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We've chosen a couple of our favourite episodes as recommended place to get started listening to the show.

March 11, 2024
286: Should you take deadlines seriously?

In this episode, Charli and Femke give an elaborate reply to one of the listener's requests: whether deadlines should be taken seriously.

February 26, 2024
285: The truth about burnout (and recovery)

In this episode we are going to talk about how to recognise you are burned out, how to handle it and the importance of defining what is healthy balance for you.

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March 11, 2024
286: Should you take deadlines seriously?

In this episode, Charli and Femke give an elaborate reply to one of the listener's requests: whether deadlines should be taken seriously.

February 26, 2024
285: The truth about burnout (and recovery)

In this episode we are going to talk about how to recognise you are burned out and how to handle it

February 12, 2024
284: Our Career and Personal Goals for 2024

Welcome to the first episode of 2024. In this episode we are going to share our goals for the year ahead when it comes to our careers, side

December 5, 2023
283: Our copywriting process

In this episode of the Design Life podcast we chat about all things copywriting!

August 14, 2023
282: Reliving our Config experience

Thank you Config for a fantastic conference!

July 24, 2023
281: How to make the most of a design conference

In this episode we share our favourite tips for making the most of a conference to maximise learning, connection and most importantly - fun!

June 20, 2023
280: Preparing for a feature launch as a designer

Preparing for a feature launch as a designer is such an exciting time!

May 15, 2023
279: Validating design solutions

Today on the Design Life podcast we are answering a listener question about how to validate a design

May 2, 2023
278: Are you on the right path in your design career?

Wondering if you are on the right path in your design career?

April 17, 2023
277: Learning throughout different stages of your design career

This week on Design Life we’re chatting about learning throughout different stages of our design careers.

April 3, 2023
276: Managing in different directions

Find yourself in a new role and managing in different directions? Us too!

March 20, 2023
275: The realities of being a manager AND an IC

How do we manage the split between IC work and being a manager, while balancing the responsibilities of both in our day to day work?

February 27, 2023
274: Are you inexperienced if you don't name your layers?

Are you an inexperienced designer if you don't name your layers?

December 12, 2022
273: Our thoughts on the state of the design industry

In our last episode of 2022, we share our thoughts on the state of the design industry.

December 5, 2022
272: Deciding what side projects to tackle in 2023

Planning your side projects for 2023?

November 14, 2022
271: Annual planning as a design leader in tech

In this episode we share how we're tackling annual planning with collaboration in mind.

November 7, 2022
270: Positioning your portfolio for a design manager role

Trying to make the move from designer to manager?

October 31, 2022
269: Fitting in socially in the workplace

Building relationships with your colleagues at works takes time and patience.

October 17, 2022
268: A real look into today's design interview process

A real look into today's design interview process, what is it like trying to get a job in this economy?

October 10, 2022
267: How much did Charli earn this year?

On Design Life we like to talk openly about money when we can, including our annual income reports! This time it's Charli's turn.

October 3, 2022
266: Femke quit her job!

Femke quit her job! After a year in her current role Femke is moving on to an exciting new opportunity.

September 26, 2022
265: Adobe is buying Figma? Let's talk about it

News of Figma being acquired by Adobe has everyone talking, what does this mean for one of our most used design tools?

September 12, 2022
264: Design education and conferences, on a budget

How to create opportunities which promote design education for your team and foster a great design culture, on a budget.

September 5, 2022
263: How we communicate async at work

Today on Design Life we answer a listener question about about all the asynchronous communication methods we use at work.

August 15, 2022
262: What makes a good design manager

What makes a good manager and how can an IC help support a new manager to do their best?

August 8, 2022
261: What it's like to work in six week cycles

Do you use six week cycles where you work?

August 1, 2022
260: Taking a sabbatical

In this episode we chat about Charli’s recent sabbatical

July 18, 2022
259: Shipping a new design system!

Femke recently shipped a new design system and today on Design Life we are discussing the highs and lows of taking on such a project!

June 13, 2022
258: Retaining the joy of side projects with Honest UX Talks

Hear from Honest UX Talks about how they retain the joy in their side projects

May 30, 2022
257: Collaboration between senior and junior designers

This week on Design Life we chat specifically about collaborating with designers of a different level.

May 23, 2022
256: Conducting design audits

How can you make the most of a design audit? Keep consistency in mind, improve popular assets and implement recommendations.

May 16, 2022
255: The pay gap between product and marketing designers

What is causing the pay gap between marketing/brand designers and product designers, and how can we work towards closing it?

May 9, 2022
254: Is the vibe shifting in design?

Who are the companies shaping the vibe design-wise this year and how do we update our vibe without following trends?

May 2, 2022
253: Setting boundaries at work

Boundaries are really important, and they've become even more important as more of us are working from home.

April 25, 2022
252: Why you should care about performance reviews

Performance reviews can be beneficial, even when they aren’t related to a bonus or a pay rise.

April 18, 2022
251: Why getting better at writing can help your design career

Use inspiration when it strikes to help your writing stand out.

April 11, 2022
250: When starting a new job feels like you're starting from scratch

In this episode we’re tackling a listener question, from a designer starting a new job and feeling like they’re starting from scratch again!

April 4, 2022
249: What the heck are MVP's (and how to do them well)

This week on Design Life we answer a listener question, what the heck are MVPs (and how to do them well).

March 28, 2022
248: Monetising side projects with Sara Brunettini

Today we’re chatting about monetising side projects with our guest, Sara Brunettini.

March 21, 2022
247: Are you falling behind if you don't understand Web3?

Listen to find out how NFTs and Web3 are being viewed by two people outside the community.

March 14, 2022
246: The design interview process needs to change

The design interview process needs to change.

February 28, 2022
245: We just don't get along! (Dealing with workplace conflict)

Need advice about dealing with conflict at work?

February 21, 2022
244: How to choose (or advocate for!) the design projects you want to work on

You might not always be able to choose your projects but there are ways to advocate for the types of projects you would like best.

February 14, 2022
243: Tips for organizing design files

When it comes to organizing your files, it is less about the tool itself and more about everyone in the team being on the same page.

February 7, 2022
242: Why designers should care about business metrics

Understanding business metrics and how your work helps achieve company goals can be a very useful skill to have as a designer.

January 31, 2022
241: Creating a design system for the first time

We share our struggles and triumphs creating design systems at work.

January 24, 2022
240: The difference between Junior and Senior designers

What is the difference between a Junior and a Senior designer? Don’t they essentially do the same job?

January 17, 2022
239: Different ways to structure a design team

Today on Design Life we chat about why our team structure works best for us and how other companies (like Dropbox!) organise their teams.

January 10, 2022
238: Setting goals for 2022

We spend our first episode of 2022 talking about our goals, plans and dreams for the year ahead.

December 20, 2021
237: Our growth as designers in 2021

In our last episode of 2021, we reflect on our growth as designers this year.

December 13, 2021
236: Juggling multiple priorities at work

In this episode we share how we prioritise, say no (sometimes!) and still create our best work.

December 6, 2021
235: How does where you live impact you as a designer?

How does where you live impact you as a designer? We chat about where we have felt most inspired and most welcome in our careers so far

November 29, 2021
234: Are you ready to commit to a new side hustle?

Listen to our chat about committing to new side hustles, inspired by the launch of Femke’s design community.

November 23, 2021
233: Increasing the pace of your design

Today we’re talking about pace. The more experience we have, the quicker and more efficient we become.

November 15, 2021
232: Do you NEED to do research before you design?

In this week’s episode of Design Life we answer a listener question - Do you NEED to do research before you design? (Maybe not!)

November 8, 2021
231: Why Femke left Uber

In this episode of Design Life, hear all about Femke's new job at Wealthsimple.

November 1, 2021
230: After summer catch up

Welcome back to the Design Life podcast, catch up with us in our first episode after the summer break.

June 29, 2021
229: Side hustle income streams

Today on Design Life we discuss our side hustle income stream growth from the past twelve months.

June 21, 2021
228: Ways to keep learning and growing

As a designer, your skillset is always growing and there is always more to learn.

June 15, 2021
227: Building self awareness

Today on Design Life we answer another listener question, this time about self awareness as a designer.

June 8, 2021
226: Decision making as a creative lead

Today on Design Life we chat about how to find the balance between being decisive, seeking help and leading your team with confidence.

May 31, 2021
225: Finding your why

Do you know your ‘why’, the thing that fuels you in your professional and personal life?

May 25, 2021
224: Crafting effective case studies

Join us as we dive deep into how to craft a great case study that shows off not just your project, but your skills too.

May 18, 2021
223: Why focusing on your portfolio will pay off

Spending time on your portfolio is time well spent when searching for a new job, but how can you maximise your portfolio even further?

May 10, 2021
222: Taking initiative at work

The further you want to get, the more initiative you need to show.

May 3, 2021
221: Building design team culture

Today on Design Life we chat about how to build a strong culture within your design team.

April 19, 2021
220: The relationship between design and product

Listen as we dive deep into how to make the most of the relationship between product and design so you can make your best work.

April 13, 2021
219: Daily themes to get more work done

The challenges and benefits of using daily themes to get work done.

April 6, 2021
218: Become a manager or stay an IC?

Is becoming a manager the next step in your career?

March 22, 2021
217: Why you should share your work

This week on Design Life we talk about how to start sharing your work so you can enjoy the benefits of working in public along with some pro

March 15, 2021
216: Taking ownership of your career growth

Pursuing your dream career takes courage but the risk is worth the reward.

February 23, 2021
215: Running a hack day

Have you ever thought about organising a hack or jam day at your work?

February 8, 2021
214: Our daily routine

Today on Design Life we chat all things daily routines and really break down how we spend each part of our day.

January 25, 2021
212: Inside the design hiring process

Today on Design Life we talk about hiring from the perspective of the person actually doing the hiring.

January 18, 2021
211: Ageism in the tech industry

In today’s episode of Design Life we talk about ageism in the tech industry.

January 12, 2021
210: Our plans for 2021

As has become tradition on the Design Life podcast, we take the first episode of the new year to talk about our goals, our hopes and our int

December 2, 2020
207: Outsourcing work and hiring help for side projects

As two busy creators with side projects and full time jobs we have recently needed a little extra help, which we have found in the form of o

November 23, 2020
206: How to have productive meetings

In this episode of Design Life we discuss how to have a productive meeting, remotely.

November 16, 2020
205: How designers could use Facebook ads to get clients

Special guest Mocja Žove shares how designers can use Facebook ads

October 19, 2020
203: Running a design-focused Instagram

On this episode of Design Life we talk about running a design-focused Instagram account.

October 12, 2020
202: Charli gets a promotion!

In this episode of Design Life we discuss something really exciting - Charli’s recent promotion to Creative Director at Convertkit!

September 28, 2020
201: Being the only designer on the team

What's it like being a solo designer, the only designer on a team or even in an entire company?

September 21, 2020
200: Does using design freebies make you less of a designer?

Does using design freebies makes you any less of a designer?

September 14, 2020
199: How direct is TOO direct with feedback?

How direct is being too direct with feedback and general workplace communication?

September 8, 2020
198: Making friends at work

How much of yourself you should bring to work and how can you build friendships with the people you work with?

August 24, 2020
197: Should you go to design school?

“Should I go to design school?” – The answer varies depending on where you are in your career, how you learn best and what goals you have.

August 17, 2020
196: Should you have to work nights and weekends to succeed in tech?

Should you have to work nights and weekends to succeed in tech?

August 11, 2020
195: Working with freelancers

In this episode of Design Life we discuss working with freelancers and contractors.

August 3, 2020
194: The future of AI/ML in design

As artificial intelligence and machine learning begin to impact the design industry in new ways, the future of design may differ from the wa

July 27, 2020
193: Too many meetings

Have you ever felt that you have so many meetings in one week that you don’t have time to get your work done?

July 6, 2020
192: How to reach out for advice

In this episode we discuss different ways to ask for advice and how to reach out to people kindly.

June 29, 2020
191: Attaching self worth to your work

With more people than ever before working from home (WFH) our relationship with our work is changing.

June 24, 2020
190: Creating design processes and workflows

Writing briefs, developing processes and reviewing workflows are all part of the job, but sometimes it can feel like that’s all we do!

June 15, 2020
189: Why are there so few women in design leadership?

When Femke tweeted recently wondering why there is a disparity between men and women in design

June 8, 2020
188: Creating and launching a digital product

We dive behind the scnese of how Charli's new font came to be and how to successfully launch a digital product.

May 25, 2020
187: Launching a big project

Listen in as we share our launch experiences which might help you if you find yourself launching a project soon.

May 19, 2020
186: Design QA Process

In today’s episode of Design Life we discuss the design QA process.

May 4, 2020
185: Facilitating workshops with Jonathan Courtney (AJ&Smart)

In this episode of Design Life we are joined by a special guest, Jonathan Courtney, CEO of Innovation and Design company AJ&Smart

April 28, 2020
184: Making design decisions

We talk about how we go about making design decisions and how to overcome decision paralysis.

April 21, 2020
183: Design reviews and getting feedback

Design reviews can seem a bit like a holy grail but using them to the designer’s advantage to create a successful project is key.

April 14, 2020
182: Starting a new side project

Using our own side projects as examples, we talk about how you can bring your idea to life and avoid potential pitfalls along the way.

April 6, 2020
181: Getting through a motivation slump

rying to find and stay motivated while also building a new routine when working from home is a challenge.

March 24, 2020
180: Working from home during COVID-19

We share the struggles we face as we miss our colleagues and how we use technology to stay connected.

March 16, 2020
179: How to build your network

Over the course of your career, how can you build a strong, supportive network?

March 9, 2020
178: Performance reviews

Giving and receiving feedback in a performance review can be tricky.

February 19, 2020
177: Keeping your portfolio up to date

If you are like us and have neglected your portfolio since you were last on the job hunt, don’t worry, you’re not alone!

February 10, 2020
176: Tackling implementation issues between design and development

How to tackle implementation issues between design and development so that company goals are achieved on schedule and within budget

January 20, 2020
175: The other side of design (it's more than pushing pixels)

As a designer you may find yourself completing any number of tasks - planning researching, exploring, scoping, interviewing, wire framing

January 13, 2020
174: How to start and grow a design Youtube Channel

Have you ever thought about starting your own YouTube channel?

January 6, 2020
173: Setting Goals and Intentions in 2020

This is a very exciting time of year, a great time to evaluate 2019 and look ahead to what you want to achieve in 2020.

December 11, 2019
172: Fulfilling your potential

Is the weight of your potential weighing you down? Potential can be both a blessing and a curse.

December 2, 2019
171: Learnings from Adobe Max

Zach joins Charli on the podcast this week as they both attended Adobe MAX 2019.

October 28, 2019
170: Jumping from junior to senior designer

On this episode of Design Life we discuss a query about senior and junior roles from a listener hoping to change levels.

October 22, 2019
169: Within Design Retreat

A recap of Femke's experience at the Within Design Retreat for emerging leaders in Paradise Valley, Arizona.

October 7, 2019
168: What to do when your ideas aren't considered

How do you deal with the frustration of people not accepting your ideas?

September 23, 2019
167: Career progression

Do you know what steps you need to take to progress in your career?

September 17, 2019
166: Having difficult conversations

Difficult conversations we have had in the past and how, with time and practice, we have been able to get the most out of them.

September 9, 2019
165: Staying creative during life changes

Staying creative and motivated during big life changes can be a real challenge, one we have recently faced.

July 24, 2019
164: How to get your first design job

In order to get a job you need to have experience, but in order to get experience you need a job. How can you get experience without a job?

July 8, 2019
163: Earning passive income

We discuss the different passive income streams we have used successfully, what we have learned and what we hope to try in the future.

June 25, 2019
162: CEO and designer, Helen Tran

Helen Tran tells us about her journey to becoming her own boss, the importance of teaching and her thoughts on going deep vs going wide.

June 11, 2019
161: The project kickoff

Starting a project with a kickoff checklist can be useful for everyone involved. In this episode we discuss how to jump in successfully

May 29, 2019
160: Every creative feels broken inside

Is our manufactured reality killing the design industry and our creativity?

May 21, 2019
159: Is your portfolio a lie?

Is your portfolio truthful, is it a fair representation of your skills?

May 13, 2019
158: Job titles, are they important?

Job titles and promotions came up as a topic of conversation for us on Twitter recently and we thought it a topic worth diving deeper into.

April 29, 2019
157: Project retrospectives

Retros give the whole team the chance to reflect on what went well, what didn’t go well and any areas of opportunity.

April 17, 2019
156: Creating effective design documentation

Design documentation might not be the most exciting part of the design process but its importance cannot be underestimated.

April 9, 2019
155: Done is better than perfect

In this week’s episode we get a little bit philosophical as we discuss the concept of done being better than perfect.

April 2, 2019
154: Goal Setting and OKR's

What is an OKR? How can you best set and achieve goals at work?

March 18, 2019
153: Creating Design Principles

What are design principles and how do they differ from design systems?

March 12, 2019
152: Navigating office politics

It can be tricky to keep a clear head when your work is impacted by factors outside of your control.

March 4, 2019
151: Running Design Sprints

We talk about the what, why and how of design sprints and give you the steps you need to introduce them at your workplace.

February 18, 2019
150: Working with a design system

Our experience of working with design systems, their benefits and how using an efficient design system can help your team.

January 22, 2019
149: Weekly Planning

In this week’s episode we talk about something which is pretty on-brand for us - weekly planning

January 14, 2019
148: Getting the best start at a new job

Many people will start a new job this year, but how can you make sure you get off on the right foot?

January 7, 2019
147: Goals for 2019

In the first episode of Design Life for 2019, we evaluate our 2018 goals and see what we achieved.

December 4, 2018
146: Design challenges, is it spec work?

Design challenges can prove a controversial topic, specifically the kind you might complete as part of a job application.

November 20, 2018
145: Investing in conferences

How to choose which conferences to attend to.

November 13, 2018
144: What to look for in a manager

Your relationship with your manager is an important one. How can you best cultivate it?

November 6, 2018
143: 3 Things we recommend right now

An IRL, genuine catch up between us.

October 29, 2018
142: Iteration

Is your first idea ever your best idea?

October 15, 2018
141: Confront Conference with Zach Grosser

We chat about Confront Conference with special guest Zach Grosser

October 8, 2018
140: How to switch careers

We answer a question about how to switch careers and become a designer.

October 1, 2018
139: Working with stakeholders

How do you gain the trust of your stakeholders?

September 18, 2018
138: Salaries and bonuses

Compensation packages & how to negotiate

September 10, 2018
137: Personal brand design

Personal branding can feel like an insurmountable task to many designers.

September 3, 2018
136: Sharing unfinished work

Should you be sharing unfinished work in a portfolio?

August 27, 2018
135: Productivity in the workplace

How do you stay productive in a workplace full of distractions, asks and tasks?

August 26, 2018
134: Why we stopped freelancing

We have both shifted focus away from freelance design work, instead using that energy to focus on ourselves and invest in our interests.

August 13, 2018
133: Becoming a hybrid

Many designers want to welcome more development skills into their toolkit and become a hybrid. So how?

August 6, 2018
132: User Testing in the design process

How user testing can help to further develop designer’s empathy for the user, benefitting designers and the design process at the same time.

July 23, 2018
131: Should you fake it till you make it?

Should you follow the advice to fake it 'til you make it?

July 17, 2018
130: How A/B testing can improve your design

A/B testing can help to prove or disprove our design hypotheses by checking them against the data to see what actually works.

July 9, 2018
129: When do you know it’s time to move on?

In this episode we discuss experiences we’ve had with moving on to new endeavours, and how you know you’re ready for a change.

July 3, 2018
128: Making time for new side projects

With potentially a few side projects already on the go, how do you make time for new side projects without neglecting your current ones?

June 19, 2018
127: User research in the design process

In this episode we discuss many different ways to do user research and where to use it in your design process.

June 11, 2018
126: The rollercoaster of the creative process

In this episode we talk about the creative process and how we handle the low points to keep things moving.

June 5, 2018
125: Travelling for work

In this episode we discuss our experience with travelling for work, and share advice on how to stay productive during breaks.

May 28, 2018
124: Getting content for your designs

In this episode we chat about how we’ve worked with content creators and their involvement in the design process.

May 21, 2018
123: The design handoff and validation process

In this episode we talk about that handoff and how to make it run smoothly so that everyone is happy,

May 14, 2018
122: Being a woman in tech

In this episode we discuss our experience entering the tech industry and sharing our thoughts and frustrations on the matter.

May 7, 2018
121: Trying new design tools

How do you decide which new tool to learn?

April 30, 2018
120: Our biggest flaws as designers

A look into the struggles we've faced in our careers and the catalysts that helped us change.

April 23, 2018
119: Setting career goals

A look into how and why we set goals.

April 16, 2018
118: Too many passions, not enough time

Ever have that feeling where you have too many passions and not enough time to do it all?

April 2, 2018
117: Articulating design decisions

As designers we often work with and have to communicate design decisions to different people throughout the design process.

March 12, 2018
116: An alternative approach to networking

Networking is a vital part of your design career, but at conferences or meetups it can be hard to drive a meaningful conversation.

March 6, 2018
115: Friendly competition

Competition can be healthy or harmful, depending on how far you take it!

February 26, 2018
114: Creators Guilt

Do you ever feel guilty when you're not spending time creating?

February 13, 2018
113: When to upgrade your technology

When should you upgrade your technology? Do you always need to have the latest device?

February 2, 2018
112: Redesigning your website

As designers it sometimes feels like we are perpetually redesigning our own websites!

January 30, 2018
111: Starting an official business

As creatives, sometimes dealing with things like finances and paperwork don’t come naturally to us, but they’re important to figure out.

January 23, 2018
110: Making a career shift

Have you been thinking about making a career shift for a while? When is it the right time?

January 15, 2018
109: Getting started with making videos

More and more designers and other creatives are starting to make video content these days, and there’s still plenty of room for you!

January 8, 2018
108: Setting a monthly focus

How a monthly focus can help you achieve those goals you set for the year ahead.

December 18, 2017
107: Advice for networking

Networking isn’t just for corporate people in business suits, it’s a handy skill to master as a designer!

December 11, 2017
106: Boredom

Boredom strikes us all at one point or another.

December 4, 2017
105: Portfolio pieces vs just needing the money

Where do you want to be in your career in five years time? How about ten years time, or thirty?

November 27, 2017
104: The future of our design careers

Where do you want to be in your career in five years time? How about ten years time, or thirty?

November 20, 2017
103: Product launches and failures

Launching something you’ve been working hard on to the world wide internet can be intimidating.

November 13, 2017
102: The value of mastermind groups

What could be better than gathering regularly with a group of people as motivated as you are to discuss your projects and get advice?

November 6, 2017
101: Starting a new design job

In this episode we continue our jobs series and share our advice for how to handle your first day of a new job.

October 30, 2017
100: Staying consistent with a side project over time

We've reached 100 episodes of the show! Hear us talk about how to stick with a side project consistently over a long period of time.

October 23, 2017
099: What to do when you’re lacking motivation

Slumps in motivation happen. No matter how passionate you are; sometimes you just don’t feel motivated

October 16, 2017
098: Sunsetting a side project

Our reasons for sunsetting side projects and share ways for you to figure out if you should put an idea on hold.

October 16, 2017
096: Tech & gadgets for designers

Hardware is an essential part of the design process, but how much you invest in that is up to you.

October 3, 2017
097: How to start making money from side projects - with Nathan Barry

Nathan Barry joins us to share advice for selling products without seeming pushy, setting goals for projects, and how to launch them.

September 18, 2017
095: Interviewing for design jobs

Advice for nailing a design job interview: what to bring, how to prepare, what questions to ask and how to deal with unexpected questions.

September 11, 2017
094: Speaking at conferences

If speaking at a conference is on your career goals list, this episode is for you.

September 4, 2017
093: Taking Risks

Eric Friedensohn joins Femke to discuss why it’s important to take risks, and how to be smart about them.

August 28, 2017
092: Advice for applying to design jobs

Advice for your CV, cover letter and portfolio when applying for a job.

August 22, 2017
091: Getting your work noticed

Doing great work is just one part of building a reputation and an audience; you also need to get your work noticed.

August 14, 2017
090: Job hunting

A look into the job hunting process and what to look for in your new role.

August 7, 2017
089: Personal vs professional

Do you feel like you need to be careful what you post online? Can you be yourself on social media?

August 1, 2017
088: Shiny Object Syndrome

Us creative types can often be distracted by shiny new ideas, especially when we’re at a tough point in a project.