Design Notes

Facing Our Interfaces: Matías Duarte, Google May 15, 2024

This season begins with a special series celebrating ten years since the launch of Material Design, which will explore the inception, evolution, and future of Google’s design approach. The first episode features the founder of Material Design and Design VP Matías Duarte, whose work on the system has pushed design forward at Google and across devices everywhere.

In their conversation, Liam and Matías unpack how interfaces are made, used, and understood—and identify opportunities to move them further into the future via a highly crafted, individualized design approach.

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Designing Better Code: Connie Shi + Matvei Malkov, Google Material Design Mar 14, 2023

Liam speaks with Googlers Connie Shi, a software engineer on Material Design, and Matvei Malkov, a software engineer on Jetpack Compose, and the trio unpack what makes coding a creative practice, and which creative choices are required when you build a design system for other developers around the world.

The wide-ranging conversation turns from complex problem solving and technical logic to the concept of creativity as the question-provoking quality of a thought.

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How Fonts Change the World: Dave Crossland, Google Fonts Jan 31, 2023

Liam and Google Fonts Specialist Dave Crossland explore what digital type can teach us about digital production, emotional expression, and where we fit in the world as designers; and how – with a little imagination – we might unlock new possibilities.

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Coding (and Decoding) Social Spaces: Judith Donath, Founder, MIT Sociable Media Group Dec 20, 2022

In this episode, Liam speaks with Judith Donath, the founder of MIT’s Sociable Media Lab, inventor of e-cards, and author of The Social Machine: Designs for Living Online. Donath’s work offers crucial insights into the sociality of digital products and platforms, and the opportunities we have as digital producers to make things that truly meet sociable ends. In the episode, Donath unpacks some of this work, exploring potential futures for life online and the joy of learning (and sharing) something new.

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Fearless Design: Aline Borges, The Florist Nov 22, 2022

Liam speaks with Aline Borges, a Zürich-based floral designer who’s made the leap from fashion coordination for magazines like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar to independent floral design and installations. The conversation covers what it’s like to move between different creative fields (and countries), how to think about composition to tackle almost any creative challenge, and the courage and community it takes to start on a new venture.

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⏮️ How Machines Help Us See Ourselves: Harvey Moon, New Media Artist Oct 25, 2022

In this episode, we revisit a conversation from Season 1 with new media artist Harvey Moon, recorded in his San Francisco studio.

Liam and Harvey discuss how Moon’s work reveals unseen properties of the world around us, the process of creating one’s own creative tools, and the kind of art that’s only made possible through collaboration with machines.

The conversation expands on ideas about the way the world around us is designed and redesigned, and where that places us as designers.

Read the full transcript: https://www.iamli.am/design-notes-podcast/harvey-moon-new-media-artist

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The Impact of Shared Space: Ignacio Ciocchini, Public Furniture Designer Oct 11, 2022

Liam speaks with streetscape and public space designer Ignacio Ciocchini, who’s created much of the public furniture that New Yorkers encounter every single day – from benches that provide personal space, to entire built landscapes for Bryant Park, to chargers for electric vehicles and more.

The conversation ranges from the materiality of the built environment, to the ways in which it expands, constrains, and informs our experiences of life and socialization in a city, with a look toward the more human-focused future that Ciocchini envisions.

Read the full transcript: https://www.iamli.am/design-notes-podcast/ignacio-ciocchini-nyc-public-furniture

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⏮️ Learning From Your Virtual Twin: Kerry Murphy, Co-founder, The Fabricant Sep 27, 2022

In this episode, we revisit a conversation from Season 1 with Kerry Murphy, co-founder of digital fashion house The Fabricant. We uncover how data are spun into virtual threads, and how virtual embodiment can foster self-actualization.

In designing couture that doesn’t—or can’t—exist in physical space, The Fabricant also explores ideas of embodiment and self-actualization. Murphy pushes these concepts even further, by interacting with his own “virtual twin,” composed from 3D-scans of his body.

Read the full transcript: https://www.iamli.am/design-notes-podcast/kerry-murphy-founder-the-fabricant

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Digital Anthropology: Tom Boellstorff, "Coming of Age in Second Life" Sep 13, 2022

Liam speaks to Tom Boellstorff, Anthropologist and UCI Professor, whose ethnographic work in Second Life (documented in his book, Coming of Age in Second Life) provides important insights into how virtual space – and our interface with it – informs and interacts with our lives in actual space.

In virtual worlds like Second Life, inhabitants exist only through their own acts of creation, which also serve as a primary mode of experiencing life in virtual space.

Full transcript + images: https://www.iamli.am/design-notes-podcast/tom-boellstorff-virtual-anthropology

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Welcome Back to Design Notes: Season 2 Trailer Aug 30, 2022

It's been a while, but Design Notes is coming back for Season 2 uncovering even more of what inspires and unites us in our work. Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss new interviews with practitioners working on public furniture, the culture of virtual space, and more. Follow @DesignNotespod on Twitter for updates!

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Fashion from Another Planet: Julian Zigerli, Zürich Fashion Designer [SF Design Week] Jun 08, 2021

In this episode, part of San Francisco Design Week's Digital Edition, Liam speaks with Julian Zigerli, a designer in Zürich, Switzerland creating clothing that allows everyone to decide how what they wear expresses who they are. In the interview, Zigerli describes how the rich culture of Switzerland impacts his work, what it means when someone asks for "straight" clothes, and how his creative practice adapted in a time of pandemic.

Content warning: In this episode, the word "queer" is used in a reclaimed manner.

Find out more about SF Design Week at sfdesignweek.com

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Theming with Moooi - 2020 Material Design Awards Apr 20, 2021

This episode is part of a special series of three interviews, recorded remotely with the winners of the 2020 Material Design Awards, exploring what goes into creating an award-winning app.

Moooi, winning the award for Material Theming, focuses on aesthetic fundamentals like type, color, and imagery to create an immersive and expressive experience for their digital flagship. In the interview, Liam is joined by Margot Gabel and Rémy Barthez taking an in-depth look at how Moooi implemented an award-winning themed experience.

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Dark Theme with KAYAK - 2020 Material Design Awards Apr 20, 2021

This episode is part of a special series of three interviews, recorded remotely with the winners of the 2020 Material Design Awards, exploring what goes into creating an award-winning app.

KAYAK has taken their comprehensive price comparison and travel booking experience to the next level by translating their brand into a dark theme. In the interview, Liam learns from Aleksandra Safarova and Mike Scopino how building a dark theme revolutionized KAYAK's entire approach to color.

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Motion Design with Epsy - 2020 Material Design Awards Apr 20, 2021

This episode is part of a special series of three interviews, recorded remotely with the winners of the 2020 Material Design Awards, exploring what goes into creating an award-winning app.

Epsy uses motion meaningfully, guiding users living with Epilepsy through critical tasks to better their quality of life. In the interview, Liam is joined by Jennifer Stott and Marco Peluso to break down Epsy's approach to designing - and prioritizing - motion.

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The Surprising Poetry of AI: BJ Best, ArtyBots Apr 21, 2020

In this episode, Liam speaks with BJ Best, a poet who teaches computers to do what humans can’t in the name of art. His network of ArtyBots is part of a vibrant scene of robots creating, sharing, and collaborating with one another on virtual art. In the interview, Best describes the reflective opportunities and editorial impact created by a bot-created body of work numbering in the tens of thousands.

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The Magic Question for Creativity: Laurie Rosenwald, Illustrator and Author Mar 17, 2020

Design Notes is a show about creative work and what it teaches us. In this episode, Liam speaks with illustrator, editorial designer, and author Laurie Rosenwald about how she’s managed to cultivate an aesthetic—and a career—around “making mistakes on purpose.” Learn how chaos and collage can come together to reveal unexpected creative potential, and let Rosenwald help make sure you’re never alone with a blank page.

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Learning From Your Virtual Twin: Kerry Murphy, Co-founder, The Fabricant Feb 18, 2020

In this episode, Liam speaks with Kerry Murphy, co-founder of digital fashion house The Fabricant, to learn how ones and zeros are spun, woven, and stitched into virtual couture.

In designing couture that doesn’t—or can’t—exist in physical space, The Fabricant also explores ideas of embodiment and self-actualization. Murphy pushes these concepts even further, by interacting with his own “virtual twin,” composed from 3D-scans of his body.

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A Prompt for Creative Renewal: David Reinfurt, "A *New* Program for Graphic Design" Jan 21, 2020

Design Notes is a show about creative work and what it teaches us. For the first episode of 2020, Liam speaks with David Reinfurt, founder of O-R-G, half of Dexter Sinister, and author of A *New* Program for Graphic Design. Together they explore the fluid notions of personal, corporate, and graphic identity throughout Reinfurt’s career, the importance of learning through practice, and the relationship between design and art.

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Reflectly - 2019 Material Design Awards Nov 26, 2019

This episode is part of a special series of four interviews with the winners of this year’s Material Design Awards, exploring what goes into creating an award-winning app.

Reflectly, a unique journaling app, won this year’s award for innovation by pushing the boundaries of Material Design and bringing it to life with fluid animations, a novel elevation model, and custom componentry. In the interview, cofounder Jacob Kristensen digs into the foundations of Reflectly and how its experience—from philosophy to specific interactions—came to life.

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Ruff - 2019 Material Design Awards Nov 26, 2019

This episode is part of a special series of four interviews with the winners of this year’s Material Design Awards, exploring what goes into creating an award-winning app.

Ruff is a focused note-taking app that won this year’s award for theming, building an expressive identity through the consistent application of color, typography, and shape. In the interview, Liam and developer/designer Bardi Golriz talk about what it’s like to add new features without losing focus, and how Material Theming impacts the process of developing an app.

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Trip.com - 2019 Material Design Awards Nov 26, 2019

This episode is part of a special series of four interviews with the winners of this year’s Material Design Awards, exploring what goes into creating an award-winning app.

Trip.com is a travel app that won this year’s award for universality by accounting for users around the world with over a dozen supported languages and custom imagery. The interview unpacks what it’s like to build an app for the entire world, and what makes Trip.com a unique experience.

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Scripts - 2019 Material Design Awards Nov 26, 2019

This episode is part of a special series of four interviews with the winners of this year’s Material Design Awards, exploring what goes into creating an award-winning app.

Scripts won this year’s award for Experience, with creative interactions, navigation, and content presentation. In the interview, I spoke with the Scripts team about using a color system to create a unique experience while expressing identity, and building interactions that make users feel accomplished right away.

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The Psychedelic Spark: GMUNK, Designer/Director Oct 30, 2019

In this episode, Liam speaks with Bradley Munkowitz, also known as designer/director GMUNK, unpacking Munkowitz’s scintillating psychedelic aesthetic — inspired by actual psychedelic experiences — and why it’s important as a designer to continually challenge and be challenged, maintaining a healthy discomfort with one’s own work.

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Vulnerability, Technology, and Art: Qianqian Ye, Artist and Creative Coder Oct 01, 2019

In this episode, Liam speaks with interdisciplinary artist and creative coder Qianqian Ye in her San Francisco studio. The duo traces her journey from wielding calligraphy brushes to building a hand-holding glove, unpacking the vulnerabilities we all share as humans, how creative intent is communicated, and the importance of imagining other futures.

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How Machines Help Us See Ourselves: Harvey Moon, New Media Artist Sep 03, 2019

In this episode, Liam speaks with new media artist Harvey Moon in his San Francisco studio. The duo discuss how Moon’s work reveals unseen properties of the world around us, the process of creating one’s own creative tools, and the kind of art that’s only made possible through collaboration with machines.Read a full transcript

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Art as Survival: Conor Grebel, Bedtimes Aug 06, 2019

In this episode, Liam speaks with Conor Grebel about how lived experiences inform and are conveyed through creative work.Our conversation traces Conor’s journey toward creative work and the “ingredients” that help him craft soothing art for himself and others.Note: The first half of this episode deals with topics of panic attack disorder, anxiety, and psychological abuse.

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I Hate Music Videos (But I Love Making Music): Katie Garcia & Dustin Payseur, Bayonet Records Jul 09, 2019

In this episode, Liam speaks with Katie Garcia and Dustin Payseur, who together run independent music label Bayonet Records.Garcia and Payseur (who also leads the band Beach Fossils) break down the complex relationship between a record label and the creative work it supports, the qualities of sonic design, and the magic of releasing an album on your own terms.

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What We Can Learn From Our Work: Liam Spradlin, Host of Design Notes Jun 11, 2019

In this episode, guest host Barbara Eldredge turns the tables, interviewing regular host Liam Spradlin about his own creative journey and reflecting on the themes that unite the first 25 episodes of Design Notes.

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The Most Transformative Job in the World: Rob Giampietro, Design Director at MoMA May 14, 2019

In this episode, Liam speaks with Rob Giampietro, Design Director at the Museum of Modern Art. Giampietro shares his journey from studio designer to design manager, explores the unseen details of a museum experience, and describes the responsibility designers have to create impact.

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What Do You See; How Do You Feel? Clinton Cargill, Visual Director at Vanity Fair Apr 16, 2019

In this episode, Liam speaks with Clinton Cargill, the current visual director at Vanity Fair and former photo director at Bloomberg Businessweek. Cargill describes how he mastered the art of critically looking at pictures, what it takes to craft a compelling story with the expressive capabilities of photography, and why intent is central to creative work.

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Owning Your Values: Ksenya Samarskaya, Type Designer Mar 19, 2019

In this episode, Liam speaks with New York-based type designer Ksenya Samarskaya, exploring how type absorbs influence from its place in time, space, and culture. Samarskaya unpacks how typography represents the histories and complexities of the world around us, while revealing our own identities in the process.Download a PDF transcript

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You Cannot Be What You Cannot See: Bee Grandinetti & Hedvig Ahlberg, Panimation Feb 19, 2019

In this episode, Liam speaks with Bee Grandinetti and Hedvig Ahlberg—two thirds of the trio that founded Punanimation, a community and platform for women, trans, and non-binary folks working with animation and motion design.Bee and Hedvig unpack the ways in which motion design is influenced by the music and movement of the world around us, and how they’re answering the question, “where are the women in motion design?”

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2018 Material Design Awards Jan 15, 2019

In this episode, Liam sits down with the winners of the 2018 Material Design Awards—Anchor, KptnCook, Lyft, and SimpleHabit—to discuss how they each adopted and extended Material to build expressive, inspirational experiences.

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