content. It's a way to provide deeper knowledge to interested readers.

⬜ The meaning of a moka pot

One Thing • 158 implied HN points • 23 Nov 23
🍲 Food & Drink Coffee Design Culture History
  1. Moka pot is a classic kitchen item with a design for good coffee but may not always produce amazing coffee.
  2. The moka pot's appeal lies in its ability to transcend trends and societal distinctions, making it a versatile and enduring coffee maker for many.
  3. Upgrading to fancier versions of the moka pot may not always guarantee better coffee quality, as the simplicity and functionality of the original design can hold its own against modern iterations.

Concept design in three easy steps

Subconscious • 711 implied HN points • 19 May 23
🕹 Technology Design Software Apps Concepts Engineering
  1. View software design as shaping functionality, understand what it should do first before how it does it or how it looks.
  2. Break down app functionalities into modular concepts, each with its own behavior and actions, combine existing concepts creatively.
  3. Design concepts to function independently, sync actions to ensure smooth interaction, focus on how concepts fit together to improve usability.

a website is a sanctuary

escape the algorithm • 519 implied HN points • 30 Aug 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Design Website Space Inspiration Community
  1. A home can be more than just a physical place; it can also exist as a digital sanctuary where visitors can dwell and explore.
  2. Naming spaces, like the Firefly Sanctuary, can give them meaning and influence how others interact with and perceive them.
  3. Websites and physical spaces can inspire each other - HTML and CSS as structures in web design can be compared to the structural aspect of living in and arranging a physical space.

The Lone Toad Newsletter - August 2023

The Lone Toad - Croaker RPGs Newsletter • 179 implied HN points • 05 Aug 23
🎨 Art & Illustration RPG Solo RPGs Board Games Design Newsletter
  1. Hex crawling solo in RPGs can be engaging by incorporating random encounters, multiple characters, and creating stories from clues and rumors.
  2. Running a small group of characters in a solo hexcrawl adventure can advance the story and keep things interesting.
  3. Duets games, like Badger + Coyote by Pandion Games, offer a full RPG experience with less than a full group, showcasing the cozy experience of unlikely friends working together.

The Last 1% of Work

Multimodal by Bakz T. Future • 2 implied HN points • 01 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Art Design Creativity Philosophy Technology
  1. The 'last mile' of work is crucial and often reveals what a project could have been if given more time and resources. It's when you see the potential and realize what didn't quite work out.
  2. Reworking a project multiple times to reach its true essence is important. Sometimes, the best results come from refining and improving what you've created.
  3. We should value quality over simply finishing a project. It's better to hold back and not share something that isn't good rather than just celebrating completion.

15 years moving

Objet • 98 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Design Lifestyle Culture Literature Creativity
  1. The author reflects on 15 years of moving and how it changed their relationship with objects, leading to intentional decision-making.
  2. They embrace the practice of regularly parting ways with objects that no longer serve them, avoiding impulse buying and trends.
  3. Learning to be intentional with objects involves improving judgment, saying no to unnecessary burdens, and being prepared for change.

🖐 5 more ideas about design

Design Lobster • 479 implied HN points • 29 Aug 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  1. Embrace the concept of ugliness in design to stand out in a world of uniformity.
  2. Design with consideration for multiple senses, not just visual, to create a deeper impact on users.
  3. Avoid relying solely on averages in design as individual fit can lead to more effective user experiences.

Creating love stories from metal. And melting them down when they end.

Men Yell at Me • 259 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Jewelry Design Craftsmanship Symbolism
  1. Creating personalized story rings with unique designs like mountains or bird feathers can be a powerful way to symbolize love and connection.
  2. Repurposing wedding rings after a divorce by melting them down can be a cathartic and transformative process, helping individuals let go of emotional baggage and begin a new chapter.
  3. Jewelry holds deep connections to personal stories and histories, making it more than just a material possession - it can represent relationships, memories, and values.

Inside the utopian cities of Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power

The Novelleist • 629 implied HN points • 04 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design Architecture Fantasy Technology
  1. Designing for utopian worlds involves incorporating greenery and water to create a sense of life and comfort.
  2. Political structures can impact the ability to create utopian cities, as seen in contrasting examples like Saudi Arabia and the democratic process in Santa Monica.
  3. Technology can enhance our future, but it's essential to ensure it sustains human connection and values, like community and empathy.

Months Late Game Review, Part 2. ... Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Some Bad Things.

The Bottom Feeder • 315 implied HN points • 07 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Gaming Design Criticism Storytelling Inventory Management
  1. Deep criticism of games may not always engage a wide audience.
  2. Critiquing games can help keep design skills fresh and provide valuable design exercises.
  3. Large games like Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom may have flaws, such as excessive encounter reuse and key plot elements revealed too early.

#128 Feeling blue 💙

Design Lobster • 259 implied HN points • 20 Feb 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design Color Theory Ceramics Creativity
  1. The cyanometer is a historical scientific device used to measure the blueness of the sky, providing insights about the atmosphere and light behavior.
  2. Spode "Blue Italian" porcelain is a classic design that mixes Chinese Imari elements with a pastoral scene, showcasing a blend of themes to create something unique and commercially successful.
  3. Creativity in design involves seeing things through one's own perspective, as artist Paul Gauguin emphasized in the quote about making a tree blue if one sees it that way, highlighting the importance of authenticity and personal interpretation in design.

India’s Chip War

ChinaTalk • 148 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Semiconductors Manufacturing Software Design Globalization
  1. India excels in software and design but faces challenges in manufacturing semiconductors due to historical economic policies that hindered growth in hardware and manufacturing sectors.
  2. India's approach to semiconductor industry development differed from Taiwan and China, starting from the design end rather than electronics assembly, posing challenges due to lack of a broader electronics ecosystem and global integration.
  3. Software industry in India thrived due to less restrictive regulations compared to hardware industries like semiconductors heavily controlled under small-scale industry reservations, hindering growth in manufacturing sectors.

Good Luck / Block

Nice Try • 59 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Art Literature Music Philosophy Design
  1. Sometimes noise and chaos can block our creativity. It's important to find quiet moments to think clearly.
  2. Writers can struggle with finding things to say, especially during tough times. It's okay to feel stuck, but we can always work through it.
  3. Our environment affects how we write. A good or bad environment can change our mood and productivity.

Mother of Frankenstein: Volume One

Have You Played? • 78 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Puzzle Storytelling Design Strategy
  1. Mother of Frankenstein: Volume One is a tabletop puzzle game that feels weightier due to its subject and length.
  2. The game features puzzles that are well-designed and include elements of wordplay and narrative storytelling.
  3. There is a lack of urgency in the story's pacing and the game's marketing does not effectively explain why players should care about the secret being unearthed.

#125 Design calling 📞

Design Lobster • 279 implied HN points • 09 Jan 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  1. Predictive text like T9 technology for mobile phones drastically speeds up text entry by predicting what you meant to type based on a single tap.
  2. The Lobster Telephone by Salvador Dali collides everyday objects with unique elements to create a surreal and thought-provoking design that challenges how we see the world.
  3. Steve Jobs' quote emphasizes the importance of taking action and making the first call to turn dreams into reality, highlighting the significance of initiative and courage.

⬜ Luxury in the Pokémon era

One Thing • 118 implied HN points • 22 Nov 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Luxury Collaboration Jewelry Design Nostalgia
  1. Rimowa is expanding their luxury brand image with new products like backpacks and handbags, maintaining a cosmopolitan aesthetic.
  2. Tiffany's collaboration with The Pokémon Company is criticized for a lack of childlike fun and adding unnecessary luxury to the brand's cultural existence.
  3. Different luxury brands require unique strategies for success in the market, as seen with Rimowa and Tiffany's distinct approaches.

Forté #19

SJF • 78 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Music Inspiration Design Culture Creativity
  1. The beauty and significance of orange blossoms in Tunisia
  2. Alternative ways to share work and life outside of social media
  3. Exploration of ethereal ambient music like the self-titled record from Christina Vantzou, Michael Harrison, and John Also Bennett