Episode 9 – Webflow

Webflow is a front-end design tool that allows you build custom websites visually.

Jon and Chris consider if a “WYSIWYG” tool is good enough to be a viable alternative to coding, and prototyping. They also debate if such tools are the future of design.

 

Note: Webflow has offered Design Review listeners a special 2 month’s free offer ( or 20$ off for 2 months if you want the bigger plans)

Just sign up, and enter the code when you upgrade: fanimals202 (Limted to the first 100 people)

Correction: Chris recorded the promo at the end of the show without realizing the promo code had changed. So make sure you use fanimals202 when you sign up.

Also, please vote on a t-shirt design!

(If you don’t see the survey below, click here)

 

Episode 8 – Layervault

This week Chris and Jonathan take a look at Layervault, a new cloud storage solution for designers! And if that wasn’t cool enough, later in the show, Kelly Sutton, cofounder and CEO of Layervault, joins us for an amazing interview!

Check out Layervault

or Sign up for an account and try it out for yourself

 

Show Notes:
00:00:00 – Start!
00:00:53 – Show announcements, podcast business
00:02:12 – Show format
00:02:36 – Our expectations
00:06:50 – Onboarding
00:11:47 – The user experience
00:22:56 – How would we improve the UX?
00:27:58 – The presentation and aesthetics
00:29:47 – Animations in the product
00:33:16 – Did it align with our expectations?
00:35:54 – Keep or Delete?
00:38:34 – Wrapping up part 1
00:38:59 – Start of the interview with Kelly Sutton, cofounder and CEO of Layervault
00:39:17 – Kelly introduces himself
00:40:58 – Jon talks about reducing and minimalism in design
00:42:00 – Why did they make Layervault?
00:43:22 – How much collaboration was there in the beginning of Layervault?
00:44:55 – Was there any market research involved with initially creating Layervault?
00:49:29 – What part of the app are they most proud of from a design standpoint?
00:51:06 – What is the design process like at Layervault?
00:56:25 – How does Layervault decide when and how to remove features?
00:59:02 – Is it hard to tell the difference between a feature that people don’t like vs. one that needs more work?
01:00:04 – Our feedback
01:07:14 – When did they decide to create Designer News?
01:09:55 – What are the future plans for Designer News?
01:12:52 – What is coming out next for Layervault or Designer News?
01:13:58 – Wrapping it up!

Once again, huge thanks to Kelly Sutton at Layervault for coming on the show and talking with us about design!

 

Episode 7 – Spotify (iPhone + iPad)

Spotify has given their iPad app a fresh new look, so Chris and Jonathan dive in to give it, and the iPhone app, a Design Review.

Spotify is a leader in the music listening space with millions of listeners. The app has to cover a lot of content, but that content is rich, so we dissect what they did right, and what they could have done better.

Get the iPhone + iPad Spotify app here

Here is the Beats App Jon talked about (great onboarding experience)

Listen to this episode on Soundcloud!

If you would like to connect with us on Spotify here are our profile links:

Jonathan’s Spotify

Chris’s Spotify

 

 

Episode 5 – Inbox by Gmail

Google has launched a new email product called “Inbox”, which has a web version and mobile apps on iOS and Android. The main idea behind Inbox is a card based UI, grouping, and task management for email.

Chris and Jonathan take a look and review the design of the web and mobile versions, listen and find out what we liked, and what we didn’t and most important what we learned about design.

Wanna try Inbox for yourself? We do have some invites left, but the way it’ll work is the first listeners who are subscribed to our email list (look on the top right of the page) and tweet out the link to this episode will get one of our invites. We’ll do it for as long as we have invites left! Click here for a pre-written Tweet, or write your own and tag @DR_Podcast! Best of luck to everyone participating!

Listen to this episode on Soundcloud!

Inbox Main Site

Inbox iOS App

Inbox Android App

User Onboarding

 

 

 

Episode 4 – Candy Crush

Yes, Candy Crush. Why did we pick it? We chose it because it’s controversial yet has a lot to be learned, good and bad.

The game has been one of the top grossing apps in the AppStore for a long time. Join us as we pick apart Candy Crush’s onboarding, UX, dark patterns, and style.

Also, Chris mentioned the slot machine/Skinner box gaming paradigm. Here’s some more information about it (the article is a bit old, but still relevant).

Download the app on iTunes

Dark Patterns Webstite

Listen to this episode on SoundCloud!

Continue reading →

Episode 3 – Quad

This week we cover Quad, a chat app targeted towards college students.

For this special episode we have 2 parts. First, Jonathan & Chris review the App like always, breaking down the UX and design. The second half, we invited the co-founder Mary Yang, and Design Intern Tawni Kuhn. We chat with them about the background of the app, how design functions in their company Appsurdity and how they value design.

For a sneak peak at the upcoming redesign, check out their dribbble.

If you want to check out the app for yourself, you can download it from iTunes.

As always, you can find our own screenshots right here:

1/1

 

Episode 2 – Ello

This week, Chris and Jonathan get access to Ello!

We discuss the controversy around this product. We discuss the user experience. We discuss the visual presentation. We review it all!

Will we like it or hate it? Listen and find out!

 

follow-ello

 

You can also listen to this episode on Soundcloud!

 

Interested in Ello? We have some invite codes to give away! Just sign up to get updates and you will be automatically entered.



 

Episode 1 – 2by2! app

This week, Chris and Jonathan take a look at a new photo sharing app 2by2! (iOS only).

2by2! is a unique concept in photo sharing because users can create double exposure images and share them with the app. In this episode, we go through the whole experience of using it, from onboarding to visual design, to product enhancements.

Add your comments below!

Use Soundcloud? You can also listen to it there!

Wanna try it out for yourself?
Get it on iTunes

 

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