Unfinished Business

I’m your host, Andy Clarke, and I’m writing a Hardboiled Web Design book about Art Directing for the Web. You can find out more about that at stuffandnonsense.co.uk/books. Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll be discussing art directing for web with my guests, some of the most experienced art directors and designers working on the web today. In this episode, Rob Weychert and I discuss Art Directing the Web. Sponsor: This season of Unfinished Business is proudly sponsored by CoffeeCup Software, and in particular their new CSS Grid Builder. CSS Grid Builder is currently free while CoffeeCup develops it and if you like what they’re doing, you can throw a few dollars their way to help fund its development. Find out more and download CSS Grid Builder at https://cssgrid.cc

I’m your host, Andy Clarke, and I’m writing a Hardboiled Web Design book about Art Directing for the Web. You can find out more about that at stuffandnonsense.co.uk/books. Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll be discussing art directing for web with my guests, some of the most experienced art directors and designers working on the web today. In this episode, Stephen Hay and I discuss Art Directing the Web. Sponsor: This season of Unfinished Business is proudly sponsored by CoffeeCup Software, and in particular their new CSS Grid Builder. CSS Grid Builder is currently free while CoffeeCup develops it and if you like what they’re doing, you can throw a few dollars their way to help fund its development. Find out more and download CSS Grid Builder at https://cssgrid.cc

I’m your host, Andy Clarke, and I’m writing a Hardboiled Web Design book about Art Directing for the Web. You can find out more about that at stuffandnonsense.co.uk/books. Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll be discussing art directing for web with my guests, some of the most experienced art directors and designers working on the web today. In this episode, David Sleight and I discuss Art Directing the Web. Sponsor: This season of Unfinished Business is proudly sponsored by CoffeeCup Software, and in particular their new CSS Grid Builder. CSS Grid Builder is currently free while CoffeeCup develops it and if you like what they’re doing, you can throw a few dollars their way to help fund its development. Find out more and download CSS Grid Builder at https://cssgrid.cc

I’m your host, Andy Clarke, and I’m writing a Hardboiled Web Design book about Art Directing for the Web. You can find out more about that at stuffandnonsense.co.uk/books. Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll be discussing art directing for web with my guests, some of the most experienced art directors and designers working on the web today. In this episode, Rachel Andrew and I discuss Art Directing the Web and CSS Grid. Sponsor: This season of Unfinished Business is proudly sponsored by CoffeeCup Software, and in particular their new CSS Grid Builder. CSS Grid Builder is currently free while CoffeeCup develops it and if you like what they’re doing, you can throw a few dollars their way to help fund its development. Find out more and download CSS Grid Builder at https://cssgrid.cc

I’m your host, Andy Clarke, and I’m writing a Hardboiled Web Design book about Art Directing for the Web. You can find out more about that at stuffandnonsense.co.uk/books. Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll be discussing art directing for web with my guests, some of the most experienced art directors and designers working on the web today. In this episode, Dan Mall and I discuss Art Directing the Web. Sponsor: This season of Unfinished Business is proudly sponsored by CoffeeCup Software, and in particular their new CSS Grid Builder. CSS Grid Builder is currently free while CoffeeCup develops it and if you like what they’re doing, you can throw a few dollars their way to help fund its development. Find out more and download CSS Grid Builder at https://cssgrid.cc

I’m your host, Andy Clarke, and I’m writing a Hardboiled Web Design book about Art Directing for the Web. You can find out more about that at stuffandnonsense.co.uk/books. Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll be discussing art directing for web with my guests, some of the most experienced art directors and designers working on the web today. In this episode, Mark Porter and I discuss Art Directing the Web. Sponsor: This season of Unfinished Business is proudly sponsored by CoffeeCup Software, and in particular their new CSS Grid Builder. CSS Grid Builder is currently free while CoffeeCup develops it and if you like what they’re doing, you can throw a few dollars their way to help fund its development. Find out more and download CSS Grid Builder at https://cssgrid.cc

Welcome to this new season of the Unfinished Business podcast. Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll be discussing art directing for web with my guests, some of the most experienced art directors and designers working on the web today. I’m your host, Andy Clarke, and I’m writing a Hardboiled Web Design book about Art Directing for the Web. You can find out more about that at stuffandnonsense.co.uk/books. To warm things up, and get the some silliness out of the way first, this season starts with a special, one-off episode where Paul Boag, Jon Hicks, and I talk about Doctor Who, Peter Capaldi’s final series and legacy, the show’s new logo, and of course, the new Doctor.

I’m warning you now, it’s a very different kind of episode of Unfinished Business this week as Rachel Andrew and I talk about our feelings on the referendum result for the UK to leave the EU. We talk about the issues that will affect us, you and our businesses in the coming months and years and what we’re already doing to help mitigate them. Look, if you’re outside the UK, you might find our points of view interesting and different from what you’ve heard before. If you’re as angry and saddened by the result as we are, you might find some solace and if you voted Leave, I hope you’ll learn something about the effect the vote you cast will have.

In this, the first part of the Unfinished Business Bank Holiday double, I’m joined by Espen Brunborg, designer and co-founder of Primate, plus Strategic Commander of User Experience and author of ‘Psychology for Designers’ Joe Leech. It’s more of a work related episode and we talk about; developing content for clients, why you should do your own research and not believe that everything you read on the internet, and whether you should get involved in competitive pitching and tendering? Some links from this episode Espen on Twitter Joe on Twitter I love Concrete You might remember that I’m not taking paid sponsor spots on the show anymore. I’m going to briefly talk about something that I use and really like instead. And this week, it’s Concrete, the comic book character by Paul Chadwick. Concrete is amazing with beautiful, subtle, touching stories and the most incredible artwork by Paul Chadwick. I love it. It’s probably my favourite comic character and stories. I think that you’d love it too. Start with thes

In the second part of this Unfinished Business Bank Holiday double, I’m joined by owner of UX studio Simple As Milk and lead UX engineer at UnrollMe, James Seymore-Lock to ask and answer the important question. “Am I the country’s biggest Homes Under The Hammer super-fan?” (Spoiler: He has no clue, not one.) Then things get more serious as I find out about how James has run his business while living in a different country every month for the past couple of years. We talk about why there’s a distinct lack of design talks at web conferences and whether Dribbble is a negative influence on current design trends. Something I likelove This week isn’t just something that I like, I absolutely love it. It’a a brand new book called “Pretty Much Everything” by my absolute favourite graphic designer Aaron Draplin. Aaron’s been on the show before and last time he talked about how much making this book was stressing him out. But by God this book is worth it. It’s not just a great book, it’s an absolute friggin’ masterpiece

I know. I know! It’s been far too long since episode 117. But fret no more, Unfinished Business fans, we’re back and back for good, every two weeks with some brilliant guests and some good old fashioned conversations. This week, I’m joined by Sean Johnson and Drew McLellan to talk fat and fitness, cruises and coach trips. Some links from this episode Sean on Twitter Drew on Twitter Perch I love my Rotring 800 .5mm mechanical pencil You might remember that I’m not taking paid sponsor spots on the show anymore. I’m going to briefly talk about something that I use and really like instead. And this week, it’s my Rotring 800 .5mm mechanical pencil.

The Unfinished Business schedule’s been a little, shall we say, up in the air, for the past few episodes. while I’ve been busy writing something. I do aim to get back to our routine and I’m sorry for the disruption. A few weeks ago I recorded a hilarious episode with artist, illustrator and rapper Mr. Bingo. We talk about artist—and former Spitting Image puppet maker—Wilfrid Wood, Banksy’s Dismaland and why IKEA in Croydon is like a real-life bemusement park. We discuss Mr. Bingo’s Hate Mail series, his boundaries and how Hate Mail in real life would just be people paying to be shouted at. We also talk about his highly successful Kickstarter for his new Hate Mail book and the hilarious incentives he devised. Content warning: As you might imagine when the two of us get together, it’s a very funny conversation. But we do swear. A lot. If you’re easily offended by four letter words, this may not be the episode for you. Some links from this episode Mr Bingo on Twitter Mr Bingo’s kickstarter rap Wilfrid Wood Wil

On Unfinished Business this week there’s no talk about mugs but Rachel Andrew is back. We’re joined by first timer Richard Rutter to discuss his upcoming book on Web Typography, why he chose to self-publish and fund the project on Kickstarter and the role of a publisher in today’s market. Of course Rachel loves to talk about VAT (irony) so we do that and she explains why she doesn’t actually owe a million Euros to Ireland. Some links from this episode Rachel Andrew on Twitter Richard Rutter on Twitter Richard’s Web Typography book on Kickstarter Mr. Bingo’s book, also on Kickstarter

This week on episode 115 of Unfinished Business, I’m joined by returning guests Brad Frost and Stephen Hay. After talking about the best coffee mug in the world, we get right down it and discuss why it’s dangerous to bring computer science principles and heavy development tools into web design. Some links from this episode Brad Frost Brad on Twitter Stephen Hay Stephen on Twitter design​day conference Missing the bloody point It’s a mugs game. Bodum vacuum travel mug review Bodum travel press set coffee mug on Amazon.co.uk I like my Bodum travel press set coffee mug You might remember that in the last episode I mentioned that I’m not taking paid sponsor spots on the show anymore. I’m going to briefly talk about something that I use and really like instead. And this week, it’s a Bodum travel press set coffee mug (Amazon UK affiliate link.) You can read my full review of the mug here.

A week later than planned (sorry,) on this week’s Unfinished Business, I’m joined by returning special guest, designer Dan Edwards. And because you wait all day and then two Dans come along at once, joining us is creative director, founder and director of the SuperFriendly agency in Philadelphia, Daniel (the Dan) Mall. We talk about plans for the next Geek Mental Help week in October first. Then, because I’m currently deep into a redesign of Stuff & Nonsense, why working on your own site always feel harder than working on a client sites. We discuss using our portfolios to attract the ‘right’ type of projects and if case studies are the best way to demonstrate what we do. Due to technical problems, this episode very nearly didn’t get published, so I want to thank my good friend Ryan Taylor for his help making it happen.) Some links from this episode Dan Edwards on Twitter No Divide Let’s Talk Design on YouTube Daniel Mall on Twitter Daniel Mall Superfriendly Businessology podcast Web In The Woods It’s a m

I’ve been looking forward to speaking with Cennydd Bowles for months and for Unfinished Business 113, Cennydd joins me and my other special guest, product designer Noah Stokes. We kick off by talking about Richard Rutter’s web typography book, but soon the conversation switches to whether, and why, current web designs are lacking ‘soul.’ This is something Noah and I have been speaking and writing over recent months and something that I partly blame on our fixation with user-experience and product design. Does Cennydd agree? You‘ll have to listen to the show to find out. Podcast sponsorship From now on, I’m going to mention products or services because I really like them, not because they are paying for sponsorship. These may be from our industry or from outside, for example the people I buy my shaving supplies from. If you have a product or a service or something that you think I might like enough to talk about, let me know. Email me, send me something and if I like it, and I think that listeners would like

Ellie and I talk about her Fringe and what it’s like to get a big break on a show like ‘House Of Fools.’ We discuss improv, stand-up performances and comedy clubs and whether she should watch ‘Carry On’ films. Ellie’s charming and funny and I really enjoyed talking with her. Even if you’ve not seen ‘House Of Fools,’ you’ll really like this episode. Some links from this episode Ellie White on Twitter Ellie on IMDB Children of Herne House of Fools House of Fools on BBC Onion Talking: Dan Skinner, Daniel Simonsen and Ellie White on House of Fools Ellie White, Fresh From The Fringe Carry On Screaming! I really like Shopify and they have just released a book about how to grow your design or development business. The book’s called ‘Grow’ and it has eleven chapters by industry experts about how to attract clients, draft contracts, close deals and more. Even my Contract Killer contract gets a mention. Download your free copy of Grow.

Apologies in advance if you’re German or a Turk, as this week on episode 111 of Unfinished Business, I’m joined by artist Brendan Dawes and designer Aaron Draplin. We start by talking about spice jars and car boot (garage) sales, but unsurprisingly our conversation soon veers wildly off topic as we discuss how Aaron’s struggling to keep up with demands on his time, how designers can make money selling merchandise and more, much, much more. If you know either Aaron or Brendan, you’ll also know that you’re in for a fast-paced, fun-filled sixty minutes. I’d like to say “thank you” to Shopify for supporting Unfinished Business. Shopify have just released a book about how to grow your design or development business. The book’s called ‘Grow’ and it has eleven chapters by industry experts about how to attract clients, draft contracts, close deals and more. Even my Contract Killer contract gets a mention. Download your free copy of Grow.

Last week was Jeffrey Zeldman’s website’s 20th birthday, so this week he joins me and Jeremy Keith on Unfinished Business 110 to talk about the anniversary. We start by discussing Jeremy’s 100 words for 100 days writing project and how it’s inspired me to change the way that I think about writing on our blog and posting to our portfolio. We talk about the importance of writing for yourself as well as for others and why writing on your own website is important. With it being the twentieth anniversary of Jeffrey’s own site, we also talk about whether it’s important to archive older designs for posterity. Oh, and please don’t skip this week’s after show segment as boy-oh-boy (girl-oh-girl, man-oh-man, woman-oh-woman) do the sparks fly! We discuss Mad Men, Mad Max and whether advertising can ever be considered as important as a book or a film and, let’s just say, things get very heated.

This week is a special Mad Men episode of Unfinished Business and I’m joined live from New York by Jen Simmons–the incredible host of The Web Ahead podcast–and our very special guest, the actor and comedian who plays Lou Avery on TV’s Mad Men, Allan Havey. We talk, of course, about Mad Men, its final season and the recent show finale. So if you haven’t seen Don Draper fall out of a McCann Erickson window yet, there are spoilers galore. We discuss Lou, his character and how the show’s audience reacted to him. Of course no conversation about Lou should leave out Scout’s Honor. We run through the final season and where it left the show’s characters, including Lou. Then we move onto the finale itself, Dick/Don and oh, ‘that’ commercial. I’ve always wanted Unfinished Business to be about more than the business of web design and I’ve often talked with guests about film and television, but always from the outside. I loved researching and recording this episode and especially speaking with Allan. I hope that you enjo