Why I put out stuff ✌️ #91

By Ross Chapman • Issue #91 • View online

I’ve received some good qualitative feedback from the last issue, as well as from the audio recording of the Winchester Creatives talk I did on Collaborating with Clients.

I do talks and send out weekly issues for very good reason - I’m collecting feedback. I don’t particularly care whether the content is right or wrong because the audience will tell me. Like a good DJ, I want to provide value to the audience right here, right now.

“Feedback is the breakfast of champions.” – Ken Blanchard

We do this every Friday at Etch at our weekly retrospective (following our team breakfast!). What went well, what didn’t and how could we improve. Trends can be recognised and so actions can arise.

Some readers of these weekly design insights have asked whether I could share tips and discuss design in more ways, potentially in an audio format every two weeks. I’ve always shied away from it in the past as I didn’t want to add to the noise, but as I’m reaching issue #100, it might be an interesting format to include. Gary Vaynerchuck seems to think audio is the next big thing (if audio is your thing) and I know Gary wants to be historically correct 😂

As ever, thank you for supporting this issue,

- Ross

Digital product design 👨‍💻

The Rise of Audio & Voice

With Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant all hanging off audio, Gary Vaynerchuk is tipping audio to being the next content creation boom. The entrepreneur notes that more people are tuning into podcasts as they are more able to multi-task and there can be less barriers to recording on a microphone to going all in on video.

medium.com • Share

Letter to a Junior Designer

7 killer tips for junior designers. In addition, I’d add keep learning. I’m still a student of design, and always will be. There’s so much to learn, so much that’s changing and so much experience to gain from just producing work. Once you’re comfortable, then start bending the rules (and check out last week’s issue for more on that!).

uxdesign.cc • Share

The Ultimate Guide to Becoming A Designer Without Going To Design School (Part 1)

Is Design School relevant in a fast-paced design industry? When the web changes so quickly, can a 3-year design course prepare candidates for the world of design work?

Like anything, there’s various hacks like Andrew Wilshere’s here.

Consider backwards engineering your dream role. Are all your actions taking you closer to that goal?

blog.prototypr.io • Share

Business 📈

Etch announces acquisition of Big Radical

YAY NEW FRIENDS! Thrilled to announce that Etch have acquired Big Radical! 🦄

Big Radical, who will now be part of the Etch family, are a London-based product development studio, with a focus on design and mobile development.

Funnily enough, I was last at Big Radical for an interview a few years back (shout-out to Arvid!). Crazy how things turn out!

Now we have a bigger presence in London, I’ll be around Soho if you want to chat design, cycling or your next big thing.

www.etchuk.com • Share

Slack, I’m Breaking Up with You

We love Slack, but for every argument for, there’s one against. Now that Etch spans three locations, we’re implementing more guidelines around how we communicate, and work remote-first.

There are consequences to using Slack without ceremony. Jason Fried describes it well: “What would you call an all-day meeting with unknown participants and no agenda?”

ux.useronboard.com • Share

Timing — Automatic macOS Time Tracking for Freelancers and Professionals

You know I’m a stickler for time, right? 😂 Do you ever forget to track your time? Wish there was a tool to help? Well, there is on a Mac. Timing automatically knows what apps and websites you’re using and tracks, so you can accurately get a record of how you spent your day. Useful if you need to complete time-sheets too!

timingapp.com • Share

Cycling 🚴

Chatting with Griggsy about riding in Sardinia. Photo: The Woods Cyclery

The Woods Cyclery - Lyndhurst

I joined The Woods Cyclery Gravel Ride last Sunday and had such a blast! The Woods know their audience and the store in Lyndhurst is part bike-packing mecca part workshop - it’s beautiful! Getting to ride in new places with new faces is one of the main reasons I ride. Bring on more of this in Autumn! Plus: lots of questions about My Wild Love!

www.thewoodscyclery.co.uk • Share

Cycle Surgery parent confirms string of store closures

And as one store finds it’s niche, others are closing. With WiggleCRC’s bad results last week, now is really the time to understand customers and your place within their lives.

I’m still itching to work with a cycle shop who want to focus on growth - please get in touch!

cyclingindustry.news • Share

Heading Out to South Africa

Down in South Africa:

A new two-day 395km stage race for modern gravel / cyclocross style bicycles through the South African Karoo. The route is almost exclusively gravel, and range from super smooth hard-packed dirt to soft sand, sharp rocks and corrugations. The race will be semi-supported, and there will be two rest stops with good food, coffee and fresh water along each of the two stages.

I know Dario’s been enjoying the Karoobaix course before the race starter. Looking forward to hearing reports as they emerge. Who’s going next year?

theradavist.com • Share

Coolness 😎

Supercharged content marketing tips from some of the UK's brightest start-ups

Seth Godin explains why great marketers don’t talk about features or even benefits. Instead, they tell a story.

www.creativeboom.com • Share

RIP AIM, G2G 4Ever

Bye AIM! Can’t believe you lasted this long tbh!

mystudentvoices.com • Share

Google unveils new high-end digs in downtown Austin

I’m getting to understand more and more about studio design and how that impacts (or encourages) cross-team collaboration. When hand-in-hand with working in whole weeks rather than days, you need a space where a designer, developer, producer and others can tackle the hard stuff in a focussed, productive way. And no doubt your environment influences your work.

austin.culturemap.com • Share

Put out so you can learn an amount ⚡️

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By Ross Chapman

A weekly collection of product design, user research, cycling and coolness from @rosschapman of @etchuk

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