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Design for Startups by Garry Tan (Part 2)
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Former YC partner Garry Tan, the cofounder of Initialized Capital and a design expert describes how to effectively integrate design into a product development process. You can find the lecture transcript and slides here: https://www.startupschool.org/videos/41 Learn more at https://www.startupschool.org/
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When to Hire Your First Designer
Garry Tan discusses the optimal timing for hiring designers in a startup's lifecycle. He emphasizes that pre-seed and seed stages typically require a co-founder with design skills, while by Series A, having a designer becomes crucial for user-facing products. He warns against the challenges of hiring a designer in a heavily engineering-focused environment.
"now's the super practical section of how to find and choose designers we can get through this really quickly happy to answer questions afterwards about it but you know the basic questions we always ge..."
Finding Designers: Resources and Strategies
In this segment, Tan shares practical resources for finding designers, including platforms like Dribbble, Behance, and AIGA. He highlights the importance of reaching out to designers from reputable design schools and emphasizes that many talented designers may not have formal education but possess exceptional skills.
"should think about is how do you hire a team a lot of people reach series B and they're actually you know they're still at the first higher stage and the difficult part is if you actually have 1015 en..."
Consultants vs. Full-Time Designers
Tan outlines two paths for hiring designers: finding individual consultants or full-time hires. He explains the benefits of working with consultants for flexibility and the potential to recruit them for full-time roles later. He also mentions platforms like 99designs and Fiverr for low-cost design work.
"when I'm thinking about hiring people directly for a full-time role or even for contract there are a bunch of schools that have worked well for me C muh di NYU MIT RISD Parsons Stanford this is really..."
The Importance of an 'About Us' Page
Tan emphasizes the significance of an 'About Us' page for startups, arguing that it allows founders to share their story and connect with customers. He cites Coinbase's success as an example of how transparency and personal connection can enhance customer relationships.
"a way to get to know them to come on board a really cool trick that I've heard for people who just need low cost like logo design and visual design there's actually an incredible number of people out ..."
Interviewing Designers: Key Considerations
In this segment, Tan provides insights on interviewing designers, stressing the importance of communication skills and empathy. He advises founders to engage candidates in discussions about design decisions and trade-offs to assess their thought processes and fit within the team.
"work with startups you know they get labs is the one out of DC that I use the most but they're you know our giant direct directories and frankly referrals are sort of your best bet and then I want to ..."
Building a Design Team: Roles and Responsibilities
Tan discusses the challenges of building a design team in a startup, particularly as the team grows. He highlights the need for diverse roles within the design team and the importance of clearly defining responsibilities to attract top talent.
"really good day-to-day you know and then at the end of the day like being able to be very crisp about what those roles are that's the other part of hiring a team that's incredibly important it's going..."
Effective Content Marketing for Designers
Tan suggests that startups can attract designers through effective content marketing and social media engagement. He emphasizes the importance of creating a culture that resonates with designers and encourages founders to familiarize themselves with design concepts.
"managing and working closely with people who do and who are very good at it how do you actually interview these designer as well this is typically what I examined you know do a quick phone screen at t..."
Books and Resources for Aspiring Designers
Tan shares a list of recommended books and resources for those looking to improve their design skills. He encourages attendees to read widely and explore various materials to deepen their understanding of design principles.
"so you can read this later but you know it's pretty straightforward you know think about design you don't want people who're complainers actually it's pretty common you know you want someone who's emp..."
The Three-Legged Stool of Startup Success
In his closing thoughts, Tan reflects on the interconnectedness of design, product, and business in achieving startup success. He emphasizes that a balanced approach across these areas is essential for long-term viability.
"designer maybe I hear a bunch of links that you should probably read afterwards - you know taste from makers is one of these PG essays that you know I think not a lot of people talk about but it's inc..."
The Role of Controversy in Branding
Tan discusses the potential benefits of controversy in branding, using the example of Soylent to illustrate how a provocative name can generate buzz and attract attention. He highlights the importance of understanding the implications of branding choices.
"was a lot so the question is how important is an about Us page I mean yeah this isn't necessarily a design thing I actually really think it's important in that going back to our you know moment where ..."