Thiago Costa, co-founder and designer at Fey, shares his extensive expertise in refined visual techniques and beautiful user interfaces. He delves into the evolution of the Fey aesthetic, from version 1.0 to 2.0, and discusses how AI enhances user experience. Thiago draws inspiration from diverse sources, including Caravaggio's mastery of light. He emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, meticulous attention to detail, and the balance between aesthetics and functionality, making for an insightful conversation on the art and science of design.
Thiago Costa emphasizes the importance of immersing oneself in various art forms to enhance design taste and creativity.
The transition from Faye 1.0 to 2.0 utilized AI to simplify financial data interpretation, blending aesthetics with functional innovation.
A designer's growth is fueled by curiosity and learning from diverse influences, fostering heightened awareness in their creative process.
Deep dives
Intersection of Art and Science in Design
Design operates at the confluence of art and science, with the artistic aspect influencing the process of redesigning and experimenting. Exposure to various forms of art, such as studying colors, lights, and shadows, significantly enhances a designer's taste and creativity. By immersing themselves in artistic influences, designers can better understand aesthetic principles that apply to their work, ultimately helping them craft visually appealing products. This connection between art and design emphasizes that familiarity with beauty and artistry can profoundly shape a designer's approach and output.
The Backstory of Faye
Faye emerged from the founders' initial venture, Narrative, which was designed to enable them to pursue their creative ideas after leaving their unfulfilling jobs. They launched Narrative as a design studio that quickly gained traction, securing high-profile clients due to the growing demand for design and engineering expertise. This success allowed them to shift focus back to Faye, initially sidelined, and explore its unique potential for a finance product that prioritized aesthetics. This transition showcased their commitment to addressing personal frustrations with existing finance tools, ultimately driving their motivation to innovate Faye.
Building Faye: A Design-Driven Approach
The founding team, although lacking formal finance backgrounds, utilized their design and engineering skills to create Faye around their own needs as investors. Recognizing the shortcomings of traditional finance applications, they sought to develop a solution that simplified financial processes while remaining visually appealing. By gathering feedback from potential users and focusing on crafting an intuitive product, they were able to tailor Faye to resonate with customers who shared their frustrations with existing options. This user-centric approach helped them craft an experience that was not only aesthetically pleasing but also meaningful and functional.
Designing for Perfection and AI Integration
The transition to a second version of Faye was driven not only by a desire for perfection but also by the potential of artificial intelligence to enhance the user experience. Recognizing the need to simplify complex financial data, the designers aimed to leverage AI to interpret information for users, effectively transforming financial management into a more intuitive experience. This significant shift allowed them to rethink the product's architecture, ensuring it would be adaptable to ongoing advancements in AI technology. By prioritizing both visual aesthetics and functional innovation, the team crafted an environment conducive to future growth and development.
The Importance of Curiosity in Design
A designer's growth hinges on their curiosity and eagerness to learn from various sources beyond traditional design principles. Engagement with art, architecture, and even nature fosters a heightened awareness that informs their design decisions and overall taste. This inherent curiosity leads to continuous improvement, allowing designers to distill complex ideas into visually appealing products that resonate with users. Ultimately, developing a keen understanding of the world around them enables designers to create impactful experiences that transcend conventional boundaries.
