Design Life
By Charli Prangley, Femke Van Schoonhoven
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Category: Entrepreneurship
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Subscribers: 80
Reviews: 1
Episodes: 322
Feb 14, 2020
Description
Design Life is a podcast about design and side projects for motivated creators. It was born after your hosts, two serial side project addicts, saw a gap in the podcast market for a conversational show about design and the issues young creatives face, that was hosted by two females.
This show aims to tackle the big issues designers face like getting paid, overcoming a creative block or managing time, to name a few. We want to open up discussion about things we wish we heard people talk about when we were studying, and we want to chat to you about the joys and the frustrations of working in the tech industry by day, and on our passion projects in the rest of our waking hours. We hope that by doing so, Design Life will give you a dose of motivation or inspiration when you need it.
| Episode | Date |
|---|---|
|
322: Our approach to side projects in 2026
|
Nov 10, 2025 |
|
321: Knowledge-sharing in a design team (the wins and the failures)
|
Oct 27, 2025 |
|
320: The struggle with staying up-to-date with new design tools
|
Oct 13, 2025 |
|
319: Balancing speed and quality in design work
|
Sep 29, 2025 |
|
318: Revealing our performance reviews as design leaders
|
Sep 15, 2025 |
|
317: What it's like to take part in a hackathon
|
Sep 01, 2025 |
|
316: The art of giving useful feedback
|
Aug 11, 2025 |
|
315: How to hire (and get hired) in a brand design role
|
Jul 28, 2025 |
|
314: Coaching ICs as a design manager
|
Jul 14, 2025 |
|
313: Building relationships with PM's & Product Marketers
|
Jun 30, 2025 |
|
312: Design vision work and how to have a strategic impact
|
Jun 10, 2025 |
|
311: Hot takes on Config 2025 and new Figma features
|
May 26, 2025 |
|
310: Going back to work after an extended break
|
May 12, 2025 |
|
309: Become a design manager or stay an IC? How to make the choice.
|
Apr 28, 2025 |
|
308: Making the jump from mid to senior
|
Apr 14, 2025 |
|
307: Will AI take your design job? (Hot takes from later adopters)
|
Mar 31, 2025 |
|
306: Building a team for your side projects
|
Mar 17, 2025 |
|
305: If we started our side projects all over again...
|
Mar 03, 2025 |
|
304: Setting our goals and intentions for 2025
|
Jan 13, 2025 |
|
303: Changes in the design industry (specialists vs generalists?)
|
Dec 30, 2024 |
|
302: Design maturity and culture in a company (and how to influence it)
|
Dec 16, 2024 |
|
301: Learning management skills as a design manager
|
Dec 03, 2024 |
|
300: Live Q&A - Answering Your Top Design Questions on Air
|
Nov 11, 2024 |
|
299: How to get better at collaborating with cross-functional partners
|
Oct 28, 2024 |
|
298: Behind the scenes of launching ConvertKit's rebrand to Kit
|
Oct 14, 2024 |
|
297: What it's really like to go on parental leave as a designer
|
Sep 30, 2024 |
|
296: How to land a promotion
|
Sep 09, 2024 |
|
295: The perks and pitfalls of working with a freelancer
|
Aug 26, 2024 |
|
294: Behind the scenes of a company rebrand
|
Jul 29, 2024 |
|
293: Why you need to understand the impact of your work
|
Jul 08, 2024 |
|
292: Config 2024 Figma release reactions
|
Jul 02, 2024 |
|
291: When a side project totally fails
|
May 21, 2024 |
|
290: Landing a new design job in 2024
|
May 06, 2024 |
|
289: How to know when it's time to move on from a job
|
Apr 22, 2024 |
|
288: Making the most of team retreats and offsites
|
Apr 08, 2024 |
|
287: Why your personal brand matters
|
Mar 26, 2024 |
|
286: Should you take deadlines seriously?
|
Mar 11, 2024 |
|
285: The truth about burnout (and recovery)
|
Feb 27, 2024 |
|
284: Our Career and Personal Goals for 2024
|
Feb 12, 2024 |
|
283: Our copywriting process
|
Dec 05, 2023 |
|
282: Reliving our Config experience
|
Aug 14, 2023 |
|
281: How to make the most of a design conference
|
Jul 24, 2023 |
|
280: Preparing for a feature launch as a designer
|
Jun 20, 2023 |
|
279: Validating design solutions
|
May 15, 2023 |
|
278: Are you on the right path in your design career?
|
May 02, 2023 |
|
277: Learning throughout different stages of your design career
|
Apr 17, 2023 |
|
276: Managing in different directions
|
Apr 03, 2023 |
|
275: The realities of being a manager AND an IC
|
Mar 20, 2023 |
|
274: Are you inexperienced if you don't name your layers?
|
Feb 27, 2023 |
|
273: Our thoughts on the state of the design industry
|
Dec 12, 2022 |
|
272: Deciding what side projects to tackle in 2023
|
Dec 05, 2022 |
|
271: Annual planning as a design leader in tech
|
Nov 15, 2022 |
|
270: Positioning your portfolio for a design manager role
|
Nov 07, 2022 |
|
269: Fitting in socially in the workplace
|
Oct 31, 2022 |
|
268: A real look into today's design interview process
|
Oct 17, 2022 |
|
267: How much did Charli earn this year?
|
Oct 10, 2022 |
|
266: Femke quit her job!
|
Oct 05, 2022 |
|
265: Adobe is buying Figma? Let's talk about it
|
Sep 26, 2022 |
|
264: Design education and conferences, on a budget
|
Sep 12, 2022 |
|
263: How we communicate async at work
|
Sep 05, 2022 |
|
262: What makes a good design manager
|
Aug 15, 2022 |
|
261: What it's like to work in six week cycles
|
Aug 08, 2022 |
|
260: Taking a sabbatical
|
Aug 01, 2022 |
|
259: Shipping a new design system!
|
Jul 18, 2022 |
|
258: Retaining the joy of side projects with Honest UX Talks
|
Jun 13, 2022 |
|
257: Collaboration between senior and junior designers
|
May 30, 2022 |
|
256: Conducting design audits
|
May 23, 2022 |
|
255: The pay gap between product and marketing designers
|
May 16, 2022 |
|
254: Is the vibe shifting in design?
|
May 09, 2022 |
|
E253: Setting boundaries at work
|
May 02, 2022 |
|
252: Why you should care about performance reviews
|
Apr 25, 2022 |
|
251: Why getting better at writing can help your design career
|
Apr 18, 2022 |
|
250: When starting a new job feels like you're starting from scratch
|
Apr 11, 2022 |
|
249: What the heck are MVPs (and how to do them well)
|
Apr 04, 2022 |
|
248: Monetising side projects with Sara Brunettini
|
Mar 28, 2022 |
|
247: Are you falling behind if you don't understand Web3?
|
Mar 21, 2022 |
|
246: The design interview process needs to change
|
Mar 14, 2022 |
|
245: We just don't get along! (Dealing with workplace conflict)
|
Feb 28, 2022 |
|
244: How to choose (or advocate for!) the design projects you want to work on
|
Feb 21, 2022 |
|
243: Tips for organizing design files
|
Feb 14, 2022 |
|
242: Why designers should care about business metrics
|
Feb 07, 2022 |
|
241: Creating a design system for the first time
|
Jan 31, 2022 |
|
240: The difference between junior and senior designers
|
Jan 24, 2022 |
|
239: Different ways to structure a design team
|
Jan 17, 2022 |
|
238: Setting goals for 2022
|
Jan 10, 2022 |
|
237: Our growth as designers in 2021
|
Dec 20, 2021 |
|
236 - Juggling multiple priorities at work
|
Dec 13, 2021 |
|
235: How does where you live impact you as a designer?
|
Dec 06, 2021 |
|
234: Are you ready to commit to a new side hustle?
|
Nov 29, 2021 |
|
233: Increasing the pace of your design process
|
Nov 23, 2021 |
|
232: Do you NEED to do research before you design?
|
Nov 17, 2021 |
|
231: Why Femke left Uber
|
Nov 08, 2021 |
|
230: After summer catch up
|
Nov 01, 2021 |
|
229: Side hustle income streams
|
Jun 29, 2021 |
|
228: Ways to keep learning and growing
|
Jun 21, 2021 |
|
227: Building self awareness
|
Jun 15, 2021 |
|
226: Decision making as a creative lead
|
Jun 08, 2021 |
|
225: Finding your why
|
May 31, 2021 |
|
224: Crafting effective case studies
|
May 25, 2021 |
|
223: Why focusing on your portfolio will pay off
|
May 18, 2021 |
|
222: Taking initiative at work
|
May 10, 2021 |
|
221: Building design team culture
|
May 03, 2021 |
|
220: The relationship between design and product
|
Apr 19, 2021 |
|
219: Daily themes to get more work done
|
Apr 13, 2021 |
|
218: Become a manager or stay an IC?
|
Apr 07, 2021 |
|
217: Why you should share your work
|
Mar 27, 2021 |
|
216: Taking ownership of your career growth
|
Mar 15, 2021 |
|
215: Running a hack day
|
Feb 23, 2021 |
|
214: Our daily routines
|
Feb 08, 2021 |
|
213: Balancing work and side projects
|
Feb 02, 2021 |
|
212: Inside the design hiring process
|
Jan 28, 2021 |
|
211: Ageism in the tech industry
|
Jan 18, 2021 |
|
210: Our plans for 2021
|
Jan 12, 2021 |
|
209: Reflecting on our careers & side hustles in 2020
|
Dec 22, 2020 |
|
208: Should you use a Notion doc as your portfolio?
|
Dec 15, 2020 |
|
207: Outsourcing work and hiring help for side projects
|
Dec 02, 2020 |
|
206: How to have productive meetings
|
Nov 23, 2020 |
|
205: How designers could use Facebook ads to get clients
|
Nov 17, 2020 |
|
204: Speeding up the design process
|
Nov 02, 2020 |
|
203: Running a design-focused Instagram
|
Oct 20, 2020 |
|
202: Charli gets a promotion!
|
Oct 12, 2020 |
|
201: Being the only designer on the team
|
Sep 29, 2020 |
|
200: Does using design freebies make you less of a designer?
|
Sep 22, 2020 |
|
199: How direct is TOO direct with feedback?
|
Sep 14, 2020 |
|
198: Making friends at work
|
Sep 08, 2020 |
|
197: Should you go to design school?
|
Aug 24, 2020 |
|
196: Should you have to work nights and weekends to succeed in tech?
|
Aug 17, 2020 |
|
195: Working with freelancers
|
Aug 11, 2020 |
|
194: The future of AI/ML in design
|
Aug 03, 2020 |
|
193: Too many meetings
|
Jul 27, 2020 |
|
192: How to reach out for advice
|
Jul 06, 2020 |
|
191: Attaching self worth to your work
|
Jun 30, 2020 |
|
190: Creating design processes and workflows
|
Jun 24, 2020 |
|
189: Why are there so few women in design leadership?
|
Jun 15, 2020 |
|
188: Creating and launching a digital product
|
Jun 09, 2020 |
|
187: Launching a big project
|
May 25, 2020 |
|
186: Design QA Process
|
May 19, 2020 |
|
185: Facilitating workshops with Jonathan Courtney (AJ&Smart)
|
May 05, 2020 |
|
184: Making design decisions
|
Apr 28, 2020 |
|
183: Design reviews and getting feedback
|
Apr 21, 2020 |
|
182: Starting a new side project
|
Apr 14, 2020 |
|
181: Getting through a motivation slump
|
Apr 06, 2020 |
|
180: Working from home during COVID-19
|
Mar 24, 2020 |
|
179: How to build your network
|
Mar 17, 2020 |
|
178: Performance reviews
|
Mar 09, 2020 |
|
177: Keeping your portfolio up to date
|
Feb 19, 2020 |
|
176: Tackling implementation issues between design and development
|
Feb 11, 2020 |
|
175: The other side of design (it's more than pushing pixels)
|
Jan 20, 2020 |
|
174: How to start and grow a design Youtube Channel
|
Jan 13, 2020 |
|
173: Setting Goals and Intentions in 2020
|
Jan 06, 2020 |
|
172: Fulfilling your potential
|
Dec 11, 2019 |
|
171: Learnings from Adobe Max
|
Dec 03, 2019 |
|
170: Jumping from junior to senior designer
|
Oct 28, 2019 |
|
169: Within Design Retreat
|
Oct 22, 2019 |
|
168: When your ideas aren't considered
|
Oct 08, 2019 |
|
167: Career progression
|
Sep 24, 2019 |
|
166: Having difficult conversations
|
Sep 17, 2019 |
|
165: Staying creative during life changes
|
Sep 09, 2019 |
|
164: How to get your first design job
|
Jul 24, 2019 |
|
163: Earning passive income
|
Jul 08, 2019 |
|
162: CEO and designer, Helen Tran
|
Jul 01, 2019 |
|
161: The project kickoff
|
Jun 11, 2019 |
|
160: Every creative feels broken inside
|
May 29, 2019 |
|
159: Is your portfolio a lie?
|
May 21, 2019 |
|
158: Job titles, are they important?
|
May 13, 2019 |
|
157: Project retrospectives
|
Apr 29, 2019 |
|
156: Creating effective design documentation
|
Apr 17, 2019 |
|
155: Done is better than perfect
|
Apr 09, 2019 |
|
154: Goal Setting and OKR's
|
Apr 02, 2019 |
|
153: Creating Design Principles
|
Mar 18, 2019 |
|
152: Navigating office politics
|
Mar 12, 2019 |
|
151: Running Design Sprints
|
Mar 04, 2019 |
|
150: Working with design systems
|
Feb 18, 2019 |
|
149: Weekly Planning
|
Jan 22, 2019 |
|
148: Getting the best start at a new job
|
Jan 14, 2019 |
|
147: Goals for 2019
|
Jan 07, 2019 |
|
146: Design Challenges, is it spec work?
|
Dec 04, 2018 |
|
145: Investing in conferences
|
Nov 20, 2018 |
|
144: What to look for in a manager
|
Nov 13, 2018 |
|
143: 3 Things we recommend right now
|
Nov 06, 2018 |
|
142: Iteration
|
Oct 29, 2018 |
|
141: Confront Conference with Zach Grosser
|
Oct 16, 2018 |
|
140: How to switch careers
|
Oct 08, 2018 |
|
139: Working with stakeholders
|
Oct 01, 2018 |
|
138: Salaries and bonuses
|
Sep 18, 2018 |
|
137: Personal brand design
|
Sep 10, 2018 |
|
136: Sharing unfinished work
|
Sep 03, 2018 |
|
135: Productivity in the workplace
|
Aug 27, 2018 |
|
134: Why we stopped freelancing
|
Aug 20, 2018 |
|
133: Becoming a hybrid
|
Aug 13, 2018 |
|
132: User Testing in the design process
|
Aug 06, 2018 |
|
131: Should you fake it till you make it?
|
Jul 23, 2018 |
|
130: How A/B testing can improve your design
|
Jul 17, 2018 |
|
129: When do you know it’s time to move on?
|
Jul 09, 2018 |
|
128: Making time for new side projects
|
Jul 03, 2018 |
|
127: User research in the design process
|
Jun 19, 2018 |
|
126: The rollercoaster of the creative process
|
Jun 11, 2018 |
|
125: Travelling for work
|
Jun 05, 2018 |
|
124: Getting content for your designs
|
May 28, 2018 |
|
123: The design handoff and validation process
|
May 21, 2018 |
|
122: Being a woman in tech
|
May 14, 2018 |
|
121: Trying new design tools
|
May 07, 2018 |
|
120: Our biggest flaws as designers
|
Apr 30, 2018 |
|
119: Setting career goals
|
Apr 23, 2018 |
|
118: Too many passions, not enough time
|
Apr 16, 2018 |
|
117: Articulating design decisions
|
Apr 02, 2018 |
|
116: An alternative approach to networking
|
Mar 12, 2018 |
|
115: Friendly competition
|
Mar 06, 2018 |
|
114: Creators Guilt
|
Feb 26, 2018 |
|
113: When to upgrade your technology
|
Feb 13, 2018 |
|
112: Redesigning your website
|
Feb 05, 2018 |
|
111: Starting an official business
|
Jan 30, 2018 |
|
110: Making a career shift
|
Jan 23, 2018 |
|
109: Getting started with making videos
|
Jan 15, 2018 |
|
108: Setting a monthly focus
|
Jan 08, 2018 |
|
107: Advice for networking
|
Dec 18, 2017 |
|
106: Boredom
|
Dec 11, 2017 |
|
105: Portfolio pieces vs just needing the money
|
Dec 04, 2017 |
|
104: The future of our design careers
|
Nov 27, 2017 |
|
103: Product launches and failures
|
Nov 20, 2017 |
|
102: The value of mastermind groups
|
Nov 13, 2017 |
|
101: Starting a new design job
|
Nov 06, 2017 |
|
100: Staying consistent with a side project over time
|
Oct 30, 2017 |
|
099: What to do when you’re lacking motivation
|
Oct 23, 2017 |
|
098: Sunsetting a side project
|
Oct 16, 2017 |
|
097: How to start making money from side projects - with Nathan Barry
|
Oct 03, 2017 |
|
096: Tech & gadgets for designers
|
Sep 25, 2017 |
|
095: Interviewing for design jobs
|
Sep 18, 2017 |
|
094: Speaking at conferences
|
Sep 11, 2017 |
|
093: Taking Risks
|
Sep 04, 2017 |
|
092: Advice for applying to design jobs
|
Aug 28, 2017 |
|
091: Getting your work noticed
|
Aug 22, 2017 |
|
090: Job hunting
|
Aug 14, 2017 |
|
089: Personal vs professional
|
Aug 07, 2017 |
|
088: Shiny Object Syndrome
|
Aug 01, 2017 |
|
087: Project Scoping
|
Jul 24, 2017 |
|
086: Balancing professional growth with getting paid
|
Jul 17, 2017 |
|
085: Keeping up with new tools and frameworks
|
Jul 10, 2017 |
|
084: Self-doubt and feeling unsuccessful
|
Jul 03, 2017 |
|
083: What to do when you’re overwhelmed
|
Jun 26, 2017 |
|
082: When your ideas are bigger than your skillset
|
Jun 19, 2017 |
|
E81: Bullet journalling for task management
|
Jun 12, 2017 |
|
080: Our plans for the Design Life community
|
Jun 05, 2017 |
|
079: The value of design
|
May 29, 2017 |
|
078: Using video to build and connect with an audience
|
May 22, 2017 |
|
077: The future of the design industry
|
May 15, 2017 |
|
076: The pros and cons of procrastiworking
|
May 08, 2017 |
|
075: Feeling guilty for taking a break
|
May 01, 2017 |
|
074: Working from home
|
Apr 24, 2017 |
|
073: What to do when you run out of passion
|
Apr 17, 2017 |
|
072: Teaching yourself a new skill
|
Apr 10, 2017 |
|
071: Feeling confident as a designer
|
Apr 03, 2017 |
|
070: How to package up client deliverables
|
Mar 27, 2017 |
|
069 - Stepping out of your comfort zone
|
Mar 20, 2017 |
|
068: Speeding up your workflow
|
Mar 13, 2017 |
|
067: We need more crappy work
|
Mar 06, 2017 |
|
066: Morals in design
|
Feb 27, 2017 |
|
065: Life after design school
|
Feb 20, 2017 |
|
064: Consistency in content creation
|
Feb 13, 2017 |
|
063: Advice for remote working
|
Feb 06, 2017 |
|
062: Taking control of your design career
|
Jan 30, 2017 |
|
061: Constraints breed creativity
|
Jan 24, 2017 |
|
060: Focus time
|
Jan 16, 2017 |
|
059: Advice for creating a great portfolio
|
Jan 09, 2017 |
|
058: Setting goals for 2017
|
Jan 03, 2017 |
|
057: Surrounding yourself with good people
|
Dec 19, 2016 |
|
056: Saying no to good things
|
Dec 12, 2016 |
|
055: Design contracts & why you should have one
|
Dec 05, 2016 |
|
054: Advice for content marketing
|
Nov 28, 2016 |
|
053: Should you market yourself as an individual or a studio?
|
Nov 21, 2016 |
|
052: Hearing your struggles (Birthday episode)
|
Nov 14, 2016 |
|
051: How to get clients to pay up
|
Nov 07, 2016 |
|
050: The value of conferences
|
Nov 02, 2016 |
|
049: The hustle mindset
|
Oct 24, 2016 |
|
048: Repositioning your online presence
|
Oct 17, 2016 |
|
047: How to price your design work
|
Oct 10, 2016 |
|
046: Dealing with harsh critique
|
Oct 03, 2016 |
|
045: Advice for finding a job in the design industry
|
Sep 26, 2016 |
|
044: What to do at the end of a client project
|
Sep 19, 2016 |
|
043: How to decide what to work on
|
Sep 12, 2016 |
|
042: The truth about freelance marketplaces
|
Sep 05, 2016 |
|
041: Making the most of design school
|
Aug 29, 2016 |
|
040: Fear of Failure
|
Aug 22, 2016 |
|
039: Agency vs freelance vs in-house design
|
Aug 16, 2016 |
|
038: Jack of all trades - Specialist or generalist?
|
Aug 08, 2016 |
|
037: Bringing new clients onboard
|
Aug 01, 2016 |
|
036: Blurring the line between life and work
|
Jul 25, 2016 |
|
035: Defining a niche for your work
|
Jul 18, 2016 |
|
034: Which Design Tools should I use?
|
Jul 11, 2016 |
|
033: The importance of role models
|
Jul 04, 2016 |
|
032: Living in the Present
|
Jun 27, 2016 |
|
031: Fighting procrastination
|
Jun 20, 2016 |
|
030: Getting useful feedback on your work
|
Jun 13, 2016 |
|
029: Should you follow design trends?
|
Jun 06, 2016 |
|
028: Our Design Process
|
May 30, 2016 |
|
027: What if nobody notices?
|
May 23, 2016 |
|
026: Participating in Design Communities
|
May 16, 2016 |
|
025: Should designers learn to code?
|
May 09, 2016 |
|
024: Learning new skills for your side project
|
May 02, 2016 |
|
023: Being your own worst critic
|
Apr 25, 2016 |
|
022: Long term thinking and planning
|
Apr 18, 2016 |
|
021: Overcoming lack of motivation
|
Apr 11, 2016 |
|
020: How to push through Creative block
|
Apr 03, 2016 |
|
019: How to find Inspiration
|
Mar 28, 2016 |
|
018: The role of a side project in your career
|
Mar 21, 2016 |
|
017: Stress management
|
Mar 14, 2016 |
|
016: Prioritising tasks for personal projects
|
Mar 07, 2016 |
|
015: Facing Imposter Syndrome
|
Feb 29, 2016 |
|
014: How to get up early
|
Feb 22, 2016 |
|
013: Attracting Clients
|
Feb 15, 2016 |
|
012: Work/Life Balance
|
Feb 08, 2016 |
|
011: Positioning yourself as a designer
|
Feb 01, 2016 |
|
010: Working with people who aren't designers
|
Jan 25, 2016 |
|
009: Making and Managing Time
|
Jan 18, 2016 |
|
008: Setting goals for side projects
|
Jan 11, 2016 |
|
007: Finding motivation and staying focussed
|
Jan 04, 2016 |
|
006: Taking action on your ideas
|
Dec 28, 2015 |
|
005: Working for free in exchange for exposure
|
Dec 21, 2015 |
|
004: Should you have a personal brand?
|
Dec 14, 2015 |
|
003: The self taught vs. formal education debate
|
Dec 07, 2015 |
|
002: Who we are
|
Nov 30, 2015 |
|
001: Why have a side project?
|
Nov 30, 2015 |