Design Life

Femke shares her experience navigating the challenges of parental leave, including her decision to take extended time off supported by her employer and Canadian government benefits. She reflects on the challenges of staying connected with the design industry while on parental leave and the potential motivations for returning to work earlier than planned. Femke also discusses how her perspective on work-life balance has evolved over time as she adjusts to her new routine.Timestamps:01:42 - Life updates from Charli and Femke05:16 - Deciding how much time to take off and Canadian parental leave benefits08:06 - Would you consider returning to work earlier than planned?09:34 - Employer reactions and typical leave duration at Femke's workplace12:41 - How Femke arranged her 18-month long maternity leave and differences in parental leave across countries15:56 - Reflections on being out of work for an extended period18:27 - Adjusting to maternity leave and staying disconnected from work20:18 - Staying updated on the design industry while on leaveLinks:Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Charli, a recent promotee, shares her personal journey and insights into professional growth. She stresses the importance of taking ownership of your career and proactively seeking feedback. Femke dives into her own promotion experiences, discussing the challenges of unmet expectations. Together, they explore strategic tactics for approaching promotions, when to bring them up, and utilizing tools like promotion matrices. Their candid conversation offers invaluable advice on self-advocacy and navigating the tricky waters of performance discussions.

Charli and Femke dive into their experiences working with freelancers and agencies in their side projects and day jobs. Charli shares the decision-making process behind choosing an agency for a recent rebrand at Convert Kit, the challenges they encountered, and how involved they were in the collaboration. The hosts also offer practical advice for anyone deciding whether to keep a project in-house or outsource it to freelancers or agencies.Show Timestamps: 0:46 - Episode introduction1:38 - Charli’s update3:04 - Femke’s update5:04 - Femke and Charli share their experiences working with freelancers and agencies in side projects and day jobs.8:26 - Why did you choose an agency for the rebrand Instead of a freelancer?10:56 - How did you select the right agency?12:38 - What did the collaboration with the agency look like?15:13 - Charli’s role and responsibility in the project16:05 - Femke and Charli discuss the challenges they faced when working with agencies and freelancers.17:59 - Freelancers and Initiative: what’s been your experience? How much direction do freelancers need?20:38 - What are the best ways to work with an agency?27:03 - Tips for deciding between outsourcing and in-house projectsShow Links: Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm 

Charli, a creative director at Convert Kit, dives into the thrilling rebranding journey of the company. She reveals why they opted for a public rebranding instead of a grand launch, addressing challenges and surprising hurdles along the way. Charli discusses the essential roles that keep the team motivated and how community feedback is crucial for success. The conversation touches on how the rebrand is poised to affect their product and the intriguing connection between rebranding and burnout.

Designers discuss understanding the impact of their work on business success, including the balance between visual appeal and conversion rates. They share insights on hiring processes, challenges in measuring impact, and tips for showcasing design effectiveness in portfolios. The episode also covers updates on course enhancements, travel plans, and upcoming conference attendance.

Figma's latest release at Config 2024 brings exciting updates like Autolayout, new UI, AI features, Figma Slides, and collaboration with Zach Grosser. Speakers dive into practical applications of AI in design, discuss dev mode updates, and share their enthusiasm for the new features in Figma. They also explore the benefits of Figma Slides for team collaboration and project management.

Exploring the challenges of managing a failing side project, the hosts discuss a failed live workshop, lessons learned, reasons for low ticket sales, and improvements for future events. Emphasis on embracing failure as a learning opportunity in the creative process.

Learn how to optimize your design job application in the competitive 2024 market. Discover tips on standing out with strong portfolios, personalized applications, and networking. Gain insights on showcasing your expertise through side projects and navigating job search challenges in the design industry.

Charli reflects on her 7-year journey at her workplace, discussing the importance of difficult conversations for job clarity. Femke shares struggles when transitioning roles and values relationships within a company. They talk about 'golden handcuffs', recognizing signs for job change, and taking the first steps towards new opportunities.

Charli and Femke talk about their experience of having retreats with their teams, how retreats should be structured, what is their purpose and how to make the best out of in-person time with your teammates.As remote work becomes increasingly prevalent and we usually do not get the chance to see our co-workers’ faces outside of video-calls, team offsites can greatly improve the team dynamic and subsequently enhance communication between team members. Changing scenery and experiencing new things with your team will create space for creativity to approach challenges and open doors to have crucial discussions, paving the way for growth and innovation.Show Timestamps:0:57 Intro01:50 Life update6:13 Femke’s offsite in Denver7:56 Charli’s team retreat in France10:00 Purpose of retreats at Charli’s workplace10:30 Retreats as a manager vs. an individual contributor (IC)11:46 Structure of the retreat17:22 Did the offsite match out to the expectations?20:50 Femke talks about her upcoming off-sight to San Francisco23:55 Is there anything that you learnt at an offsite in Denver that you will bring to San Francisco?24:33 Takeaways from this episode Show links:Charli's live workshop in New ZealandFemke’s course “Product strategy for designers”Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm