Design Downtime

• Anthony Hobday Loves Solo Tabletop RPGs

  Grab a pen, paper, and maybe some dice, as Anthony Hobday joins us to discuss his journey into solo tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs). He talks about discovering pen-and-paper solo TTRPGs while exploring dungeon crawling games, and finding the format appealing because it allowed him to create complete games as simple documents. Anthony describes his design philosophy, talks about creating games around a gimmick, like fitting all rules into 36 words, and touches on the crucial role of online platforms in supporting independent game creators. Throughout the conversation, Anthony talks about the strengths and weaknesses of solo TTRPGs compared to group games and video games, and shares surprising feedback from his community of players.Guest BioAnthony Hobday (he/him) thinks about interface design a lot. He shares everything he knows on his website. He prefers a systematic approach to design, but has a passionate interest in visual design.LinksAnthony’s website: https://anthonyhobday.com/Anthony’s games on itch.io: https://ahobday.itch.io/CreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.

  --------  

  33:51
• Homer Gaines Loves Producing Music

  All quiet in the studio, as Homer Gaines joins us to share his lifelong journey with music production. He recounts developing his skills creating music with fellow students in high school, composing an original score for the school's production of “Fame”, and his evolution through college, where he worked in studios and performed with hip-hop groups. A devastating theft in 2003 caused him to abandon music entirely until his wife gifted him a Roland keyboard in 2016, prompting his return as an independent artist. Throughout the conversation, Homer reflects on the differences between producing for himself versus others, and his current focus on educating young artists about the business side of music.Guest BioHomer Gaines (he/him) is a designer, UI engineer, and certified accessibility professional with over 30 years of experience. With a background in behavioral psychology and neurology, he focuses on leading, promoting, and advancing accessibility at every stage in the product development lifecycle.LinksHomer on YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UC6q3s2LMS9YmUXrnL4vz7cgHomer’s website: https://www.homergaines.comHomer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/homergainesHomer on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/xirclebox.comCreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.

  --------  

  38:09
• Stéphanie Walter Loves Paper Crafting

  It’s sticker time, as Stéphanie Walter joins us to talk about her love for paper crafting. After starting with stickers, she “branched” to colorful (and deliberately unrealistic) paper plants, focusing on fun rather than natural accuracy. Since then, Stéphanie expanded into creating 3D projects including earrings and lampshades, working with vinyl, thin leather, and shrink plastic. She talks about her design style and inspirations, how she prefers to gift her creations rather than selling them, and tells us about "Crafternoons" with friends where they gather virtually to work on creative projects.Guest BioStéphanie Walter (she/her) is a UX Researcher & Strategist based in Luxembourg with over 13+ years of experience, specialized in enterprise UX, inclusive design and accessibility. She teaches, speaks, and writes about design, UX research, cognitive biases, and the design-dev relationship, among other topics. She enjoys good tea, bike rides, and drawing illustrations. Her D&D alignment is chaotic neutral, and she is better at keeping her teammates alive in video games than her plants, though she makes an effort.LinksStéphanie’s website: https://stephaniewalter.design/Stéphanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniewalterproStéphanie on Mastodon: https://front-end.social/@stephaniewalterStéphanie on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stephaniewalter.bsky.socialCreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.

  --------  

  28:34
• Bill Kurland Loves Punk Rock

  Dye your hair blue and rip your jeans, because Bill Kurland is joining us to talk about his love for punk rock. He talks about getting exposed to punk at a young age and embracing the do-it-yourself ethos. Bill criticizes the policing of authenticity within punk communities, and describes having a "meta-punk" approach where he sometimes deliberately went against punk norms. He rejects the nihilistic "destroy everything" attitude associated with some in punk, and instead talks about his appreciation for the sense of community punk represents for him, before recommending albums for newcomers to the genre.Guest BioBill Kurland (he/they) is a misfit. A former musician, he's spent the last 15 years working at the intersection of brand strategy and experience design. He's built, grown and led high-performing teams through transformation at organizations of all sizes—from unicorn startups to Fortune 15 corporations. Currently, he's a Global Experience Design Director at McDonald's, leading the cross-disciplinary Design Foundations group, consisting of Accessibility, Design Systems, Design Technology, and UX Writing teams.LinksBill’s website: billkurland.comDesign Downtime Punk playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1sBLGREySZYXfrCHdccCWs?si=JeCfE0V_S1OnrH2Im7xquw&pi=jHy53RCdRlS0hBill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-kurlandCreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.

  --------  

  27:17
• Kasey Labelle Loves Puppies

  They’re good dogs, especially when Kasey Labelle joins us to share her lifelong connection with puppies. She recounts her childhood with two family dogs before introducing Rhino, her beloved blue nose pitbull who chose her when he was just three weeks old and remained her companion for nearly 15 years. Kasey discusses how she's coped with Rhino's passing by becoming a dog walker, speaks passionately about the misconceptions surrounding pitbulls, and shares how Rhino's loving personality challenged those stereotypes. She also offers thoughtful advice for potential dog owners, emphasizing the importance of viewing dogs as family members and the different factors to consider when choosing the right dog.Guest BioKasey Labelle, CPWA (she/her) is a UX and design engineering leader with a passion for design systems and accessibility. In her current role as a Design Architect at iSeatz, she’s leading the evolution of a design system that powers a white-label travel loyalty platform. Previously, she built and led the multi-disciplinary design system team and accessibility program at Boston Scientific, establishing 0-1 and 1-n strategies and serving as a player-coach. In her downtime, you can find her at the beach, an art museum, concert, or game night; walking dogs; obsessing over spreadsheets; traveling; or attending fine arts and crafts workshops with friends.LinksKasey’s website: kaseyllabelle.comKasey on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kaseyllabelleCreditsCover design by Raquel Breternitz.

  --------  

  27:04

Más podcasts de Arte

Podcasts a la moda de Arte

Acerca de Design Downtime