Hi there, I’m Rob Gourley and today I'm launching Design Mind. But let's be clear – this is not another corporate-speak design newsletter (Yay OKRs). It's about cutting through the noise and delivering practical insights gained from my 20 years in the trenches in some of the top design-led organizations like Apple, Frog, and Axure.
So, what can you expect from Design Mind?
Trend Analysis: I’ll unpack the latest trends, dissecting what's driving them and why they matter to you as a designer. No empty buzzwords, just real-world applications, and insights.
Design Insights: I'll be sharing anecdotes from my career, experiences of launching 0-1 startups, designing new products for large companies, and comparing design methodologies. This is about offering you a firsthand account of design, failures included.
Strategies and Best Practices: From creating compelling user experiences to developing efficient design systems, I'll share strategies and best practices that work - not theories, but tried and tested methods from my career.
Design Systems: We'll explore the practicalities of building and maintaining design systems. I'll share my experiences, the successes and the failures, so you know what really works and what is window dressing for the C-suite.
AI in Design: AI is changing the design game. We'll discuss how it's impacting the field, the opportunities it presents, and the challenges it brings. Again, no fluff, just what you need to know.
The Inner Game: If you browse Dribble or Behance, all designers are crushing it, while still having time to bang out some sweet tunes on their Moog at home. But the reality is much different. Imposter syndrome, burnout, and lack of motivation are all real issues in our industry. I’ll give tips on how to overcome these issues and discuss productivity systems and tools to help you stay inspired and healthy.
Design Mind is about a dialogue, not a monologue. I encourage you to question, challenge, and contribute your thoughts. This is about building a community where we cut through the jargon and get to why design matters.
Ready to get real about design? Subscribe to Design Mind now, and let's dig into design, together.
Best, Rob.