That’s a Wrap for 2024: Jiva Design’s Picks of the Year!
Pressing Play on Our Year
As a design team, our creativity doesn’t stop when we step away from our design screens. This year has been a rollercoaster of cultural discoveries, a monthly outlook where we discuss things we love, and those magical moments where we don’t shy away from some healthy banter over Slack. So please grab a cup of your favourite beverage, and let’s dive into the wild world of what kept our design team inspired, entertained, and occasionally sleep-deprived.
📚 From Page-Turners to Mind-Benders
Our team’s Goodreads list reads like a passport to infinite worlds. We’ve travelled through narratives that challenged, delighted, and completely hijacked our weekend plans. We listen and don’t judge — some of us didn’t find anything that caught our attention worth reading. But some got really emotionally invested.
Ready Player One it’s like a hollywood blockbuster — something I enjoyed a ton while reading, I’ll remember it but it probably won’t make any “best movies” lists.
🎵 Spotify Soundtracks: The Playlist That Designed Our Year
Music isn’t just background noise for us — it’s the heartbeat of our creative process. Sometimes we start our meetings with Mama Mia or Hakuna Mattata just to pump up the energy. Our Spotify playlist isn’t just a collection of tracks; that shows the diversity of the team. From focus-mode instrumental tracks to dance-around-the-office bangers, and in multiple languages.
Insider’s Listen: We asked the Jiva Design team “What’s the best song you listened to this year?” and this playlist is composed of those answers check out our funky playlist!
🎮 Gaming Night (and Day)
Who says designers only design? Our Friday No Work Hour brings out our very best competitive and strategic side, it’s intense. These are our topic picks. From the cooperative chaos of Overcooked to the strategic depths of Dota 2, our team knows how to turn game time into team-building magic.
Our Game Picks:
- Most Collaborative Game: Overcooked (where teamwork isn’t just recommended, it’s survival)
- Most Intense Competitive Game: 8 Pool (bragging rights are real)
- My most unexpected team favourite is Helldivers 2 (because why not save the galaxy together?).
🎬 Screen Time: From Monk to Multiverse
Our watch list is a testament to our diverse tastes. We’ve laughed, cried, and philosophised through shows and movies that span genres and emotions. From the quirky detective brilliance of Monk to the mind-bending narrative of Dune 2, our team’s watchlist is anything but boring. Here is our list that you can binge over the holidays!
Cult Favourites:
- Most Discussed Series: Dune 2
- Most Heartfelt Movie: Inside Out 2
- Hidden Gem: Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (trust us, it’s worth your time)
🌈 The Design Connection
You might wonder, “How do books, music, games, and movies connect to design?” Everything we consume is inspiration. These moments where we discuss everything under the sun except work, build an open team culture and bond in this remote team setup.
Wrapping It Up: A Year in Culture
As we close this chapter, we’re reminded that great design isn’t just about pixels and principles. It’s about staying curious, embracing diverse experiences, and never stopping our journey of learning and exploration.
A Toast to 2024: May your designs be as bold as our playlist, as intricate as our favourite novels, and as surprising as that plot twist in the last series you binged.
Designed with ❤️ and a whole lot of cultural caffeine- The Jiva Design Team
