In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil walks with Courtny Cotten, a design leader who has worked at major tech companies including Microsoft and Stack Overflow. With a strong background in visual design and leadership, Courtny shares insights from his career journey, discusses the evolution of design tools, and explores how AI is transforming the design industry.🔍 What you'll learn in this episode:- Courtny's journey from art student to design leader at major tech companies- How gaming inspired his passion for digital experience design- The evolution from traditional graphic design to modern UX/UI practices- How AI tools are transforming the design industry and empowering designers- Practical tips for becoming a more effective design leader- The convergence of product design and front-end engineering roles- How to use AI as a designer's superpower rather than a threat🔗 Subscribe for more content on Bitcoin and product design from the Studio Twentyone Show!
Resources & Tools Mentioned in the Episode:- Figma (including Figma Beta AI features): https://www.figma.com/- Adobe Illustrator: https://www.adobe.com/in/products/illustrator.html- v0 (by Vercel): https://v0.dev/- ChatGPT: https://openai.com/- Grok: https://grok.com/- Cursor: https://www.cursor.com/- Blue Cyclops Design Agency: https://bluecyclops.com/- Design Break Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-design-break/id1451267703Connect with Courtny:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtnycotten/- Twitter: https://x.com/courtnycotten
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 Show01:09 Courtny's career journey and background02:17 Early apprenticeship in graphic design05:19 Transition from print to digital and mobile design07:05 Experience at Stack Overflow and developer tooling09:08 AI design tools discussion begins10:24 Sahil's recent AI workflow transformation13:26 AI for divergent thinking in design15:54 The convergence of product design and engineering roles20:15 Ethical questions about AI copying creative styles24:04 New Figma Beta AI features28:13 Using AI for better employee feedback and reviews30:17 Effective leadership principles33:35 Excitement about AI comparable to discovering Bitcoin36:39 "Reflexive AI use" concept38:40 Closing and request for feedbackBackground image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/
