2021 roundup: What did the industry teach these designers?
Here we are, still in March 2020 and trying not to scroll once more through Twitter to find another meme to like.
We started off so well, and now are seemingly back where we were, but we’re strong! We’ll get through this! Designers gonna design etc.
This is the 5th annual summary from all the interviewees I spoke to this year, and it’s been another fun year speaking to lots of great creatives from across the globe.
2021’s report is slightly different, because I’m also including voices from those that were interviewed the 8px Radio podcast — fun!
Enjoy and stay safe 💜
— Design advocate,
2021 highlight
My 2021 highlight had been moving to Brooklyn! This is my 3rd city in the US and one of my faves so far!
Favourite app or tool
My favourite app or tool is still Figma — building the Material 3 design kit this year really got me familiar with the systems tools and it’s been quite a ride!
— Design Systems at
2021 highlight
At the beginning of 2021 I had no idea that I would end this year as a Staff designer, it’s always good to stop and remember our achievements and celebrate.
Favourite app or tool
Notion
— Designer,
2021 highlight
I opened the Funky UX Swag Shop and sold 150 products in 6 months. It brings me incredible joy every time a rectangle shaper buys my art.
Favourite app or tool
Firgma, of course! Also, http://are.na has been my latest source of design inspiration.
Femke— Product designer,
2021 highlight
This was a year of change for me. After four years I left Uber to join Wealthsimple. I also bought a house and moved from Ontario to British Columbia, Canada after getting my permanent residency earlier in the year. Wild to have so much change in such a difficult year.
Favourite app or tool
Taskade! I have been using Taskade to organise and run all of my side projects. I love that I can create projects, invite freelancers in on a project basis and assign tasks and due dates. Taskade helps me see what collaborations and client work I have coming up and lets me plan and prepare for my videos and community events.
p.s. listen to Femke’s episode on our podcast!
— Head of design, ASSIST Software
2021 highlight
Among them, the two that stood out were growing the design team that I lead and becoming a Figma Community Advocate. Joining a bigger family is so rewarding.
Favourite app or tool
Well, there’s no doubt for that: Figma ❤
— Product design strategist
2021 highlight
What is there to say about 2021? It’s been another shitstorm of a year and the sooner it’s in the rearview mirror the better. The high points were there though, if you paid attention. In Australia, politics has built to a pleasing polarity after so many years of beige acceptance of the status quo. Work has become simultaneously more important (we’re working on societal scale problems at light speed) and less central (for those of us fortunate enough to be able to work from home; many of us have found a balance in our lives that we never had before). But I guess the absolute highlight was the experience of getting my third vaccine shot, a Pfizer booster. Getting my first shot earlier this year was an ordeal of sitting on the phone, constantly refreshing websites, and checking the news for when it would become available for my cohort. For the booster, it was announced on the news that it was available for people who were five months past their second shot, rather than six on Sunday at about midday. I checked the government website to find out about my options at 6.30 pm the same day, and within one hour (no lie) I had a needle in my arm. The velocity of response promised by digital delivery of information and provision of government was finally realised. Compared to where we were at the start of all this, that’s nothing short of incredible.
Favourite app or tool
There are a lot of tools I carry with me all the time. I always carry an old Zoom H2N field recorder (you never know when you’ll have an opportunity for an interview), and a DJI Pocket 2 (never underestimate the power of 4K footage of what happens in the real world when making presentations). But there is only one indispensable tool: the Artline 200 0.4mm Fineliner pen. Accept no substitutes, and never let anyone borrow them. They never come back.
— Owner of Zacht Studios
2021 highlight
This year, my work highlight is definitely my team. We’ve scaled from 3 people in February to 8 by the end of November. It has been a huge change for me as a studio owner, and I am blown away by the talent and kindness of my team on a daily basis.
Favourite app or tool
Hard question! I’ve been really impressed by Slite, our first attempt at an internal wiki, and I love creating with Pitch, it has been a game changer for me, a presentation designer.
p.s. listen to Zach’s episode on our podcast!
— Designer, + 3D artist
2021 highlight
My highlight of the year was meeting so many new people thanks to both the 3D community + web3 space. I was able to push the limits of my art and share much more frequently because of their support.
Favourite app or tool
My favorite tool this year has to be Blender. The more I learn about it, the more I realize how little I actually know. It’s exciting to think about all of the possibilities that I’m not even aware of yet. Working in a 3D environment both challenges me and recharges me creatively; what more could I ask for?
p.s. listen to Kate’s episode on our podcast!
Au — Design systems,
2021 highlight
I called this, the year of *fuck it*. The highlight is that I stayed true to the mantra and did things I never thought I was good enough to do like giving a talk or sharing my art. This year helped me reduce my imposter syndrome. Personally, I went through a lot of positive life-changing events so it’d be hard to pick a highlight.
Favourite app or tool
My favorite tool this year has been my bullet journal. I’ve reconciled with pen a paper and it has really changed the way I work. This year I’ve also been using Youtube A LOT.
p.s. listen to Au’s episode on our podcast!
— Creative director,
2021 highlight
My personal highlight for the year was adopting my cats, Seb & Nora 🐈
My professional highlight was making it through my first year as a manager in one piece (damn yo, managing a team during a pandemic is tough and learning to do so as a newbie manager was even harder).
Favourite app or tool
Favorite app of the year has been Notion. It allowed me stay super organised on my side hustles alongside my full time job.
p.s. listen to Charli’s episode on our podcast!
— Founder, Queer Design Club
2021 highlight
In 2021, I enjoyed really pushing my creative limits outside my comfort zone.
Favourite app or tool
My favorite tool this year was Loom — saved me hours of meetings and helped me communicate easily with my remote team.
p.s. listen to Rebecca’s episode on our podcast!
Christos Kastritis – Design systems, WhatsApp
2021 highlight
My highlight of the year would definitely be signing up as a mentor on @ADPList . I’ve been lucky enough to have mentored over 50 people, across many time zones and countries. Helping some folks land their next or even first design role is a really great feeling. Although I haven’t been on the receiving end, I’ve learned so much through meeting all these amazing people.
Favourite app or tool
Favourite app this year is no doubt, Craft. Especially the Mac app. I’ve always struggled to find the right to-do/notes app for me, and this one ticks all the boxes. I think when you use an app for both professional and personal life, that’s a good sign. Favourite part is being able to share lists with anyone. Christmas shopping got a whole easier this year!
p.s. listen to Christos’ episode on our podcast!
— Freelance product designer
2021 highlight
Making the jump over to freelance life. Something I’ve wanted to try for a while — and at the moment — I’m loving the life balance it gives me.
Favourite app or tool
Notion — to help me organise my life. It’s where I keep leads for clients, notes from meetings, invoices, tax info, and everything in between.
— Design manager,
2021 highlight
Taking 6 months of parental leave to hang out with my kid.
Favourite app or tool
Literal (community around reading)
Thank you for reading, and see you all next year!
p.s. don’t forget to check out our podcast, 8px Radio🎤
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