Episode 18 - 10 Essentials Designers Should Know
Design Office Hours with Peter Boeckel
Release Date: 01/30/2026
Episode 18 - 10 Essentials Designers Should Know
Design Office Hours with Peter Boeckel
10x Essentials for Designers In this episode of Design Office Hours, I revisit Michael Sorkin’s 250 Things an Architect Should Know (which Curtis Mikkelsen introduced me to in episode #18 of DOH) and reframe a set of Sorkin’s “statements-as-wisdom” for designers and innovators. Rather than a checklist, this is more a way of passing down lived experience—more about judgment and humanity than rules and technique. Curtis and I started this exercise together but didn’t finish our picks. I wanted to come back and run through mine in a more holistic way—what I think they mean,...
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Episode 17 - TALK Curtis Michelson
Design Office Hours with Peter Boeckel
Innovation, Design Fiction & Team Fine-Tuningwith Curtis Michelson In this episode of Design Office Hours, I’m joined by Curtis Michelson—innovation strategist and facilitator—for a wide-ranging conversation on how real innovation happens inside organizations. We trace Curtis’s journey from early environmental activism and the dot-com boom to his current work helping mid-sized companies unlock internal capacity for change. We talk about what it means to lead innovation efforts when the pressure is real, resources are limited, and the solution isn’t another chatbot. We...
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Episode 16 - TALK Tim Hulford
Design Office Hours with Peter Boeckel
In this episode of Design Office Hours, I speak with Tim Hulford, designer, leader, and former Director of Industrial Design, VR Accessories at Meta. We talk about: Navigating early design roles and finding your footing under pressure Building and leading design inside engineering-heavy environments like Intuitive The transition from engineering-led to design-led organizations—and what that actually changes How to sustain motivation during long product cycles or after a project is sunset What shifts when you lead in times of crisis, not calm Tim shares lessons from building surgical...
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Episode 15 - Q&A No Portfolio Assets?
Design Office Hours with Peter Boeckel
In this episode of Design Office Hours, I respond to a question that comes up more often than you’d think: “How do I show released work in my portfolio if I don’t have any assets from the project?” There are many reasons this might happen—NDAs, unreleased products, or simply not having access to the final materials. It can be especially frustrating if it was your best or most recent work. In this episode, I cover: – What to consider when leaving a job without approved portfolio assets – How to reflect your role without overstepping confidentiality – What matters more than...
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Episode 14 - Q&A AI in Portfolios
Design Office Hours with Peter Boeckel
In this episode of Design Office Hours, I take a practical look at a question about AI in portfolios. In this episode of Design Office Hours, I reflect on one of the most practical and uncomfortable questions designers are facing: Should we use AI to cover for the skills we don’t have? We explore: – Why using AI isn’t cheating—it’s adapting – What your AI use says about your values and process – The difference between “organized creativity” and true creative insight – How AI is lowering the threshold of skill—and what that means for designers – What happens when the...
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Episode 13 - TALK Blair Hasty
Design Office Hours with Peter Boeckel
In this episode of Design Office Hours, I sit down with Blair Hasty—founder of Crafted By—to unpack the disconnect many designers are feeling in the field today. Blair has spoken to over 300 designers—from students to senior leads—and a recurring theme emerges: designers are being pushed away from what they trained for and into roles that feel misaligned. This episode dives into what’s missing in design education, the impact of shifting industry expectations, and why communication is now the most critical design skill. We explore: – Why many designers still self-identify as...
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Episode 12 - Q&A Managing Imposter Syndrome
Design Office Hours with Peter Boeckel
Have you ever felt like a fraud, despite clear proof of your success? You’re not alone. In this episode of Design Office Hours, I explore imposter syndrome—what it is, why it shows up so often in creative careers, and how to manage it. We’ll cover: – The root causes of imposter syndrome and how it shows up – The link between perfectionism, burnout, and self-doubt – Three practical categories of support: cognitive, behavioral, and long-term strategies – Why designers need to reframe “good enough” and avoid perfection traps – How to build confidence with achievement logs...
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Episode 11 - Q&A Critical Thinking
Design Office Hours with Peter Boeckel
In this episode of Design Office Hours, I dive deep into a question I hear often—especially from hiring managers, educators, and design leads: How do you assess if a designer can apply critical thinking on a project? We talk a lot about “thinking like a designer,” but what does that really look like in practice? In this episode, I break it down into clear, observable traits—and how to spot them. We cover: Why critical thinking shows up more in process than in outcomes How to frame vague problems and ask the right questions What design decisions say about a person’s reasoning ...
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Episode 10 - Q&A with the YDOI community
Design Office Hours with Peter Boeckel
In this episode of Design Office Hours, I join Sushant Vohra and his community Young Designers of India (YDOI) for a live Q&A covering everything from skill mastery in the age of AI to how we reshape design education for the future. This one’s full of bold questions and even bolder takes. We cover: What makes someone great at facilitating creative collaboration Why lifelong learning is a designer’s most important skill How to navigate large organizations with fragmented design teams The real value (and limits) of design thinking workshops Why mastering a skill will never...
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Episode 9 - Q&A Workplace Fit
Design Office Hours with Peter Boeckel
In this episode of Design Office Hours, I answer a deceptively simple question with very real consequences: How do you choose the right workplace when you have options? From evaluating team culture to listening to your gut, this episode walks through what to pay attention to—especially when two jobs look equally good on paper. Here’s what I cover: How to go beyond the job title and assess team dynamics Smart questions to ask in interviews (hint: think about culture and conflict) Why the comfortable job may not be where you grow the most How to trust your gut—without losing...
info_outline10x Essentials for Designers
In this episode of Design Office Hours, I revisit Michael Sorkin’s 250 Things an Architect Should Know (which Curtis Mikkelsen introduced me to in episode #18 of DOH) and reframe a set of Sorkin’s “statements-as-wisdom” for designers and innovators.
Rather than a checklist, this is more a way of passing down lived experience—more about judgment and humanity than rules and technique.
Curtis and I started this exercise together but didn’t finish our picks. I wanted to come back and run through mine in a more holistic way—what I think they mean, and why they feel especially relevant right now.
My picks (and what I think designers should take from them)
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The feel of cool marble on bare feet
I think we over-glorify the virtual. I’m trying to remind myself (and you) that we’re analog beings shaped by physical sensation.
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The distance of a whisper
Ideas start fragile. I’ve seen too many good ones get stamped out because they don’t sound rational fast enough. I think designers have to protect the whisper.
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Something about Vastu (or Feng Shui)
I trust the body’s read on a space. When the energy is off, we usually know immediately—then we talk ourselves out of it.
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The color wheel
I think we’re becoming afraid of color. I want us to relearn its emotional and energetic power—especially in a product world that’s getting increasingly bland.
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What the brick really wants (material intelligence)
I care deeply about material intelligence—what a material wants and doesn’t want. Just because we can manufacture something doesn’t mean we should.
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Why
I try to stay connected to “why” because it changes. If I can notice when I’ve drifted, I can pivot earlier and with less pain.
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The reason for your tenacity
This one reminds me to ask: am I persisting out of courage—or ego? Not every hill is worth dying on.
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The need for freaks
I believe design needs to be weirder again. And teams need antibodies—diversity of mind, temperament, culture, and background.
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It is possible to begin designing anywhere
I love this because it gives permission. I don’t think there’s a single correct starting point. You can begin with a detail, a hunch, a sketch, a whisper.
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How to ride a bicycle
I see the bicycle as a near-perfect system: simple, efficient, elegant, joyful. It’s a great metaphor for what good design can feel like.
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The thrill of the ride
I’ve learned that the process matters. If I can access play, I get access to better ideas—especially in high-pressure environments.
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Several other artistic media
Some of the best designers I’ve worked with create beyond design. I think working in other media expands taste, questions, and range.
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What to refuse to do even for the money
This one is personal. I’ve watched people stay for the paycheck while everything else in them says “leave.” I think knowing when to say no is a core life skill.
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The golden (and other) ratios
I don’t think we should worship proportions as dogma—but I do think we should learn them, challenge them intelligently, and break them on purpose.
References:
250 Things an Architect Should Know — Michael Sorkin
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