The hottest Design Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Culture Topics

Intentionally spiraling out

Austin Kleon • 1958 implied HN points • 25 Feb 22
🎭️ Culture Design
  1. A simple notebook exercise can help reduce anxiety and make you feel a bit better. It's a small step to calm the mind.
  2. Listening to Mel Brooks' memoir is not just funny; it feels sweet and comforting. It's like connecting with family through his stories.
  3. Pre-ordering the special edition of 'Steal Like an Artist' is a great way to support and celebrate its 10th anniversary, plus you'll get a signed copy!

Features & Options Revisited

Software Design: Tidy First? • 220 implied HN points • 13 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Design
  1. Software has two main ways to create value: features and options. Features are what the software can do now, and options are what it can potentially do in the future.
  2. Features give immediate benefits, while options provide possibilities for growth and adaptation. It's important to balance both in software design.
  3. It's essential to have a clear plan and structure when developing software. This helps ensure that all important parts are included and can be effectively communicated.

Type

Fragmentary • 353 implied HN points • 13 Jun 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  1. Typography is important and can reveal a lot about a person.
  2. Different materials and mediums can impact the styling and design of typography.
  3. Typography can have a significant impact on readability and accessibility, particularly for individuals with dyslexia.
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#140 Design everywhere you look

Design Lobster • 339 implied HN points • 02 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  1. Japanese manhole covers are beautifully designed with regional variations to tell local stories, sparking the phenomenon of "drainspotting."
  2. The Monobloc chair, mass-produced from plastic since the 70s, is both recognizable yet nondescript, symbolizing consumerism and plastic pollution.
  3. Design can become ubiquitous through accessibility and impact on low-income families, challenging perceptions of ecological impact.

#133 Fully aligned design 📐

Design Lobster • 379 implied HN points • 15 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  1. European palaces used the architectural technique of enfilade to showcase hierarchy and status
  2. Donald Judd's furniture design focused on simplicity and honest materials
  3. Alignment in design signifies care and is an essential element in creating impactful designs

Refactoring: Narrow ↔ Widen Parameter

Software Design: Tidy First? • 530 implied HN points • 25 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Design
  1. Narrowing and widening parameters are important techniques in refactoring code. They help make the code more flexible and easier to understand.
  2. Refactoring can initially seem tricky, but it can also be enjoyable and rewarding. It's a good practice to keep improving your code.
  3. Getting feedback on your refactoring efforts is valuable. It helps you see what works and what can be improved.

Beyond Five Seconds: Rethinking First Impressions in UX

UX Psychology • 238 implied HN points • 08 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Design
  1. First impressions are crucial in UX and can influence user engagement throughout their interaction with an interface.
  2. Traditional 'five-second tests' in UX may not account for variations in users' cognitive abilities and the complexity of visual designs.
  3. To enhance UX design, consider customizing testing based on cognitive abilities, evaluating visual complexity, and rethinking the standard 'five-second rule.'

Fold paper, make zines, take an art class!!!

vrk loves paper • 239 implied HN points • 07 Dec 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  1. Taking art classes, like figure drawing, can significantly improve your skills and understanding of art. It's great to learn techniques hands-on with a teacher guiding you.
  2. Making zines can be a fun and creative way to express yourself. It's exciting to see your work shared and sold in stores, making it feel more official.
  3. Exploring new hobbies, like origami or paper crafts, can be a fun and fulfilling way to spend your time. It helps with relaxation and creativity, especially during festive seasons.

🎂 This all started a year ago

🔮 Crafting Tech Teams • 79 implied HN points • 24 Apr 24
💼 Business Design
  1. The past year involved successful podcast testing, mentoring, and community building in the engineering field.
  2. Balancing multiple content creation channels and refining strategies was essential for sustained growth in the coaching and content business.
  3. Feedback from surveys and direct interactions highlighted the importance of clear design, diversified content, and fostering a supportive learning environment in the coaching and content creation journey.

Fossil records and paper trails

Austin Kleon • 1159 implied HN points • 12 Aug 22
🎭️ Culture Design
  1. Museums can go paperless, which makes us think about the importance of both fossil records and how we document our lives.
  2. Trilobites are fascinating creatures, and there's a lot we can learn from their history and the work of scientists like Richard Fortey.
  3. Sometimes, dreaming of a simple life, like living on an island, can inspire us to appreciate art and literature more deeply.

The woman who shaped the look of Aja

Expanding Dan • 314 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  1. Patti Mitsui was instrumental in creating the iconic cover design of Steely Dan's 1977 album Aja.
  2. Mitsui, along with Oz Studios, added the striking red calligraphic letters to the cover, complementing the photo of Sayoko Yamaguchi.
  3. Despite her significant contribution, Mitsui remains relatively unknown among Steely Dan fans and has worked in public relations for decades.

We are crowdfunding $ for design!

Offline: dating that works • 39 implied HN points • 18 Jun 24
💼 Business Design
  1. The team is crowdfunding $5K for design to improve their product, starting with a minimum viable design and then progressing to marketing and user recruitment efforts.
  2. They are seeking support through financial pledges, volunteer resources, spreading the word, and connecting with potential users for research interviews.
  3. The project aims to evolve from a demo site to a consumer-ready product through iterative funding rounds and community engagement.

The Dazzle Camo Edition

Why is this interesting? • 482 implied HN points • 05 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Design
  1. Dazzle camo is a design technique that started in World War I to confuse enemy targeting, using bold geometric patterns. It helps to break up the shape of an object, making it harder to see and aim at.
  2. Car manufacturers adopted a modern version of dazzle camo to protect their prototype vehicles from spy photography. Even though these prototypes look attention-grabbing, the patterns are meant to confuse potential onlookers about the actual design.
  3. Today, prototypes often embrace their visibility with eye-catching patterns and even QR codes. This shift turns a potential exposure risk into a marketing opportunity, generating public interest instead of hiding away.

#142 Design Quality

Design Lobster • 239 implied HN points • 27 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  1. Design quality can encompass an intangible 'quality without a name' that includes aspects like wholeness, humaneness, and timelessness.
  2. Ordinary elements in design can be elevated to almost art-like status through thoughtful design decisions.
  3. Focusing on delivering high-quality products can drive user engagement, positive experiences, and growth for a business.

Letters from the field #5 - Season 2 announcement + Call for participation

On Looking • 79 implied HN points • 19 Apr 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  1. Season 2 of the research will focus on exploring the perspectives of designers, art directors, editors, and production managers in the creative industry.
  2. The research involves conducting in-person interviews as well as observations within magazines, design studios, and advertising agencies in New York to understand how creative professionals work and make decisions.
  3. The researcher is seeking New York-based creatives to participate in the study, emphasizing the importance of observations in workspaces to gather insights for the research.

(Attempting) Good by Design

Technically Optimistic • 59 implied HN points • 13 May 24
🕹 Technology Design
  1. Use the right technology for the task to ensure accurate and helpful information is provided, like in the case of developing an AI assistant for legal asylum application support.
  2. Focus on a narrow problem space to avoid generating incorrect outcomes, and involve authorized users in the technology to build trust through genuine partnerships.
  3. Bring in human validation to improve AI responses, prioritize data privacy in sensitive fields like legal assistance, and aim for developing human-centered programs for wider benefit.

Issue 07 – A Holiday Wrap Up

Unbox Inbox • 198 implied HN points • 19 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Design
  1. The post discusses the art of gift wrapping, showcasing unique and creative wrapping paper designs suitable for all occasions.
  2. The author shares the best books they read in the year, highlighting diverse genres and providing personal insights and recommendations.
  3. The post includes a festive section with various holiday-related inspirations, from Austrian holiday cards to peppermint bark chocolate bars, contributing to the holiday spirit.

The Art of Animated Titles

Animation Obsessive • 986 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  1. The post discusses the art of animated titles during the mid-century era, particularly focusing on the animated movie titles of that time.
  2. The newsletter references Saul Bass's title sequence for Bonjour Tristesse (1958) and how it inspired elements seen in modern films like Pixar's The Incredibles.
  3. There's an invitation to subscribe to the Animation Obsessive newsletter for a 7-day free trial to access more content on animated titles and their history.

Flying Solo

Software Design: Tidy First? • 463 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Design
  1. Time is precious, and we should focus on spending it in meaningful ways. It's important to prioritize what truly matters in our lives.
  2. Stepping down from a role can be a way to reclaim your time and energy. Sometimes, less responsibility can lead to a more fulfilling life.
  3. Believing in a mission or team is important, but personal time and happiness should come first. Balancing passion with personal needs is key.

County Highway

The Hunt for Tom Clancy • 275 implied HN points • 24 Jul 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  1. The story of County Highway turned out to be uplifting, contrary to expectations of a depressing tale.
  2. Meeting Dixon Palmer, a successful farmer, turned the story into a positive experience.
  3. Readers can access County Highway through physical newspaper copies available at certain stores.

Meeting Prevents Exceeding

Software Design: Tidy First? • 353 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Design
  1. You can't meet and exceed expectations at the same time. Focusing only on meeting others' expectations can limit your personal growth.
  2. Setting your own goals helps you think independently and be more creative. When you manage your own expectations, you can achieve unexpected results.
  3. Learning to take risks and act on your own ideas is important for growth as an engineer. The more you practice this, the better you'll become at finding your own path.

The poetry of Steiner systems

A Piece of the Pi: mathematics explained • 42 implied HN points • 14 Nov 25
🎭️ Culture Design
  1. A Steiner triple system is made up of a set and its unique 3-element subsets, called blocks. Each pair of elements only appears together in one block.
  2. Kirkman's Schoolgirl Problem is about scheduling walks for girls so each pair walks together just once. This problem is an example of how Steiner systems can solve real-life scenarios.
  3. Resolving Steiner systems allows for structured arrangements that can be creatively used, like constructing poetry, where each block represents a line and unique keyword pairs are included in an organized way.

The Infinite Wonder Of... London Street Furniture

Londonist: Time Machine • 259 implied HN points • 02 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Design
  1. London street furniture like phone boxes and bollards can hold infinite surprises and creativity, from book-swaps to woolen decorations.
  2. Interesting initiatives like converting phone boxes into unique shops and decorating post boxes showcase the creativity in London's streets.
  3. Even seemingly mundane objects like bollards have gained online popularity and inspired products like bollard-themed tea towels.

The Signs of Eveningside

Crewdson Trail Log • 216 implied HN points • 09 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  1. The importance of signs and design details in setting the scene and telling a story through photography
  2. Collaboration between artists and designers to create authentic and aged-looking signs for the series
  3. Incorporating small details like license plates and period-specific designs to enhance the overall aesthetic of the photographs

Dispatch from Sundance

Chance Operations • 158 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration 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 Design
  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.

The Rimowa Edition

Why is this interesting? • 1568 implied HN points • 23 May 23
🎭️ Culture Design
  1. Rimowa highlights the value of imperfections in their luggage as storytelling elements.
  2. Rimowa educates new consumers to appreciate scratches and dents as part of the luggage's charm.
  3. Marketing by Rimowa emphasizes a lifetime of memories associated with their luggage, promoting emotional connections.

#124 Design Symbols

Design Lobster • 499 implied HN points • 12 Dec 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  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.

Massive Update Post

Chance Operations • 257 implied HN points • 20 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design
  1. Massive update on the Venice Biennale and a sneak peek at limited posters for the film 'Eno'.
  2. Experience a new design film about LOT-EK's innovative upcycling practices.
  3. Upcoming limited-edition posters for the documentary 'Eno' showcase revolutionary generative software.

A Guide on Semiconductor Development

Irrational Analysis • 239 implied HN points • 02 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Design
  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 Design
  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.