Become a Better Designer with Side Projects

It's been my experience that side projects have the ability to elevate designer, developers and more to a different level. If you choose these wisely, they can sharpen existing skills and create new ones. This session will cover side projects that have helped me, why they've helped, and suggestions for what you could do.

You can see the video here: http://youtu.be/_VspTuwGtkk

Transcript

1. Become a Better Designer with Side Projects
2. Hi! I’m Tim Smith Designer, Talker & Coffee Addict timothybsmith.com · @ttimsmith
3. I’m Director of Design We work with WordPress
7. One More…
8. Just Kidding!
9. I Have A Lot of Side Projects
10. Each of Them Have a Purpose
11. Today’s Agenda
12. Today’s Agenda • Why did I start these side projects?
13. Today’s Agenda • Why did I start these side projects? • How they’ve helped me develop skills
14. Today’s Agenda • Why did I start these side projects? • How they’ve helped me develop skills • Why it’s important for you to have a side project
15. Today’s Agenda • Why did I start these side projects? • How they’ve helped me develop skills • Why it’s important for you to have a side project • Trust falls
16. The East Wing
18. My learning had gone stale
19. My learning had gone stale work sucked
20. My learning had gone stale work sucked job sucked
21. The East Wing Saved Me
22. Tim Likes to Teach
23. Anyone Can Learn
24. Sounded Like a Fun Idea
25. $$$$$$$
26. Lustra Magazine
27. I Had Just Been Fired
28. I’m a Proud Underdog
29. What I’ve Learned
30. Content with Lots of Personality 1
31. I Stalk My Guests
32. Not Like This
33. Create Something You Can Be Proud of. The Audience Will Follow
34. Use Time Wisely 2
35. Time Management? Whaaaaaaaa??
36. Don’t Waste Time Spend it on Things That are Worth It
37. For Me
39. My family
40. My family faith
41. My family faith friends
42. My family faith friends work
43. Push the Limits of Your Knowledge 3
44. Hi! I’m a Designer! I’m addicted to Photoshop, but I’m scared of code. —A Lot of Designers “
45. You Cannot Reach Your Potential Without Knowledge of the Medium (aka The Browser)
46. Decide In the Browser. —Chris Coyier “
47. Everyone Has Their Limit
49. How Do I get on iTunes?
50. How Do I get on iTunes? create an iTunes Feed?
51. How Do I get on iTunes? create an iTunes Feed? create a member system?
52. Re-learning Print Design
53. Picas? Whaaa? Baseline Grids? Do I Need Baseline Grid?
54. I Know Enough To Be Dangerous
55. Why Have a Side Project?
56. You’ll Be More Valuable to Companies
57. You Can Help Other People
58. Make Great Friends
59. These Things Make You a Better Designer
60. Thank You! timothybsmith.com · @ttimsmith