Summary of Designing Remotely with Jonas Downey

00:00:00 - 00:50:00

In the video, Jonas Downey discusses how to design remotely, emphasizing the importance of reducing synchronous communication and working in a more asynchronous manner. He also discusses some techniques for reducing anxiety and increasing productivity during difficult times.

• 00:00:00 Jonas Downey discusses how to design remotely, emphasizing the importance of reducing synchronous communication and working in a more asynchronous manner. He also discusses some techniques for reducing anxiety and increasing productivity during difficult times.
• 00:05:00 In this video, Jonas Downey discusses how he uses remote tools to replace traditional methods of collaboration, such as whiteboarding and post-it sessions. He recommends using apps such as Reflector, which allow for collaborative drawing on digital devices.
• 00:10:00 Jason Frieda and David Hanson of Hanson Media did a live stream last night where they walked through an example account and showed how to use Basecamp. Jason's demo was followed by a question from Erin on Twitter asking how he and the other designers communicate design nuances to engineers. Jason explained that 95% of their communication is done via text written in Basecamp comments. When issues arise that can't be resolved via text, they will call a video call.
• 00:15:00 Jonas Downey demonstrates how he and his programmer Casper work together to design and code a remote project. They use version control tools such as GitHub to keep track of their progress. They also use Twitter to communicate with each other.
• 00:20:00 Design work in Basecamp is reviewed and approved via Basecamp's 'designer handbook.' This helps to avoid a culture of 'meeting aversion,' where team members avoid contact due to the chaotic nature of design review.
• 00:25:00 Designing remotely with Jonas Downey helps to reduce uncertainty and feedback by creating a shaping document and then regularly sharing progress.
• 00:30:00 In this video, Jonas Downey discusses Basecamp's design approach, which involves using HTML and CSS to create static interface elements. He also notes that it is helpful for a designer to have some programming knowledge, as the team frequently needs to communicate with programmers.
• 00:35:00 In this video, Jonas Downey explains how Basecamp's daily logging system works. Users are able to share progress on projects by posting check-ins. If something is deemed important enough, the CEO can be contacted directly.
• 00:40:00 The video discusses Jonas Downey's experiences working on projects, and how he and his team use Basecamp to manage them. Downey describes how individual projects are managed, and how progress is tracked and communicated to stakeholders.
• 00:45:00 Jonas Downey discusses his process for designing remotely, including the use of a chart to communicate progress and how the roles of designer and manager can be balanced.
• 00:50:00 Jonas Downey discusses the basics of designing remotely, including how to manage and track project progress.