Andy Birch, Designer
Who doesn't love a little quantified whizz-bang? Victory's a React (and React Native!) data visualization library based largely on D3 that's as simple to implement as it is robust. Scrubbing through a long time series? Done. Transitioning between contexts? There's an animation layer to keep it all buttery smooth. Voronoi plots? Literally no idea what those even do but hell yeah they got those. It's the Portlandia "put a bird on it!" sketch but for graphing absolutely every CSV you can get your hands on.
Chapman Bettis, Designer
Design Matters with Debbie Millman
For the last 3 weeks I’ve been on total Design Matters binge. Walking, running, making lunch—Design Matters all the time.
As fascinating as her guests are, the thing that truly sets the show apart is Millman’s complete mastery of her craft. After only a few episodes, you begin to see how she is incredibly intentional about each minute of the interview. Whether it’s her unexpected opening questions, her Nardwuar-level research, or her probing personal questions, she’s clearly designed her process. And it consistently leads too engaging, complex, and often venerable interviews.
With it’s 16 year run, the show has plenty of episodes to choose from. A couple of my favorites are with Robyn Kanner, Christoph Niemann, Ira Glass, Ethan Hawke, and the larger than life Aaron Draplin.
Jesse Hoyos, Designer
Conversation design is becoming more and more prevelant in our world, and this wonderful post gives some useful and pragmatic pointers for designing them effectively. It focuses on two seminal design principles, how they could be misused and how they can help us design better interfaces. Anyone interested in conversation design, or brushing up on some fundamentals will sure benefit and enjoy this post.
Adam Robinson, Developer
When I first experienced Jaron Lanier, I was watching a documentary about the perils of social media platforms. From the moment he came onscreen, I couldn't believe someone like this existed. Since then, my wife and I have been watching his videos and reading some of his books. And I have to say, he is probably the most inspiring person I've learned of in a long time. What I find most inspiring about Jaron is his ability to optimistically and humorously describe a serious issue that we all face today. I honestly would love nothing more than to spend an entire day with him.
If you haven't experienced the wiles and wit of Jaron Lanier, please do yourself a favor and check him out. You can also visit his website, which I find inspiring in different ways.
Matt Rossi, Design Director
The Meshuggah Calculator
I have a pretty diverse taste in music but I hold a special place in my heart for metal. Swedish metal and death metal are in a league of their own, and one group that blew my mind and continues to do so is Meshuggah.
They coined the use of progressive polyrhythms and questionable time signatures in the most brutal way possible. When it comes to learning their songs… good luck. I follow a channel on YouTube where the creator, Yogev Gabay, breaks down all the parts of their songs that’s very easy to understand thanks to his awesome visuals and creativity.
In one of his videos he promoted an app he built which helps take some of the guesswork out of the process. I love that he’s not only creating amazing content but also giving back to his fans with this awesome tool. I still have no idea how they can remember their songs… I’m moving to Sweden.