Explore every episode of the podcast Studio Twentyone: A Bitcoin Design Show
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05. Mia White: Designing bitcoin products as a freelancer | 26 Feb 2025 | 00:45:56 | |
In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil walks with Mia White to explore her journey from marketing to Bitcoin design and her experiences as an independent designer working with various Bitcoin companies. 🔍 What you'll learn in this episode:
🔗 Subscribe for more conversations on Bitcoin design and product development! Connect with Mia:
Connect with Me:
Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Studio Twentyone Show 00:30 Meeting Mia White 01:14 Mia's Background in Business and Marketing 02:57 Transition to Design During COVID 04:31 Online Design Education 06:20 Starting as a Freelancer in Bitcoin 08:05 Working with Engineering-Heavy Startups 10:34 Managing Design Process with Multiple Stakeholders 13:40 Using Secondary Research to Convince Teams 15:32 Freelance versus Full-Time Considerations 19:30 Challenges in Bitcoin Startups 20:46 Bitcoin Education and UX Challenges 23:35 Designing for Technical Constraints in El Salvador 24:47 Copywriting and Website Design 27:36 Using AI Tools in Design 29:14 The Future of Designers with AI 31:35 Being a "Cowboy Designer" 33:17 Learning New Skills On-the-Go 34:51 Hot Takes on Bitcoin Companies 37:13 The Education Problem in Bitcoin Products 39:28 Staying Updated on Design Trends 40:57 Future of Bitcoin Design 44:30 Personal Growth and Balance 45:21 Closing Thoughts Background image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/ | |||
| 04. Lee Gordon from Fold: Research-driven design in Bitcoin products | 21 Jan 2025 | 00:53:53 | |
In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil walks with Lee Gordon from Fold to explore the evolution of Bitcoin design and brand identity. Lee shares insights from Fold's recent redesign and his journey from creative writing to leading design at one of Bitcoin's most recognizable companies. 🔍 What you'll learn in this episode:
🔗 Subscribe for more content on Bitcoin and product design from the Studio Twentyone Show! Connect with Lee:
Connect with Me:
Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Studio Twentyone Show 00:20 Meeting Lee Gordon from Fold 01:14 Lee's Journey into Design 02:54 Path Through Agency World and Tech 05:04 Experience at RGA and Other Companies 08:03 Leadership and Individual Contributor Roles 11:10 Design Philosophy at Fold 14:17 Brand Evolution and Redesign Process 20:53 Working with Design Teams and Freelancers 27:07 Research and Customer Feedback 31:16 Design Systems and Efficiency 34:08 Using AI for Research Insights 39:24 Hot Takes on Design Industry 42:05 Art and Design Inspiration 46:47 Future of Bitcoin Design 50:16 Personal Growth and Future Plans 52:23 Closing Thoughts and Contact Information Background image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/ | |||
| 03. Sasha Klein from Unchained: Bridging technical complexity and user experience in bitcoin | 23 Dec 2024 | 00:57:21 | |
In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil walks with Sasha Klein from Unchained to explore the world of Bitcoin front-end development and design systems. Sasha shares his journey from English major to Bitcoin engineer and his unique perspectives on building user-friendly self-custody solutions. 🔍 What you'll learn in this episode: The evolution from traditional web development to Bitcoin products How to balance technical requirements with user experience The importance of consistent design systems in Bitcoin products Building maintainable front-end architecture for complex applications Hot takes on animation, prototyping, and design trade-offs 🔗 Subscribe for more content on Bitcoin and product design from the Studio Twentyone Show! Connect with Sasha: Twitter: https://x.com/sashafklein Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasha-klein/ Connect with Me: Twitter: https://x.com/SahilC0 Nostr: sahil@primal.net/sahil Web: https://sahilc.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Studio Twentyone Show 00:21 Meeting Sasha Klein from Unchained 01:14 Sasha's Background and Harvard Years 02:54 Transition into Programming through MOOCs 04:06 Learning Ruby on Rails and Full Stack Development 05:04 Experience at Design Consultancy 08:03 Design Philosophy and Trade-offs at Unchained 11:10 The Role of Animation in Design 14:17 Domain Expertise in Bitcoin Products 16:24 Balancing Customer Needs with Bitcoin Security 20:27 UX and Visual Design Integration 23:51 Evolution of Web Design Standards 26:28 Design Systems and Component Libraries 29:01 The Role of Prototyping 32:35 AI in Development and Design 37:06 Future of Tech Jobs 39:24 Hot Takes on Design 42:05 Managing Design Trade-offs 46:47 Consistency and Code Quality 50:16 Bitcoin Design Evolution 54:19 Future of Bitcoin UX 56:13 Real-world Bitcoin Payment Challenges 57:05 Closing Thoughts and Contact Information Background image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/ | |||
| 02. Erik Cativo from Hoseki, Cashu: Bitcoin Design and eCash UX | 20 Nov 2024 | 00:39:39 | |
Hey everyone! Sahil here, walking along a lake in Riga for today’s episode. I’m joined by Erik, a bitcoin designer who’s here to share his unique journey and insights from the world of UX and design. Episode Highlights: Exploring Riga & European Design: Erik shares his love for European architecture and city design, comparing it to the walkability and creativity-inspiring aesthetics of Stockholm, where he lives. Erik’s Path into Design: From dabbling with early digital design tools as a kid, customizing game graphics, and pirating Photoshop to eventually mastering UX—Erik has quite the unconventional, tech-centric backstory. Peer-to-Peer Influence on Bitcoin UX: Erik explains how his fascination with file-sharing communities naturally led to his interest in Bitcoin and designing peer-to-peer systems. Design Philosophy: We dive into what “good design” means to Erik—balancing functionality with user enjoyment, making sure even technical designs offer a seamless, pleasant experience. Challenges in eCash UX: Erik talks about his work with eCash, a protocol he’s passionate about, and the unique UX challenges it presents—like offline functionality and “pending” transactions that need intuitive design solutions. Hoseki and Institutional UX: Erik shares his experience with institutional design at Hoseki, where keeping it polished yet simple for a traditional finance audience is key. Design Inspiration from Solana & Beyond: Erik’s got a hot take—he’s learning design patterns from Ethereum and Solana’s fire UI/UX, proving that great design inspiration can come from all corners of the tech world. The Art of Explaining Design: We get into a candid chat about the challenges of articulating design choices to stakeholders and Erik’s journey to improve in this area. This episode is full of gems on navigating design with a user-first mindset while staying grounded in practicality. Whether you’re a designer, a dev, or just interested in the thought processes behind some of the products you use, you’re gonna love this conversation. Connect with Erik: Twitter: @uxerik_ Noster: erik@uierik.com Website: uierik.com Connect with Me: Twitter: @Sahilc0 Nostr: sahil@primal.net Web: sahilc.com Don't Miss Out: If you’re in Austin, check out the Bitcoin Design Club that Paul and I host on the 4th Wednesday of each month. It’s where we connect with other designers, builders, and anyone passionate about Bitcoin design. Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, hit that subscribe button, and let’s keep this design conversation rolling. Peace! Background image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Studio 21 Show 00:33 Exploring Riga and Personal Backgrounds 03:33 Early Design Inspirations and Journey 05:58 Combining Design with Bitcoin 11:05 Institutional Design at Hoseki 16:04 Challenges in eCash UX Design 21:15 Exploring eCash Offline Functionality 22:53 User Communication Challenges 23:05 Design Philosophy: Truth vs. Abstraction 24:35 Balancing User Feedback and Development 26:37 Hot Takes on Design Prototyping 29:18 Learning from Cutting-Edge Design 33:17 The Culture of Cashew 34:41 Challenges in Design Communication 37:53 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up | |||
| 01. Paul Miller from Mutiny: Navigating UX challenges and personal responsibility in Bitcoin | 22 Oct 2024 | 00:55:43 | |
In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil chats with Paul Miller from Mutiny to dive deep into the world of Bitcoin product design. Paul shares his unique journey from being a web designer at 13 years old to becoming a key player in the Bitcoin ecosystem, working on projects like Voltage and Fedimint. 🔍 What you'll learn in this episode: The challenges of designing intuitive Bitcoin UX for users. How to balance simplicity with the complexities of Bitcoin technology. The importance of iteration and progressive enhancement in product design. Why great UX for Bitcoin products is about more than just making things look pretty. Hot takes on the future of Bitcoin products and how designers can make Bitcoin more user-friendly. Paul offers candid insights into his design philosophy and the difficulties of delivering seamless user experiences in a space where technical complexity and user expectations clash. If you're interested in Bitcoin development, UX/UI design, or just curious about the behind-the-scenes of how Bitcoin products are created, this episode is a must-watch! 🎧 Listen to the full episode to discover: Paul’s thoughts on what makes good design in Bitcoin. Why "better UX won’t be easy" and how it compares to relationships or fitness. The truth vs. abstraction debate in Bitcoin UX. 🔗 Subscribe for more content on Bitcoin, product design, and tech from the Studio Twentyone Show! Connect with Paul: Twitter: @FuturePaul Upcoming Projects: Keep an eye out for some exciting B2B SaaS evolutions from Mutiny. Connect with Me: Twitter: @SahilC0 Nostr: sahil@primal.net Web: sahilc.com Don't Miss Out: If you’re in Austin, check out the Bitcoin Design Club that Paul and I host on the last Thursday of each month. It’s where we connect with other designers, builders, and anyone passionate about Bitcoin design. Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, hit that subscribe button, and let’s keep this design conversation rolling. Peace!
Background image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/ | |||