Desk of Tobias von Schneider

Smoke, Mirrors, and Toothpaste Foam — from the Desk of van Schneider

Welcome back to DESK, everyone. Over the past week hundreds of new subscribers have found their way to this corner of the internet. Makes me happy to know that my writing resonates and it keeps me going. Thank you! ✣ LAST WEEK ON DESK ✣ In my last newsletter edition I wrote

by Tobias van Schneider

How to be helpful

This applies whether you’re working with a client, running a business, doing customer support, trying to be useful within your team or simply trying to help someone out.

by Zoe

How to make a UX portfolio in 15 minutes with Carbonmade

If we spent half the time working on our portfolios as we do talking or thinking about working on our portfolios, we'd have launched two decades ago. The good news is, you don't have to spend all that time working on your site. You can build your UX portfolio in 15 minutes.

by Jon Vio

Monthly portfolio inspiration of March 2020

Once a week, we select two portfolios created with Semplice to feature in our Best Of Showcase. Here we've collected our favorites from the month of March.

by Tobias van Schneider

The sensory and surreal worlds of teamLab

Before our feeds were filled with Zoom screenshots and sourdough loaves, you probably saw at least one Instagram post featuring the work of teamLab. The collective has produced numerous immersive exhibits internationally, and it's the sort of thing you can't experience without photographing. Yet ph

by Tobias van Schneider

Down with contact forms

You see a contact form on a website and an email address next to it. Which one do you use? For me, it’s always the email address. If a contact form is the only option, I probably won’t reach out at all.

by Lizzy Spano

A data designer’s responsibility during a global crisis

If you’re like many of us, you’ve been obsessively refreshing the news and Coronavirus maps for at least a week now. Or, if you’re like me, you’re making an intentional effort to control your media intake during this anxious, confusing time.

by Tobias van Schneider

How to write UX copy that makes your product a joy to use

Study a speaker on stage. A bad speaker passively dumps information on their audience, more concerned with hitting their Keynote bullets than connecting with the crowd. A good speaker delights and inspires. At the end of their talk, people feel ready to jump out of their seat and take action.

by Tobias van Schneider

Why you should work at a non-design driven company

Most designers I know, in particular those in their early career, want to work for a company already known for design.

by Zoe

How to make a photography portfolio in 15 minutes with Carbonmade

Like choosing the right picture frame, your photography portfolio affects the feel of the work itself. Whether you have design experience or not, it's easy to create a beautiful, personalized portfolio that puts your photos in the best light. And with Carbonmade, you can do it over your lunch break.