Tweak! - The Podcast for the Creative Entrepreneur » Episodes

Episode 9 The Design Phase

josh@tweakcast.com (josh Iwata) — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 05:08:38 +0000

We’re moving right along in our five part series on project process. OK, so it’s more of a crawl really. Nevertheless, we’re onto discussing all of the wonderfully exciting elements of the design phase. As if that wasn’t enough of a good thing, the Tweak! site has received a bit of an upgrade. With a fresh new design in place, it’s the perfect way to kick off an episode dedicated to our favorite topic.

Now, design isn’t all about lookin pretty. Below is a quick run down of this episode’s content:

Establishing project scope
Sketching & thumbnails
Wireframes
Elements of design

Some helpful links:

A Design Method (excellent article from A List Apart)
The Layers of Design: the style layer (UX Magazine)
Emotions of Color (how color affects emotions form Creative Behavior)
Organizing design and process: Usability and Visual Hierarchy (Veprek.com)
Typography Matters (another good one from A List Apart)

Episode 8 Back from the Dead!

josh@tweakcast.com (josh Iwata) — Tue, 15 May 2007 08:57:10 +0000

Tweak!’s not dead! I know some of you had your doubts about whether or not Tweak! was still alive and kicking, well here I am back for another episode. I know it’s been a while, so we’ve got a bit of catching up to do! In this episode we’ll be finishing up the Analysis Phase in a dicussion that dives into the fascinating world of project contracts. Be sure to tune in next time as we kick off phase 2 of our series, the Design Phase.

This is the second half of the Analysis Phase, so we’ll be discussing what goes into writing a contract. Before we do that however, I’ll give you a quick rundown on the future of Tweak!. Below is a quick run down of this episode’s content:

What was up with Tweak!?
Proposal vs. contract
Writing a proposal

Some helpful links:

How To Write A Web Design Contract (great article on writing a contract; includes sample contract)
Web design contracts: why bother? (an excellent article on why you need a contract and why it’s not a proposal)
Proposal Kit (pre-made web/IT proposals and contracts)
WebDevDocs (legal documents for web designers)

Episode 7 The Analysis Phase (part 1)

josh@tweakcast.com (josh Iwata) — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 09:08:53 +0000

This episode marks the beginning of our five part series on project process. Today we will be covering the first part of the Analysis Phase. We’ll have our very first listener question, and then move on to discuss that first contact with a client and how to hash out a proper proposal. Be sure to tune in next time for episode 8, where we’ll finish up the Analysis Phase by discussing how to write a contract.

There’s a lot to cover in the Analysis Phase, so we’re going to be covering it in two episodes. Below is a quick run down of this episode’s content:

Proposal vs. contract
The initial contact
Writing a proposal

Some helpful links:

How to write a winning proposal (in depth article from creativepublic.com)
Web design contracts: why bother? (an excellent article on why you need a contract and why it’s not a proposal)
Contracts and Proposals (good FAQ section from aw-wrdsmth.com)
WebDevDocs (legal documents for web designers)

Out Sick!

josh@tweakcast.com (josh Iwata) — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 10:32:43 +0000

Unfortunately I’ve been a bit under the weather lately! I’ve had a bug for the past week or so, thus the delay of episode 7. I apologize for the delay, and vow to do my best to nurse my voice back to its former glorious state asap. Thanks!

Episode 6 Project Management

josh@tweakcast.com (josh Iwata) — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 10:14:41 +0000

Project management is the topic of this week’s episode. We’ll be discussing how to go about organizing the plethora of information surrounding your projects, as well as some helpful tools to aid you in your efforts. Be sure to tune in next time where we will be embarking on a five part series covering the five step process of a design project.

Working with multiple projects is no easy task, so let me attempt to ease the pain by offering some basic techniques on getting organized, managing your time and communicating with your clients. Below is a quick outline of this week’s episode:

Organizing your data
Creating project binders
Using management software

Some helpful links:

Episode 5 Pricing

josh@tweakcast.com (josh Iwata) — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 14:11:11 +0000

This week it’s all about the moolah! Setting your rates can be a real challenge especially in the beginning. I’ll give you a few tips and figures to help you better establish your pricing structure, as well as warn you about potential pitfalls. Be sure to tune in next time for a lively discussion on project management.

Sit down, put your feet up and get comfortable, because this weeks episode is a doozy! Although I do get a bit long winded, we’ll cover a lot of ground along the way. As a quick disclaimer the views and opinions discussed in this episode are just that; my opinions! They are in no way rules or guidelines, and they don’t apply to everyone and every situation. With that said, here’s a quick outline of this week’s episode:

Setting your rates starting out
Red flags to avoid
Raising your prices

Some helpful links:

How Much Should a Design Cost? (excellent pricing article from Pearsonified.com)
How to Set a Price for Web Design Work (About.com article)
Good Design is Good Business (article from InfintieWebDesign.com)
Make me a free website? (funny little animation of a true to life scenario)
Raising Rates (good article on raising rate if you run a design firm)
TheBlogStudio.com (rate sheet)

Episode 4 You as the Expert!

josh@tweakcast.com (josh Iwata) — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 23:12:34 +0000

Episode 4 is all about YOU! That’s right, first you were on the cover of Time magazine and now you’re the topic of Tweak! In this episode we look at the attributes and responsibilities of an expert. Tune in next time for a listener requested topic on pricing.

So you think you’re the expert huh? Oh…you don’t? Well, chances are your client does! Playing the role as the expert in your industry means that you’ve got some responsibilities to the client. Below is a quick outline of today’s show.

Defining the terminology
Industry knowledge
Confidence
Leadership
Problem Solving

Some helpful links:

Google cheat sheet
W3 Schools (great free web tutorials)
A List Apart (good resource of articles)
Talkfreelance (forum for freelance designers)
Problem solving guidelines

Episode 3 Dealing With Conflict

josh@tweakcast.com (josh Iwata) — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 14:36:51 +0000

This episode of Tweak! finds us discussing the wonderful world of conflict. We’ll look at some things you can do to prevent conflict as well as how to deal with it when the time comes for confrontation. Be sure to tune in next time where we will be talking about YOU as the expert!

Conflict is inevitable, it happens to the best of us and it’s bound to happen to you. However, how you deal with it can make a huge difference on its impact on you, your clients and your work. In todays episode I break it our topic down into three segments, and touch on some tips to help you get the most out of your confrontations.

Taking preventative measures to potential avoid conflict
The four ways we deal with conflict
Dealing with conflict in an assertive manner

If you have a suggestion based on how you deal with conflict be sure to leave a comment below. Also the Tweak! theme for WordPress is now available so be sure to head over to the Themes section if you’d like your very own Tweak! powered site.

Episode 2 Quitting Your Day Job (part 2)

josh@tweakcast.com (josh Iwata) — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 11:39:29 +0000

In episode 2 we continue our discussion on quitting your day job and explore some things to consider if you’ve decided to take the plunge. Tune in next time for a lively discussion on dealing with conflict!

So you’ve just went full time with your freelance, now what? There are a few things to really pay attention to when you’re setting up shop, I hit on three of them in this episode.

Find out who you are
Get organized
Focus on your strengths

Below are some helpful links mentioned in this episode:

Color Scheme Generator
CSS Tux (for more inspiration head over to the links page)
Domain Name Search (find a url for your new site)
WebDevDocs (business docs for web designers)

Episode 1 Quitting Your Day Job

josh@tweakcast.com (josh Iwata) — Mon, 25 Dec 2006 12:49:12 +0000

It’s the very first episode of Tweak! In this weeks episode we get to know each other a bit and explore the topic of quitting your day job. Have you been thinking of taking the plunge into the freelance lifestyle fulltime? Do you want to make money from home, be your own boss and-whoa this is beginning to sound a little too much like an infomercial. Tune in as we ask some tough questions and find out if we’ve got what it takes!

View Episode Transcript

When you’re getting ready to take the plunge into full time freelancing there’s a lot to consider! Below are the three questions I discuss in this episode.

Is it a hobby or is it a career?
Are you ready to be the boss?
Do you have what you need?

Tune in next time for part two in our discussion on quitting your day job, as we discuss some things to keep in mind if you’ve decided to make the switch.