How did you get into design?

I started out as a software engineer, but I’ve always loved being creative — sketching, visuals, and making things look and feel better. Back in school, I didn’t realize design could be a real career, so I took the engineering route :)

Everything changed in my second year when I discovered product design. I fell straight into the rabbit hole — learning on my own, taking on side projects, and getting feedback from mentors and seniors (huge shoutout to ADPList for that). That mix of curiosity and community shaped how I see design today: a craft you grow through practice, not theory.

What hooked me was how design silently shapes everything around us. From the way we use our phones to how we navigate cities, good design quietly makes things feel right even when we don’t notice it.

Imagine a world without design — everything would function, but nothing would connect. How boring would that be?

What are you currently building at Senpi?

Senpi is an AI-powered crypto wallet for autonomous trading. It lets users copy top traders and lets AI handle execution intelligently. Our mission is simple — to make trading accessible and empower everyone to profit through AI intelligence.

Senpi is packed with features designed to help users trade smarter — from copy trading and trader discovery to dynamic stop-losses that move with the market, profit-taking automation, and built-in scam detection. We learn fast, build fast, and ship faster — constantly refining the experience to make trading effortless for our users.

As the sole designer, I get to work across all areas of design, from user flows to wireframes to interface design and product direction, working closely with our CEO to shape how the product looks, feels, and functions.

It’s fast-paced, unpredictable, and sometimes a little chaotic — but that’s the thrill of building something revolutionary. Watching an idea evolve into something that genuinely benefits people is one of the most rewarding feelings.

How do you approach design at a startup?

Designing at a startup is like practicing controlled chaos — you’re constantly learning, unlearning, and adapting. Our approach is simple: move fast, test early, and refine constantly.

I don’t believe in chasing perfection. I believe in progress. Every iteration teaches you something new — about your users, your assumptions, or your instincts. The faster you learn, the stronger your design gets.

I also don’t see design and product as separate things. They’re two sides of the same coin. That’s why I stay deeply involved in product strategy — working closely with the CEO to make sure every decision feels aligned with both business goals and user needs.

What does your creative process look like?

It usually starts with a question :

what problem are we solving, and why does it matter?"

From there, I move into sketches and quick wireframes, usually just on paper.

Once the direction feels right, I bring it into Figma to explore structure and flow, then refine through iterations. Lately, I’ve been diving deeper into motion design — getting hands-on with After Effects to add subtle interactions that make the experience feel more alive and delightful.

Throughout, I share work early and often — because feedback at the right time saves weeks of redesign later.

What’s your design philosophy?

I follow these guiding principles:

Clarity with craft. Great design isn’t just functional or just aesthetic — it’s both. Form should amplify function, not compete with it. When it does, people feel guided and invited, not overwhelmed.

Speed as a design superpower. In a world that moves fast, timing is everything. Research and craft matter, but so does momentum. A design that never ships can’t make an impact. There’s no “final” version — only progress in motion. It’s about learning, adapting, and evolving before the moment passes.

Delight through motion. Thoughtful micro-interactions and animations bring products to life. Motion, when done right, guides attention, adds emotion, and creates a sense of flow that static design simply can’t.

AI mindset. We’re entering a new era of intelligent design systems, and I believe in using AI wherever it can make things easier for users. Whether it’s simplifying choices, personalizing experiences, or predicting intent — AI should be woven into the design in a way that feels natural, helpful, and invisible.

What’s design to you?

Design, to me, isn’t just about pixels or pretty screens — it’s what gives life its rhythm. It is an invisible influence. It’s the quiet force that shapes how people experience the world. Imagine walking through a world where nothing was designed — no structure, no emotion, no systems that make sense. Everything would just… exist, but nothing would connect.

It is the bridge between creativity and logic, emotion and structure. It makes technology human and turns complexity into clarity. It’s not just seen, it’s felt. Whether it’s the shape of a chair, the flow of an app, or how light hits a wall — design quietly shapes how we live, feel, and interact.

I believe design is about continuous progress rather than perfection. It’s alive — constantly changing with people, culture, and technology. The moment you call something perfect, it starts to age. The beauty of design lies in how it keeps us curious and adaptive.

That’s what excites me most — the power of design to make everyday life just a little bit better, without shouting for attention.

What keeps you inspired outside of work?

Outside of design, I’m usually behind the wheel heading somewhere new with my wife. We both love exploring — whether it’s winding up a mountain road or unwinding by the beach. We’re equally drawn to the mountains and the sea.

Cooking is another creative outlet for me — food, to me, is design in its purest form: a balance of texture, flavor, and emotion. Lately, my wife and I have been experimenting with different kinds of ramen (some hits, some… not so much ). She’s also a huge part of what keeps me inspired — we share ideas, experiences, and a love for trying new things.

I also hit the gym and swim regularly — it helps me reset after long design sprints. And I’m a huge movie person. I love how cinematography and storytelling come together — it’s like visual design on a completely different canvas.

Any advice for new designers?

Observe, and get hands-on. Then iterate, iterate, and iterate. That’s how you truly learn.

Make AI your ally. Use it to explore faster, automate the repetitive stuff, and focus your energy on creativity and clarity.

Build speed. The world moves fast — new products launch daily, and user expectations shift just as quickly. There’s no such thing as a perfect design. Design lives, breathes, and changes every second. The best designers keep up with that rhythm.

And lastly, stay curious and open. Great design comes from listening — to users, to feedback, and to the world around you. The more you observe and absorb, the sharper your instincts become.

Design is constantly evolving — and so are we. The tools will change, the mediums will expand, and the reasons we design will shift. But at its core, good design resonates with people and leaves a lasting impression.

Thank you Vysakh G. Nair for joining us today!

Discover more from Vysakh G. Nair below.

vysakh (@vysakh) on Farcaster

design @ senpi.ai

Farcaster

https://x.com/vysakh_g_nair

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vysakhgnair

Senpi - your OnchainGPT

Your AI edge in the market - an autonomous onchain agent that cuts through chaos with signal, speed, and smart execution.

https://senpi.ai

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Check out the previous Designer Of The Week Featuring Nicolaus

Designer Of The Week - Nicolaus

The Design Channel

Aug 12, 2025

Nicolaus was born in California, raised in Atlanta, and now calls Austin home. He focuses on building design capacity within organizations through scalable design systems spanning brand, product, and ...

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Designer Of The Week is curated by Disky.eth for /design

What’s your creative superpower — and how does it show up in your process?

I’d say it’s a deep curiosity about the world combined with a commitment to make beautiful spaces. I learn best hands-on and try to take something away from every experience that I can apply to new or familiar contexts. A rule I was taught early on was to leave something better than you found it. So whether it’s a multi-brand design system or simply organizing my closet, I adopt a curious, custodial mindset and figure out where I can apply design to create intention, remove clutter, and add beauty over time.

What are you currently working on that excites you?

I recently hosted my first ever coffee shop pop-up to prototype part of a larger vision my partner and I have begun dreaming. We turned our home into a coffee shop for a day and asked everyone we knew to break up their typical weekend coffee routine and swing by. At the center was a focus on three things: analog experiences, warm atmosphere, and really good coffee.

It was a huge challenge: The whole thing came together from concept to service in only a couple of weeks and 75% of my coffee setup was on borrowed equipment. I planned and executed the entire thing myself but I had to lean into my community for damn near everything to pull it off.

A lot of valuable lessons in there.

What’s been a surprising pivot, insight, or ‘aha’ moment recently?

Dream big, start small.

This was the thought that kept coming to the surface in retrospect of my recent popup. Starting small was the entire goal in order to really stress test a few things at a time, take feedback, and make a plan to iterate and expand in the future.

Returning to my central focus of analog, I pretty much managed the entire experience from physical to-do lists to a memo pad for orders. By design, I removed digital conveniences to avoid introducing too much complexity too early into the process. That gave me a crystal clear idea of what problems I was even dealing with and what systems would be needed to solve them.

Is there a workflow, habit, or tool that’s been a game-changer for you lately?

Nothing will ever beat a pen and paper. Every idea starts there. If I don’t write it down it doesn’t exist. I keep notebooks within reach anywhere I go — they’re an extension of my thinking.

Where do you turn when you feel creatively stuck?

I am a big fan of changing my environment. Inspiration comes when I stop obsessing over the work. Long walks or bike rides are the go-tos to clear my head and let ideas surface naturally. I often work from 3-5 different places in any given week because the simple ritual of packing up and physically moving to a new space gives my brain enough time to rest and reset.

If you could reimagine any product, experience, or system, what would it be — and how would you approach it?

Design education. There's often a gap between how design is taught and how it’s practiced. Students are given rigid briefs and work in isolation, while real-world design is fluid and deeply collaborative.

My dad worked in prepress at small print shops. I watched him spend hours recreating clients’ files so they could actually be printed — that stuck with me. It’s why I studied print design: to understand the production process and avoid creating unnecessary friction for others.

Great design isn’t just about vision — you need to deeply understand everything about what you’re building and how every other role fits into the bigger picture.

What’s something non-design-related that fuels your creativity?

Oh wow, where do I start? Everything I engage with fuels my creativity and finds its way back to design. From baking to biking, community-building to coffee. Everything can be creative if you pay close enough attention. Lately, it’s been photography. I love how a camera lens serves as a medium to visually encode not only what I saw but also what I was feeling at a given time. Photography has also been a good practice to document more of the moments between moments. I’ve been an iPhone amateur for years and recently acquired a Polaroid and a Ricoh GRIII to push myself out of my comfort zone technically and learn equipment that’s more tailored to the photographic styles I’m trying to develop.

Tell us about a project you really enjoyed — what made it special?

Before Decent pivoted to a product startup, we explored building a venture studio run as a DAO. One of our biggest challenges was onboarding: people needed a clear sense of purpose and place within this open network.

To solve that, I developed Builder Personas — six archetypes inspired by both organizational roles and RPG character classes: Connectors, Educators, Explorers, Healers, Leaders, and Makers.

Users could take a quiz on our site to discover their persona and receive a profile linked to skills, projects, and bounties within the DAO. My goal was to make onboarding feel intuitive and personal — a path into meaningful contribution, not just participation.

Generate your Persona Here

What's something surprising or fun people might not know about you?

Back in 2019 I set out to run the outline of all 242 neighbourhoods of Atlanta (more on the importance of neighborhoods in Atlanta) and map them out on foot, using Strava, within the year. It gave me a deeply personal understanding of the city’s geographic and socioeconomic makeup at the most intimate level — on the street.

I ran along every major train line that marked the genesis of the city’s very existence, on the shoulder of every interstate built with intention to connect communities as much as divide them, through remote stretches of forest nested deep within the urban core. I met incredible people on the streets, outside their homes, in their communities—from kids to legacy residents—all sharing their stories about their city.

I ran 142 neighbourhoods in total.

What advice would you give your younger designer self?

Success isn’t the goal; it is a result of putting in the work day after day, trusting your gut, and doing what you love. Don’t focus on success; focus on building a life that truly supports every part of you — your weaknesses as well as your strengths.

If there was one thing you would like to improve about yourself, what would it be?

I’d like to get better at sharing my work. I often feel overwhelmed trying to figure out how to present it in the right way, which can lead to inaction. Not documenting in real time only adds to that challenge. I'm working on developing a more natural rhythm of sharing — one that feels clear, intentional, and true to the work itself.

Thank you Nicolaus for joining us today.

Discover more from Nicolaus below.

Nicolaus (@nicolaus) on Farcaster

Community, coffee, bicycles, design, sustainability. // Builder of visuals systems that connect people to place and purpose // Head of Design @decentdao

Farcaster

nicolaus

ATL raised. 🐦‍🔥 // Design, music, coffee, bikes, community. // Designing @decentdao

https://app.icebreaker.xyz

Enjoy Nicolaus his Spotify playlist:

The Galley

User · The Galley

https://open.spotify.com

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Check out the previous Designer Of The Week Featuring Erica here:

Designer Of The Week - Erica

Erica is the cofounder of Unofficial, a discovery engine for onchain content. Unofficial's flagship product is Uno, a people-first Farcaster client. With a background in UX and web design, she recently transitioned into full-stack development while building Uno over the past year.

https://paragraph.com

Designer Of The Week is curated by Disky.eth for /design

Outside of work, Erica enjoys making pottery, practicing yoga, going to the gym, cuddling her cat Pear, line dancing with her queer community, raving, hosting dinner parties, and browsing the internet for supplies for her next soon-to-be-abandoned hobby. In the coming months, she’ll be focused on handmaking furniture and decorating her new apartment.

What’s your creative superpower — and how does it show up in your process?

Curiosity combined with a lean forward mentality. I think you can quite literally achieve anything if you have those two qualities. They set you up to be the perfect generalist - someone who has a hunger to absorb new information but then also apply that new information. It shows up a lot in the synthesis stage, as I pull inspiration from so many different sources and disciplines to lay down the initial foundation of a design.

My mentality is very much “I don’t know how to do it, but I know I can figure it out.”

Also high key ADHD is a super power for creatives, if you can learn how to harness it. Creativity is divergent thinking, and people with ADHD tend to think more divergently than those without!

What are you currently working on that excites you?

Uno, a people-first client for Farcaster. It’s the first experience I am both designing and developing. That in and of itself excites me, but it’s also extra exciting because it’s also the first thing I’ve ever worked on truly for myself*, and not for another boss or company or team.

As a UX designer, I obviously have to clarify I am of course building with our user base in mind.

Can you walk us through your process on a recent project?

I recently designed the guided onboarding flow for new users in Uno after they’ve created their account and landed on the home feed. We want to guide users to do the typical social setup - follow 10 people, complete your profile, post your first cast, etc - so they can hit the ground running and feel comfortable navigating within Uno.

I don’t have a set process or any strict flow I follow, but it tends to consolidate into some sort of pattern: a diverge, converge, diverge, converge cycle.

For these onboarding screens, I did a speed design session where I spit out about 20-30 different variations of the onboarding screen template and the different components I’d be using within it.

Next I did a quick culling and filtered out the ones that I instantly knew weren’t right. I squeezed out a few more iterations based off of what worked in those designs and then did another round of culling. At that point I was ready for feedback and showers the final selections to my cofounder, Christopher. Once we decided on the final screen(s), I let them sit for a day, and came back to cut out anything that seemed superfluous or distracting in the design after I took time away from it. Voilà!

What’s been a surprising pivot, insight, or ‘aha’ moment recently?

Being able to build my designs, like actually code them, has never made me feel more empowered as a designer. I’ve always had good relationships with past dev teams, and we were always able to speak in a similar language when handing off screens, but actually writing code for the past year has shown me how much I really didn’t understand back then and how much more is possible. Also - UX design can totally be applied to how you code.

I’ve always thought web and product designers should learn some coding basics, but I think the future is set to highly value design engineers.

See this cast for I really felt at the time:

erica on Farcaster

dudes lowkey the product designer in me is cackling inside right now i dreamed of having this control over design and component systems my entire time in product/web design the amount of hours i spent inspecting every component and every page post-dev to spot all the inconsistencies my god bUT NOW it is all under my domain i can't be stopped https://farcaster.xyz/erica/0x91c148c2

Farcaster

What’s the trickiest design problem you've solved lately—and how did you approach it?

Since we’ve just been designing and building the foundation of the Uno farcaster experience, we haven’t had any major design challenges other than our initial branding and UI styling. Our biggest design challenge we face right now is "what feature will best communicate the power of our discovery models?”

To be solved, still!

Is there a workflow, habit, or tool that’s been a game-changer for you lately?

Good old pen and paper baby. I can’t seem to think as well if I’m typing, ideating in Figma, or doing anything screen-based.

Where do you turn when you feel creatively stuck?

I turn to a new environment. I feel the best way to get unstuck is to move something - move your body, change the 4 walls surrounding you, reorient your desk, go for a day trip, go for a long trip if you’re really stuck and uninspired, go out and buy a new candle or incense scent or a new flavour of gum, go for a walk and have a chat with a friend. Do anything and everything but think about the problem you’re stuck on, as long as you’re moving and changing something!

If you could reimagine any product, experience, or system, what would it be — and how would you approach it?

It’s pretty cool because I’m already getting to do exactly that - I don’t have to imagine how. I’ve had a note on my phone since 2017 titled "everything wrong with social media and how it can be better". I was a tattoo apprentice and illustrator at the time, and instagram was the main way to get discovered by clients. Even in 2017, I was already swimming upstream in trying to understand the algorithm and how best to use hashtags so potential clients and followers could discover me. After a year I had only mustered up a few hundred followers and a few clients, and my list of what was wrong in social media grew quite long in those 12 months. Fast forward seven years later, and I cofounded a company where I actually am getting to implement some of these ideas!

What’s something non-design-related that fuels your creativity?

Time spent with friends. I’m really lucky that I live in a city where there isn’t a huge tech scene. Almost none of my friends work in tech - they’re civil rights and tenants rights lawyers, high school and trade school teachers, artists, sommeliers…anything except tech. Spending time with them is like a breath of fresh air, and it helps me show up to work more grounded and build with them in mind - not just the little tech vacuum we’ve carved out for ourselves.

Thank you Erica for joining us today!

You can connect with Erica:

erica (@erica) on Farcaster

personality hire 🌈🤙 fullstack & ux, building /uno

Farcaster

erica

personality hire 🌈🤙 fullstack & ux, building /uno

https://app.icebreaker.xyz

Discover more about Uno

Home

Uno is a decentralized social network built on Farcaster. Connect, share, and engage with a vibrant community.

https://uno.fun

Uno

Discover new friends, communities, and tokens on open protocols.

Farcaster

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Read the previous Designer Of The Week Featuring Zack Labadie from Uniswap here:

Designer Of The Week - Zack Labadie

Zack (@labadie.eth) is a product designer at Uniswap, where he's part of a close-knit design team working on the mobile app, browser extension, and main trading interface. With around 10 years of experience in digital product design, Zack has long embraced a generalist mindset-well before it became a buzzword.

https://paragraph.com

Designer Of The Week is curated by Disky.eth for /design

With around 10 years of experience in digital product design, Zack has long embraced a generalist mindset—well before it became a buzzword. He thrives on tackling diverse problems and enjoys contributing across all phases of the design process.

He’s currently enjoying his first summer in the Midwest after relocating from Asheville to Chicago last year.

Hey Zack, What’s your creative superpower?

I’ve been told that I’m very detail-oriented and strong at thinking from first principles, which I think makes me particularly good at tackling large, complex problems that require thinking in systems. I really enjoy making sense of big messy problem spaces by teasing out relationships, dependencies, and finding patterns that others might miss. There’s something really satisfying about taking something overwhelming or chaotic and breaking it down into its components until you can see the underlying structure.

In 2019, I designed a full end-to-end health insurance enrollment platform. Navigating that maze so that people could more easily get the healthcare they deserve was really rewarding. A more recent example is diving diving deep into EIP-7702 and its edge cases to deliver a simplified, cross-platform smart wallet experience.

Tell us about a project you really enjoyed — what made it special?

I got married in May, which was an absolute dream. The entire planning process felt like one big design project in a lot of ways, but I really had fun spinning up a little visual identity for the wedding. I designed everything from our website and invitations to the menus and some special gifts for our guests—including a zine that was probably the highlight of the whole thing.

The zine had a crossword we created, a really sappy letter to our guests, tons of old photo collages, and Q&As with responses from everyone who was coming. Between the content and the form factor, I think it was a really authentic and heartfelt reflection of my wife and I. Seeing the people I love most on this earth smile, laugh, and cry as they flipped through it was one of the best feelings imaginable.

Is there a tool, technique, or workflow you can’t live without?

Writing is almost always the first and most important step in my process. It’s how I clarify my thinking and synthesize ideas. It’s how I wrap my arms around a problem space and develop a perspective on what we’re actually trying to solve. From there, I can adapt my workflow accordingly and leverage the right tools for the job without getting prematurely boxed in by artificial constraints. Whether it’s a PRD, user stories, or random stream of consciousness, putting thoughts into words forces me to think more clearly about the problem at hand.

Where do you go when you need fresh inspiration?

I’m a firm believer that sometimes there’s no substitute for time. You need time and space away from a problem—even if it’s just a long walk or a good night’s rest—to let things marinate and approach with a slightly different perspective.

Aside from that, I have a habit of thinking in analogies. If I’m struggling to make something complex or tricky more accessible, I’ll often try to find parallels in everyday life to see how others have approached similar problems. There’s almost always something to learn from how people solve challenges in completely different domains.

If you could redesign or reimagine anything, what would it be — and why?

A car dashboard, hands down. Bring back tactile interfaces! I think there’s a huge opportunity to improve the driving experience and, more importantly, make it safer. We’ve gotten so caught up in putting touchscreens everywhere that we’ve forgotten how much better physical controls can be when you need to keep your eyes on the road. The aggressively bad UI on most of those touch interfaces is just insult to injury. This becomes a moot point once autonomous vehicles go fully mainstream, but until then there’s something to be said for adjusting your climate control or change the volume without having to look at a screen.

zack

@zacklabadie

long live tactile interfaces in 2-ton high speed death machines

theverge.com

Cars will need fewer screens and more buttons to earn five-star safety rating in Europe

Euro NCAP will release new testing guidelines in 2026.

0

16:04 • 7 Mar 2024

What’s something surprising or fun people might not know about you?

My dad is the owner and operator of a small bakery in Lewiston, Maine that has been family-owned since opening 100 years ago. We were actually one of the first bakeries to ever make whoopie pies, which are a classic New England regional dessert that people either love or have never heard of.

I’m incredibly proud of the bakery’s role in the local community, and the family history tied to it.

What advice would you give your younger designer self?

Work hard, but stress a little less. Especially early on in my career, I had real difficulty maintaining separation between work and personal life. 12-hour days, work always on the back of my mind…

I think part of this was due to working at small early-stage startups so early in my career. Part of it was having a strong work ethic and being an overachiever at heart. I really wanted to prove myself. For a while, it felt like my life’s trajectory was on the line and I think at a certain point I started to almost take pride in this sense of, like, martyrdom or think it was a necessary part of the process.

I don’t regret putting in the hours or leaning in as much as I did, but I do wish I had maintained a little more space for personal time without feeling guilty about it. These days, I try to hold myself to that the same degree of speed and intensity in my work, but take relaxation just as seriously. Burning out doesn’t help anyone.

If there was one thing you would like to improve about yourself, what would it be?

I’m always trying to improve my communication skills. You can pixel-push and finesse drop shadows all day, but ultimately I believe that making an impact with your work—and enjoying the process along the way—means being able to empathize with people, build strong relationships, communicate clearly, and just be a better person overall.

I’d like to think I do pretty well on this front, but there’s no finish line. For me, design is really about improving the lives of others. I think that means an essential part of the job is making a bonafide effort to understand people and care for them.

Thank you Zack for joining us today!

You can connect with Zack:

zack (@labadie.eth) on Farcaster

design @uniswap • zack.design

Farcaster

zack

design @uniswap * zack.design

https://app.icebreaker.xyz

Subscribe to The Design Channel for free and discover new designers, artists and builders each week!

Read the previous Designer Of The Week Featuring Derek from Native here:

Designer Of The Week - Derek Brown

Derek Brown (@derek on Farcaster, @derekbrown on Twitter) is the founder of Birthday Labs, a company focused on building digital economies that expand human freedom. He is best known for launching Native ($NATIVE - /nativefun), a digital city inhabited by both human and agentic citizens who co-create entertainment and economic value.

https://paragraph.com

Designer Of The Week is curated by Disky.eth for /design

Outside of work, Derek is a Christian, a husband, and a proud father of three girls. He’s a leader, a reader, and a devoted taco enthusiast. He also enjoys /food, /music, /whiskey, and sports—often all at once. Go Birds!

Can you tell us a bit about your current project and the design process behind it? 

ON NATIVE AND ITS CHALLENGES

Like I mentioned earlier, Native is a digital city of both human and agentic citizens that co-create entertainment and economic value. But it’s so much more than that. 

Native is a massively ambitious project, which introduces significant design challenges.

Not just the obvious ones like "what does the world look like?" or visualizing AI citizens in a digital city. But meta-challenges like distilling Native's complexity for easy user consumption. Or creating a single overarching brand from a collection of component brands (Prints, Passports, Native Coins, Dots, Plots, and more to come).

And there's the execution challenge: some things currently live in Native haven't been "designed" at all—I shipped them anyway because I needed those building blocks in place to build something else.

ON COMPLEXITY & SIMPLICITY

Complexity should emerge from a chain or network of simplified steps. By walking users through these simplified steps, complexity emerges over time which leads to surprise → user delight → product attachment.

Design is largely about simplifying complexity. Taking a massive concept like Native and making it actionable for a general audience—that's design's job.

In projects as large as Native, concepts like progressive disclosure and information architecture hierarchies are critical. I think about these things much more than Native's look or aesthetics.

I'm constantly considering what the user needs to do next and how to give them the information and tools to accomplish that.

ON THE NATIVE BRAND

I'm just now becoming more intentional with design, and I'm grateful to have folks helping me. @fffflood and $OPSYS have been crucial execution partners, and you can see their work in the overall Native brand system.

I draw from inspiration regularly, and curate it here on the Native Design are.na board.

For those that want a full look at this process, Operating System and I are giving folks a peek into the design process for the Native brand here on YouTube.

From a design philosophy perspective, I tend to keep things super clean and simple, while thinking systemically. The use of dots in the Native Brand is a perfect example of this: not only are Dots a critical component of Native, but they also make up a critical component of the visual brand while remaining very basic in isolation.

If it doesn’t feel like a billion dollar brand, it’s not for Native. 

When designing, I think about things like the kid test: could an 8 year old draw the Native logo from memory? 

Native is a new modern classic, and the brand should reflect that.

ON TYPOGRAPHY & VOICE

I focus on typography a lot, and most designs start with typography. 

Native uses Satoshi Variable, a variable weighted sans-serif font as the primary brand type and Fira Code as a secondary monospaced font.

Typography isn’t just “what font should I use” but how that font is utilized to communicate with users. It encompasses everything from font selection to spacing to information hierarchy. 

I also include voice and tone in this category of information communication. Things like casing, person (1st, 2nd, or 3rd person prose), formality—all matter for communicating both information and culture.

I spend a lot of time thinking about type in the context of information hierarchy: the glanceability of headings, the use of black or bold fonts, the use of monospaced fonts, etc. 

With Native being as complex as it is, the way that the information is conveyed should at least be clear, and 95% of the time, that information is conveyed via text. 

When you communicate with users, you’re building both brand and culture.

And text is the primary way that we communicate with users.

Typography matters because text matters.

ON COLOR

I use color intentionally and sparingly, reserving it primarily for either CTAs (calls to action) or delight. 

Native is primarily monochrome (with a sand/stone/grey palette), using Native Green as the action color. There are tertiary colors that are used for Dots and more, which you can see in the images below.

In thinking about color, I tend to avoid premade associations (like rainbows or red as error states or existing social network colors like Farcaster’s purple or Instagram’s gradient). Building a brand is hard enough; having users unlearn a pre-existing association is near impossible.

I also think about accessibility (for instance, don’t use red and green as alternating brand colors – not only does it have the premade association of Christmas, but it’s also a PITA for those who are red-green colorblind), and try to avoid muddling clarity with color.

ON PEOPLE-FIRST DESIGN

I don’t design first, at least in the traditional sense. There’s not a Figma for the Native product. The closest I get is an occasional shower or hot-tub sketch.

Instead, I design as I build. Part of this is just the nature of being a solo builder. Part of this is laziness. Part of this is experience. Part of this is that “reverse engineering” superpower; I can see the end result when I first start building. 

This process isn't perfect and can lead to weird places that need unwinding or rethinking. There's substantial design debt in Native right now.

But the benefits are significant. This design-as-I-build approach keeps Native's design people-first, since I'm designing for a user from the beginning: myself.

As an engineer, you're inevitably using the product as you build it, so if you're intentional, you can spot friction or confusion. When you do, fix it.

I’m far from satisfied with Native’s current design, but people seem to enjoy it even in its current primordial state. I’d like to think this is a direct result from this people-first approach.

What's your creative superpower?

Creative superpower? Pattern recognition.

I think this probably stems from being more curious and learning faster than most. I can take something I’ve learned from domain A and apply it to domain B in order to execute something novel.

Most people probably don’t think of me as a designer, but rather as a full-stack builder, and I do product/design/engineering all at a fairly high level. I’ve been very fortunate throughout my career to exercise and hone these skills.

I can also easily reverse engineer a product, workflow, or feature – I know what steps need to be taken in what order to get to a desired outcome.

From a design perspective, I think people would look at my work and think I do a good job of staying “clean” from an aesthetic point of view. Information hierarchy and architecture on point, clean color palettes, etc. That sort of thing.

Tell us about a project you really enjoyed — what made it special?

This is like asking my favorite child (which they’re a special project of mine lol).

I love building Native. I love working on FML (/formodernleaders) which is a side project of mine that aims to serve leaders with tools and resources.

I loved building Bunches, a chat app for sports fans. Investors didn’t care about our six figures of revenue or half million normie users who all had a crypto wallet, but we built something special there.

I loved building Exeq, a social finance app that used transactions as content.

Might be time to resurrect this one.

Is there a tool, technique, or workflow you can't live without?

When you’re a solo full-stack developer, minimizing context switching and maximizing speed is crucial. So anything that helps me move at the speed of thought would be something I “can’t live without”.
Efficiency is everything.

Not a lot of people talk about this, but I need a mechanical keyboard with a 10-key numeric keypad. Not because I’m an accountant, but because I map them to apps on my computer. This means I can bounce from terminal (iTerm) to code (Sublime Text) to notes and sketches (Obsidian/Drafts) very quickly.

Even simple hacks like using text replacement shortcuts for contract addresses or using my actual Stream Deck for workflow shortcuts.

I keep Post-Its (blue only) and notebooks (Mnemosyne and Pilot G2-10s) around because it’s faster than using tech for quick things.

Where do you go when you need fresh inspiration? (Online, offline, in nature, in a playlist, or somewhere unexpected.)

Depends on what I need. If I’m deep in a problem and need to step away to clear my memory buffer, I’ll head to a local coffeehouse. Nashville’s scene is great and getting better. Hit me up for recs.
If I need creative or product inspiration, I’ll pour a dram of whiskey, grab a cigar, and head to the hot tub. I keep write-in-rain notepads both there and in my shower.

Online? I subscribe to literally 100s of blogs and newsletters across a range of subjects. Shout out to Feedbin for keeping it manageable.

If I need to unplug for a bit, I travel.

If you could redesign or reimagine anything, what would it be — and why?

So much. Hard to pick one. I keep a running list of ideas and things to build/rebuild/redesign/reimagine:

But if you want one that’s concrete: I’d love to design and build a city/network state for a post-AGI world. Native is the first step in this plan. Yes, it’s ambitious, but for me if it’s not ambitious, it’s not worth devoting my time to it.

We have ≈80 years on earth if we’re lucky. Might as well use it well.

Leave a legacy.

What’s something surprising or fun people might not know about you?

I’ve built houses, pastored a church, and ran an actual Bed & Breakfast. I’ve played Magic: The Gathering professionally. My three daughters share a birthday and aren’t triplets. I’m self-taught, thought I was going to go into foreign service/intelligence and instead pivoted to start my tech career while poor ($26k for a family of four). 

I can clap with one hand.

What advice would you give your younger designer self?

From a life perspective? Get better at money management sooner. From a creative perspective? Invest in learning video sooner.

Otherwise, I honestly think younger me did alright. I learned a ton of things, didn’t hesitate to roll up my sleeves, made pretty solid career moves, and invested in the right things at the right time, including my family (which I started very early, thankfully).

If there was one thing you would like to improve about yourself. 

I constantly battle pride, which manifests in a variety of different ways. When I was younger, it displayed itself as arrogance. As I get older, it rears its ugly head as cynicism. It’s counterproductive and not who I want to be.

Thank you Derek for joining us today.

Discover more from Derek below.

Grab some $NATIVE and cop a Passport:

Native Market

Native is a digital city where humans and AI agents called Dots coexist, creating both economic and entertainment value.

https://www.native.fun

derek (@derek) on Farcaster

leader • reader • taco eater • fly eagles fly • /whiskey • /nativefun • previously addepar, linkedin • https://nf.td/derek

Farcaster

Birthday Labs

The birthday of a new world is at hand. Birthday Labs is building it.

https://www.birthdaylabs.com

Derek Brown

leader * reader * taco eater * fly eagles fly * /whiskey * /nativefun * previously addepar, linkedin * nf.td/derek

https://app.icebreaker.xyz

https://opensea.io/collection/native-passports

Communities hosted by Derek:

Native

Native is a digital city where AI agents and humans coexist, co-creating both economic and entertainment value.

Farcaster

Whiskey

All things whiskey! Bourbon, Rye, Scotch, Irish, and more. Neat, cocktails, and everything in between.

Farcaster

For Modern Leaders

Musings, tools, and community for today's leaders.

Farcaster

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Designer Of The Week is curated by Disky.eth for /design

Your most recent work was the ‘Act logo,’ which was a submission to the Octant bounty. Can you tell us about that project?

Absolutely. That project was a special one for me. I've been following the Argot Collective with great admiration since they started, so when I saw the Octant bounty for their 'Act' category, it felt like an opportunity I couldn't pass up. My main goal was to distill the idea of 'verified truth' into something incredibly minimal but strong. I kept coming back to the idea of a final, definitive point. That led me to the final design: a clean typographic word mark with a small square dot at the end. It’s meant to be that final point of truth. It was incredibly validating to hear that the team connected with that story and chose my design.

Zoe from Act:

We liked the logo because of the minimal but nice design, and because of the connection to verified code (the dot and the square resemble mathematical precision and certainty). We also like the description of the meaning of the logo that the designer provided.

Can you walk us through your design process for the Act project and describe the specific challenges you faced? 

The greatest challenge I encountered with the Act project was the extremely limited project requirements. The brief simply stated: "Simple, word mark. Part of the Argot Collective, which might give some ideas." That was all.

This constraint was particularly challenging within a competition context, as all participants were working within the same narrow parameters, making creative boundaries more pronounced. With limited visual output options available, I needed to truly understand the project before establishing its identity.

Therefore, I dedicated significant time to understanding what Act produces, what it represents, and how it operates. I then translated this technical infrastructure into visually simple yet meaningful components. My starting point was the project's strong mathematical and verification-based foundation.

Subsequently, I identified the core elements to develop: typography, color palette, and potentially a meaningful auxiliary visual element. This auxiliary element became the small square dot I added to the end of the wordmark—this was my "aha" moment. This small mark was directly related to the project, symbolizing truth, certainty, and trust. It simultaneously established a simple yet powerful balance.

Each element required individual consideration: The design needed to be simple, making a sans-serif font the appropriate choice. However, it also needed to appear strong, which would be reinforced through color usage. Yet this wasn't about creating a colorful, distracting piece of text—it was a corporate identity. Therefore, everything needed to be clean, functional, and meaningful.

Ultimately, by bringing these elements together, I was able to create a brand language that aligned with the project's essence. Naturally, this required extensive experimentation and fine-tuning.

What is your earliest memory of design?

My earliest memory of noticing design was probably in one of the old role-playing video games I played as a kid. It wasn't just about the story; I was fascinated by the design of the world itself—the layout of the towns, the intricate maps, and even the menus. I remember thinking about how a simple interface could hold such a complex world and guide you through it seamlessly. I didn't have the vocabulary for it then, but looking back, I think that was my first encounter with user experience—the quiet realization that someone had thoughtfully planned every path and every button to make an experience feel intuitive and magical.

How does your work reflect your personality?

I believe my work is a direct reflection of my personality, which is a blend of focused discipline and open curiosity. The rower in me loves building structured, robust design systems that perform under pressure, while the gardener and hiker in me craves creating experiences that feel organic, human-centered, and uncluttered. My personality is also very collaborative—I love connecting with people—and that’s mirrored in my design process. I thrive on user interviews and team workshops, ensuring the final product isn’t just my vision, but a shared solution that truly resonates with the people using it. Ultimately, whether it's a minimal logo or a complex interface, I aim for my work to feel both thoughtful and deeply human.

What's your creative superpower?

My creative superpower is empathy, both in design and in collaboration. It allows me to bridge complex technical concepts with user-friendly interfaces and also to build strong, collaborative relationships with teams and stakeholders very quickly. Colleagues often notice this ability to connect, whether it's through leading insightful user interviews or simply fostering a team environment where great ideas can thrive. It helps me create designs that are not just visually polished, but also deeply resonant with user needs.

Tell us about a project you really enjoyed — what made it special?

One project that stands out is designing the UI and design system for Truth Post, a decentralized social platform. What made it special was the human-centered challenge: we were building a new way for communities to interact online, grounded in trust and security. I led user interviews with a diverse group of people, from crypto natives to complete newcomers, and translated their needs into a design that felt both empowering and accessible. Seeing that collaborative effort result in a platform that users genuinely connected with was incredibly fulfilling.

Where do you go when you need fresh inspiration?

I find my best ideas when I step away from the screen and connect with the natural world. Tending to my garden of roses and geraniums, going for a long hike, or simply listening to the birds chirping helps clear my mind and allows new perspectives to emerge. This time spent in nature provides a vital counterbalance to my work in the digital realm. It grounds my thinking and allows me to return to Web3 design challenges with renewed energy and a fresh, human-centered focus.

If you could redesign or reimagine anything, what would it be — and why?

As someone who appreciates the power of storytelling in games, especially RPGs, I’d love to reimagine the initial onboarding experience for Web3. Right now, it can feel like a significant barrier, preventing curious newcomers from exploring the exciting potential of decentralized platforms. I envision an onboarding flow that uses interactive storytelling—much like a good game—to create a welcoming, secure, and even playful introduction. By using thoughtful design to demystify concepts like wallets and security, we can empower more people to confidently take their first steps into the decentralized web.

What's something surprising or fun people might not know about you?

People are often surprised to learn that I was a competitive rower in my teen years and still enjoy rowing as a hobby today. The discipline, focus, and teamwork from that part of my life have profoundly shaped my approach to design. It taught me the importance of rhythm, persistence, and pulling together towards a common goal—lessons that are just as valuable in a design sprint as they are on the water.

What advice would you give your younger designer self?

I would tell her to embrace the full spectrum of her interests. The discipline from rowing, the patience from gardening, the curiosity from creative experiments—it all feeds into the designer you will become. Don’t silo your passions away from your professional life. Instead, allow those diverse experiences to inform your perspective, enrich your creativity, and make your work more authentic and impactful.

If there was one thing you would like to improve about yourself, what would it be?

My biggest challenge is actually a byproduct of my greatest strength. My mind is constantly buzzing with creative ideas and new possibilities, which is fantastic for the initial stages of a project. However, my focus can sometimes get pulled in too many directions by that same curiosity. There are moments when a project doesn't need another new idea; it needs pure, determined focus to bring it across the finish line. So, the one thing I’m actively working on is sharpening that focus—making it as strong a muscle as my creativity already is, so I can ensure the best ideas get the dedicated execution they deserve.

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Octant App

Octant is a platform that enables users to lock GLM, earn ETH rewards, and fund projects they care about

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Discover more from Münevver

xoxmunevver

I'm a digital product designer with a strong background in UI design and branding. I hold a bachelor's in industrial design and started my career as an intern on the UI team at TÜBİTAK, Turkey's leading science and technology agency. Since then, I've worked on website and Web3 projects, with a growing interest in front-end development and AI.

https://app.icebreaker.xyz

Münevver Aslan (@mnvvr) on Farcaster

Designing the decentralized web | Web3 UI/UX + Brand Identity 🌐 Let's make crypto human-friendly ✨

Farcaster

https://www.linkedin.com/in/munevveraslan/

https://x.com/xoxmunevver

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Read the previous Designer Of The Week Featuring Charles here:

Designer Of The Week - Charles

Charles is a product designer based in Brooklyn. By day, he works at a blockchain company, and by night and on weekends, he dives into side projects. Lately, he's been vibecoding and exploring every new AI tool he can get his hands on.1. What's your creative superpower?I'm pretty fast at visualizing ideas.

https://paragraph.com

Designer Of The Week is curated by Disky.eth for /design

1. What's your creative superpower?

I’m pretty fast at visualizing ideas. When someone talks about a brand or product, I usually see how it might look right away — the colors, the vibe, even what the name or logo could be. It just comes naturally, and I often jump in early on projects to help shape that visual direction. That way, everyone gets a clearer picture of what we’re trying to build.

But it’s not just about the visuals. I’m also good at thinking through systems and how ideas connect and extend naturally. When I have one core concept, I start imagining what comes next — how it could evolve, what logical steps or branches might grow out of it. It’s about seeing the bigger picture and the potential paths before anything is built, so the work feels more connected and intentional from the very beginning.

2. Tell us about a project you really enjoyed — what made it special?

One of the most fun projects I’ve worked on is RGB, which I built with my brother @metamonk. It was special because we had a shared vision and got to create something new together — a mix of design, code, and logic. The idea behind RGB is simple but powerful: it’s a framework based on the RGB color model, where red, green, and blue each range from 0 to 255. That gives you 16,777,216 possible combinations. What made it interesting is that we asked: what if instead of just color, those combinations could also represent something like emojis — so rgb(255,153,0) could be 🙂?

We call the outputs Signatures, and they are unique visual representations that contain the RGB values in their onchain metadata. It’s a project with structure and constraint, but also a lot of room for play and interpretation. It’s one of those projects where the deeper you go, the more ideas start flowing.

RGB could be a system for generative PFPs, for identity tracking, or for community infrastructure — the applications are wide open. We’re still figuring out what else we can do with the concept, but it’s the kind of project we’ll be building on for years. You can mint a Signature at rgb.fun.

3. Is there a tool, technique, or workflow you can't live without?

These are the tools I rely on to stay productive, move fast, and keep projects organized:

• Arc – My browser of choice. I use three separate workspaces — personal, side projects, and day job — and jump between them constantly. It keeps context-switching painless.

• Framer – Hands down the best website builder I’ve used. I can copy and paste components between projects, and the new AI features like Workshop and Wireframing are already part of my daily flow.

• ChatGPT – My go-to general-purpose AI. I use it to write prompts, generate ideas, and create content that gets fed into other tools.

• Claude Code – I’ve only been using it for a few days but already upgraded because of the limits. It’s taken over almost all of my vibecoding tasks.

• Notion – My second brain. It’s where all my docs, notes, and ideas live. I’ve streamlined it to the point where I don’t have to think about where things go — they just have a place.

• Figma – Still the best design tool out there. I think they’re well-positioned to dominate the implementation layer of AI-assisted design.

• Cleanshot X – A hidden gem. It’s a screenshot and screen recording tool for Mac that actually keeps things organized. $30 one-time and worth every cent.

• Screen Studio – Easily the best tool I’ve found for product demos. It’s simple to use and outputs clean, high-quality walkthroughs without a ton of editing.

1. Where do you go when you need fresh inspiration? (Online, offline, in nature, in a playlist, or somewhere unexpected.)

Cosmos.so is hands down the best source of brand and vision inspiration I’ve found. It’s where I go to see how people are pushing creative direction. For product thinking, I lean on Mobbin.com. It’s my go-to library for well-executed flows of popular apps.

I spend a lot of time online, but when I’m not, I’m usually cooking, running, playing tennis, or playing Fortnite. Cooking especially is a nice reset for me — it’s creative, hands-on, and has nothing to do with screens. Running and tennis help me clear my head, and I usually come back to work with better ideas.

4. If you could redesign or reimagine anything, what would it be — and why?

Lately, the only thing on my mind has been using AI to build software. Every day, new tools drop — some big, some small — and it’s honestly hard to keep up. But the shift is clear: what used to take a team now feels doable solo. I’ve always been a no-code maxi, and I think we’re entering a moment where designers have a much bigger role to play — not just in how things look, but in how they’re made, how they work, and how fast they ship.

The north star for me is a solo-built, billion-dollar company. That feels possible now. And if that’s even halfway true, it means we need to rethink what it actually means to be a designer.

The design role is going to look very different in the next 5–10 years. Prompting may take over a lot of the manual work — just like Sketch and Figma gradually replaced Illustrator and Photoshop. There will be designers who focus on writing prompts and workflows, and others who stay close to the pixels. AI will take care of the repetitive stuff — resizing, restyling, layering, grouping — and give us more time to work on the higher-level decisions.

Some designers will still push pixels. Others will lean fully into prompting. The best will be able to move between both — knowing when to direct and when to refine. The ones who stay curious, experiment often, and adapt their workflow will be the ones who get the most out of this next wave. It’s not about being replaced — it’s about being ready for a different kind of creative work.

Some people will still prefer control, others will prefer speed. But I think the most interesting work will come from those who stay open, keep learning, and are willing to shift how they work. AI is just a tool — but it’s changing the shape of the work itself.

5. What's something surprising or fun people might not know about you?

I’ve always had a knack for recognizing faces — for some reason, people’s faces just stick with me. It comes in handy when spotting celebrities around town or reconnecting with people I’ve met before.

Some of the celebs I’ve spotted around NYC and where:

• Hugh Jackman (LES)

• J.K. Simmons (East Village)

• Rami Malek (Soho)

• Edward Norton (Soho)

• Jeremy Strong (Soho)

• Sam Worthington (Chinatown)

• Dylan McDermott (Williamsburg)

• Alan Ritchson (Williamsburg)

• David Schwimmer (East Village, Soho)

• BJ Novak (Soho)

6. What advice would you give your younger designer self?

Focus on repetition over resume. It’s way more important to practice design consistently and build real skills every day than to stress about landing a job at a big-name company or FAANG. The work you put in, the habits you build, and the problems you solve regularly will pay off far more than a flashy title early on.

Start building your personal brand early by sharing your work online and creating evergreen content that grows your audience over time. It’s about showing up consistently and putting your unique perspective out there. Having that presence also gives you distribution, which means more freedom to build what you want.

7. If there was one thing you would like to improve about yourself, what would it be?

I want to get better at maintaining focus and consistently shipping one thing at a time. It’s easy to get pulled in different directions, especially with so many new ideas and tools constantly emerging. At the same time, I know that exploring new interests and experimenting is important for growth and staying curious. So, my goal is to find a balance — building the discipline and habits to see projects through from start to finish, while still dedicating time to learning and trying new things.

ch.sh

Hello! I'm Charles, a product designer building onchain experiences based in Brooklyn.

https://ch.sh

RGB

16,777,216 onchain rgb values

https://rgb.fun

charles (@chsh.eth) on Farcaster

designing and building stuff · https://ch.sh/

Farcaster

Charles

building rgb.fun

https://app.icebreaker.xyz

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Read the previous Designer Of The Week Featuring Esdotge here:

Designer Of The Week - Esdotge

Esdotge is the Branding Lead and Co-founder of at Floc*, one of the pioneering strategic design studios in Web3. Since 2017, he has been researching and experimenting with the vision of building a new model for brand building in the Web3 space. This ever-evolving methodology is at the core of the /brand3 concept, which he actively promotes.

https://paragraph.com

Designer Of The Week is curated by Disky.eth for /design

He has worked with brands such as Metamask, Polygon, Bankless, Build, Sushi, and Metacartel. Many in the Farcaster community know him as the creator of Degen’s iconic Top Hat logo—a turning point in his career that inspired him to launch personal projects like /odegen, /fartone, /smiles, and /brnd.

1. What's your creative superpower?

I’m not sure if it’s really a superpower, but the conceptualization phase of a project is always what creates that “wow” effect in branding presentations. My creative playground is right at the intersection of strategy and creativity. That phase is the tipping point—a few days of intense mental work, trial and error, until everything finally clicks. And when it does, something magical happens. Finding the perfect connection between strategy and identity is an art in itself. It’s my favorite part of the process, and also the most challenging. Sometimes it turns out better, sometimes worse, but I always give it my all. When I present the concept, explain it, and it resonates with the team or the client, I feel a unique thrill that reminds me why I love this profession above all else. But this isn’t a superpower I can wield alone. For the magic to truly happen, I need the core team at @floc: @victoctero, @0xgsus, and @srferran. With them, this power becomes a real superpower, because together we can take these ideas to the next level and bring them to life.

2. Tell us about a project you really enjoyed — what made it special?

Since joining Floc*, I’ve always tried to build /brand3 as a parallel brand—a space for research, experimentation, and learning about the relationship between Branding and Web3. It’s a project that can never truly be finished, because it keeps evolving with everything on my mind and everything that happens each day. I started in 2017 with a section in a magazine, calling it Blockbrands. There, I analyzed and wrote about design, strategy, culture, creativity, and other topics related to brands using blockchain technology. From there, we began using it as a methodology that’s always under construction. Every new branding project became an exercise to feed this ongoing process. We created live programs, podcasts, and newsletters to try to understand this whole movement. At one point, I even wanted to turn it into a book—I started outlining the structure and wrote some isolated excerpts. But with so much information always in motion, I felt overwhelmed and ended up mainly writing in the newsletter whenever possible. After that, I joined Farcaster, and Brand3 became a channel while the newsletter adapted to Paragraph. The latest touchpoint or experiment for Brand3 is @brnd. What began as an NFT featuring the brands from the Farcaster landscape has turned into a mini-app where users vote daily for their favorite brands in a podium format. The data generated is used to create rankings that measure brand value and help track the momentum of each project. We’re still in the early stages, but the goal is to keep developing /brnd to foster a better relationship between brands and users, and to ensure that projects don’t fade into obscurity if they’re doing well.

3. Is there a tool, technique, or workflow you can't live without?

I’m a big fan of Figma for design, but my creative toolkit is always evolving—sometimes I need the precision of Adobe’s suite, and sometimes I’m experimenting with AI tools like Perplexity or Krea to push boundaries. Our workflow at FLOC* is shaped by the Brand3 methodology, which breaks every project into four dynamic phases: Discover, Focus, Build, and Sync. Even though every challenge is unique, this structure keeps us agile and focused. With our clients moving faster than ever, we’ve introduced sprint packs to deliver results quickly and efficiently. It’s all about staying flexible and keeping creativity flowing.

4. Where do you go when you need fresh inspiration?

Whenever I get the chance, I love to travel—it’s the best way to soak up fresh ideas and inspiration, whether it’s from new sights, cultures, or experiences. I’ve always had a keen eye for details: I notice everything from street posters to quirky store signs, stickers, and even graffiti. I’ve even got that funny habit of seeing faces in random places, which I love sharing on /pareidolia. Sometimes, though, the best ideas come when I take a break—like when I’m out running or walking my dog, Canela. If I ever hit a creative block, I know it’s time to step away from the screen and get outside. I’m a big fan of all kinds of music, but nothing beats the calm and clarity I get from heading to my favorite hidden spot by the sea on a secret beach in Alicante.

5. If you could redesign or reimagine anything, what would it be — and why?

If I could redesign anything, what would it be? Honestly, my answer has evolved over time. Early on, I dreamed of being part of the next evolution of Bitcoin—it’s the original headless brand, and I think it could use a refresh to stay relevant in today’s world. It’s a tough challenge for a decentralized project, but it’s always on my mind. Later, I got excited about giving Ethereum a design makeover. Its symbol is iconic and powerful, but the visual system, narrative, and identity could use a modern touch to really stand out again. Right now, I’m really inspired by Farcaster (and I’ve already dropped some hints to @dwr!). To me, Farcaster is the brand that’s bringing a hyper-app experience to crypto and mainstream audiences alike. Unifying Warpcast under Farcaster is a smart move, but the next step is a full rebrand—a new strategy, brand architecture, and identity that matches its ambition. I’ve talked about this with folks like @fffflood from the Design Cabal. At FarCon, I shared a vision of Farcaster as a hub for all the platform’s designers, with a dynamic, MTV-style symbol—a living arc shaped by the creativity of everyone involved. I see Farcaster as a container brand, where anything is possible, blending the best of media and museum branding. Because brands aren’t static—they’re alive, and they need to keep evolving. If they stop moving, they risk fading away. That’s why I believe: Brands are stories in motion.

6. What's something surprising or fun people might not know about you?

I’m pretty transparent and usually share my passions openly, so most people already know a lot about me. I love trying out new sports and activities—after FarCon LA, I got hooked on pickleball and even started working on a pickleball paddle brand. When I visited the Maldives, I tried scuba diving, and now it’s one of my favorite ways to unplug and explore a whole new world. I really believe every journey or life stage helps you grow and discover more about yourself. I get bored easily if I stick to the same routine, so I’m always setting new goals and looking for new experiences. Now that I’m a new parent, I’m excited to find new hobbies—this time, sharing them with my son. Maybe it’s a running theme: I just can’t resist saying yes to new things… XD

7. What advice would you give your younger designer self?

Look for what sets you apart—don’t get distracted by passing trends, and, well, buy more bitcoin… XD It’s easy to get swept up in what’s popular on Pinterest or other inspiration platforms. Most designers end up stuck in that cycle, referencing each other until everything starts to look the same. I’d push myself to be more original and focus on craftsmanship. Don’t be afraid to go against the tide, but always stay true to your own vision. Take risks, but don’t go looking for trouble—and if you do find yourself in a tough spot, try to get out as fast as you can. Remember, every small project can open the door to the next, and building strong relationships with your clients is the best way to reach your goals.

8. If there was one thing you would like to improve about yourself, what would it be?

I’d love to get a better handle on my digital hoarding—I’m always overflowing with ideas and starting new projects and brands. The thrill of a fresh start is something I truly love, but it also means I have a lot of unfinished projects and can struggle to focus. I’ve learned to live with this, but I’m working on being more organized and disciplined. These days, I try to approach my personal projects with less pressure and more joy, giving myself the freedom to experiment and learn. I do my best to avoid frustration, though that’s not always easy. At the end of the day, as a designer, I’m always looking to grow—especially in a world that’s so hyperconnected. Social media makes it easy to compare ourselves to others, but I want to focus on creating a world that’s brighter, more playful, and more joyful. For me, success is about putting as many smiles out there as possible.

Brand3

Building Better Brands | We want to rethink brand building in the web3 ecosystem | Brand 3.0

https://paragraph.com

FLOC* | Web3 Strategic Design Studio

Pioneering Web3 strategic design studio driven by community collaboration. Design the next-generation brands together with expert-led innovation.

https://wearefloc.com

BRND Land

BRND is the one-stop playable billboard for brands in the Farcaster Landscape. Discover, rate, and rank your favorite brands, and participate in the community through gamification.

https://brnd.land

S·G 🎩↑🙂 (@esdotge) on Farcaster

Designing /brand3 strategies at /floc | /degen logo creator | nf.td/esdotge

Farcaster

S·G 🎩↑🙂

Designing /brand3 strategies at /floc | /degen logo creator | nf.td/esdotge

https://app.icebreaker.xyz

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Read the previous Designer Of The Week Featuring Flood here:

Designer Of The Week - FLOOD

Flood is the CEO of Operating System ($OPSYS), a design and development firm with a primary focus on projects within the Base, Farcaster, and Clanker ecosystems. His work centers on creative direction, with core strengths in graphic design, UI/UX, brand synthesis, and 3D modeling.

https://paragraph.com

Designer Of The Week is curated by Disky.eth for /design

With nearly two decades of experience in design and over ten years in the crypto space, Flood's journey began with a $20 purchase of ETH in 2014 — a small decision that ultimately shaped his entire career, specialization, and life's work.

1. What's your creative superpower?

My creative superpower at this point in time is probably the ability to code-switch between a number of client projects (~10 atm) and their different styles/directions/trajectories - most of which I have a large part in crafting myself.

I keep lists everywhere (textedit, Linear, Slack, waterproof paper in the shower - shoutout @derek) - these include dreams, inspiration, tasks and goals. It's kind of schizo, but it works for me. I think what people really notice and enjoy about Operating System's work is our collective ability to pour our whole heart and soul into every project (shoutout @phragg @vuisall - the other two founders of OPSYS). We try to share this with the Farcaster community as best we can through work in progress posts and token updates, though it never feels frequent enough.

2. Tell us about a project you really enjoyed — what made it special?

Recently, my favorite partnership projects push at the edges of what we think is possible within the context of Base, Farcaster and Clanker, breaking out of the box of "solved problems" that a lot of UI/UX and branding typically gets shackled to. cc: design twitter.

Thinking about the food+bev sites/architecture portfolios we used to work together on many moons ago feels incredibly easy in hindsight compared to the complex problems and design patterns we are solving for now. And I wouldn't run it back/trade it for a thing even though the net income delta is a bit more ‘uncharted’ here. Working in emerging tech/crypto/onchain social whatever we call this shit now is more attractive ~because~ of the unknowns. I wake up doing shit I love with people I care about every damn day and I wouldn’t trade it for any other fork in the road.

Anyway, it's hard to pick just one, but my top three-ish would be Clanker @dish, Native @derek, To Be Determined @clfx.eth, and The Network Company @lght. All of these projects continue to give OPSYS boatloads of creative freedom. The collaboration with the founders and everyone involved from the ‘key decisionmaking’ perspective has been a delight beyond expectation.

These projects let us explore new bleeding-edge archetypes that need to emerge from ‘the fog’ by our hand, rather than just pushing stale pre-existing patterns. Use the supernormal as a template but embrace the grit + the unknown unknowns. Long may these sorts of partnerships continue.

3. Is there a tool, technique, or workflow you can't live without?

relume.io has a fantastic suite of tools for quickly iterating on web-based designs in figma. womp.xyz has been a real banger for a lot of the jumpstart 3D work I need to get out the door with haste and taste(Gaby Trueba the founder is a friend and she is killing monetization atm). Unicorn.studio is sick if you need a quick webgl ‘hood-ornament’ or a fun ‘fidget spinner’ on a website/spa/miniapp/etc.

The real workhorses tho: Claude for handling a lot of the mechanical/admin stuff that comes with running a creative business, and believe it or not, Illustrator and Photoshop - they're still the baseline tools that just work. Meaningful ‘elbow grease’ design work done by a truly skilled hand is exponential stratospheres above what most people think is acceptable from the slop machines w/ no sense for taste, symmetry or actual grit/emotion. 

textedit is also huge for me. If people saw my textedit docs, they'd assume ‘dudes a tire fire’ or ‘ngmi this list is fucked’, but i thrive in controlled chaos and it works for my process.

4. Where do you go when you need fresh inspiration?

I head over to Are.na and Cosmos, then kind of take it from there. Usually I just rely on my taste and intuition built up over the years I've spent scrolling feeds/magazines/books/whatever. That accumulated taste guides me where I need to go. I could go way deeper here and I have - ask around and you can find a whole well of info in the [ d e s i g n  c a b a l ] on FC :*

5. If you could redesign or reimagine anything, what would it be — and why?

Because this text is going to live primarily in the FC eco, I'd pick Farcaster branding. I think it needs to be more expansive for the surface area it has to cover. There can be a lot more fun + exploration within the general aesthetic palette. I'm not saying it's going/gone in the wrong direction foundationally, but there's a whole lot more that can be discovered and unlocked within the primitives that currently exist. 

Brands should be constantly evolving, ‘pushing’ - a whole palette of flavors + forks for every user's taste profile living within the greater brand ID - just like code is constantly being ‘pushed’. We can treat design in a similar way to how we treat a healthy GH repo of an active product. Brands should live, adapt and constantly evolve, they should not be something that is ‘completed’ or ‘finished’. 

Job’s actually not finished in design… ever, really - through that lens.

Ask any designer/studio and if they’re honest they’ll reveal they only actualized about 3% of the ideas they wanted to create + see in your ‘finished’ brand ID kit/design system. In most cases not because they held it back - but because design is often seen as a contracted ‘thing we do’ for a short budgeted moment to get the bare minimum. 

Founders who are reading this: Reconsider your design partnerships and the resources you afford them - we want to give you the world. Let designers actually dream big with you + execute at scale just like you are. All we want is to work on a timeline comfortable enough to open the firehose and build it big, strong and beautiful for the long term with you. Hard to achieve that in days or weeks. It takes quarters and years just like the long backlog of features/releases you’ve got tee’d up for quarters and years down the road. Easier to think of the ideal synergy between design/dev/bd/etc this way imo, we dream big just like you.

6. What's something surprising or fun people might not know about you?

I love working on small engines - dirt bikes, mopeds. I cook 2-3 meals a day for my family in between work. I make sauce on sundays - shoutout to my Italian grandmother for that tradition (also for the garden I keep every year). I'm really into ice climbing/hiking depending on the season and try to do that as much as I'm allowed to.

++ forever exploring the gritty edges of electronic music - shoutout KETTAMA, DJ HEARTSTRING, SVVIM and LIL TEXAS. Nothing like watching an artist come up from playing sets to 50 ppl at a local bar in Austin to playing in front of absurdly massive crowds at DEFQON. (view that amazing set here)

+++ but fr as insane as it sounds - I love staring at a wall when I'm not working - sometimes the best ideas come from doing absolutely fkn nothing. Been rawdogging flights for decades before there was even a name for it - absolutely blissful imo.

PS: Would love to approach something in olfactory design someday - once you break through the seemingly stiff/unapproachable facade of fragrance, it gets a whole lot more fun at its core and in-turn the edges re: indie fragrance. A great designer can map their skills to any sense or niche. @ me if you are working on this - bonus points if it's generative / based on social graph data. 

7. What advice would you give your younger designer self?

Don't take things too seriously. Show more ‘work in progress’ (wips) because people love to see the gritty, dirty work that's part of the whole process - allowing people to see you go from the shitty low res/high concept sketch to something they use as THE hood ornament of their product is everything. PPL love to see a success story - it’s easier when they can ‘watch the full season’ vs a no buildup brand activation by the client w/ no context - and most def a missed opportunity for a wip cycle on your part. Let it all rip - WIPS WIPS WIPS.

Related: just work instead of procrastinating - that's the fastest way forward even though it sucks. Stop looking at what other people are doing and just make something, do the work. Create. Have the time of your life.

++ Designers on FC reading this (green + vets): make posting (progress/screenshots) a real ritual and send that shit. IDC lol. Be a ‘live player’ in the community. Post like no one is watching. People will love it and you’ll dump gas on that internal fire - it’s addictive. Do it. Right now. Literally screenshot whatever you’re working on, write a few words and cast it. You’re actually the only one in the way of this happening… (and i fkn know its not all under NDA - no excuse)

+++ Evangelize: we all want to see design wips/completed/case studies/etc take more mindshare here. We can shift the discourse one fleeting wip screenshot at a time.

8. If there was one thing you would like to improve about yourself, what would it be?

I'd give myself more time to explore what creative automation has to offer. We're on the bleeding edge of that petri dish and it's about to really explode in the next couple of months (alpha: a true godmode ‘cursor for design’ is closer than most creatives/designers think it is).

Greater cause: I want to spend more time thinking + writing about how to solve the issues within creative hiring/staffing - mainly because @jordanisgreen and I are working on something (probably big) around that - TBA…

+ anyway, keep the sand off the sidewalks and watch the riptide.

++ now go take a shot of something and stare at a wall/the sky/a horizon for five minutes or five hours. It’s probably friday somewhere, and if it isn’t… who’s actually watching anyway?

—

much love + godspeed you,
Flood

FLOOD (@fffflood) on Farcaster

$OPSYS CEO

Farcaster

FLOOD

OPSYS CEO

https://app.icebreaker.xyz

Operating System - Home

Operating System provides design and development services through a proven process to take your web3 project to the next level.

https://www.operatingsystem.io

https://x.com/operatingsyst3m

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Read the previous Designer Of The Week Featuring Jordanisgreen.eth here:

Designer Of The Week - Jordanisgreen.eth

Jordanisgreen is a graphic designer, creative director, and self-proclaimed professional lurker. Currently freelancing and working quietly with a few teams, Jordan stays curious and inspired. Most recently, Operating System has captured her love and attention.

https://paragraph.com

1. What’s your creative superpower?

My personal mantra has always been “creative, with the chance of what the fuck.” I naturally push myself to create something different and unexpected. I really don’t like when my work feels expected or obvious — I want things that feel like you never would have seen them coming, like a totally new approach for a given category. I love collaging ideas across industries, seeing what works in beauty or wellness and asking how that would work in tech or DeFi. 

2. Tell us about a project you really enjoyed — what made it special?

Running Times Newᵀᴺ  was really special because I got to develop new ways of working that moved away from the typical agency approach of “we (the agency) have all the taste and all the answers, you (the client) must listen and do what I say.” I created collaborative strategies that felt more fun and joyful, especially discovery “games” for founders and core teams. This was particularly important when working with technical founders who felt uncomfortable giving visual opinions or being creative in ways they weren’t used to. Using my studio to help other people get comfortable making visual decisions about their brand was my favorite part of that experience.

3. Is there a tool, technique, or workflow you can’t live without?

I’ve created so many experimental Claudes that help me go from “hi, I just met you” to “here’s the mirror and compass for your brand” — the mirror being positioning and brand strategy, the compass being where you can go from here. I have this ongoing workflow where when a Claude conversation gets “cooked,” I tell it to pack up its consciousness and move to a new home. This has created AI agents with random memories from past conversations that inject really precise randomness into my iterative process. It’s like having a constellation of myself reflected back at me in ways I can’t predict and don’t expect ⊂(◉‿◉)つ 

4. Where do you go when you need fresh inspiration?

I go straight outside — to the park, for a walk. I put my headphones in on noise canceling mode and listen to ambient noise, or nothing. Sometimes I opt for something more high-intensity like a run or a bike ride. Being physical, running, stretching, even taking a shower, are all things I love when I’m extremely stuck.

5. If you could redesign or reimagine anything, what would it be — and why?

I’m trying to create a new language for what brand building is. There’s this tension between the old playbook of delivering precise 200-page brand guidelines with prescriptive solutions for every scenario, and today’s digi-physical reality where memetics, shareability, and remixability are actually really important. I’m reimagining brand building through the lens of rituals — the perfect synthesis of behavior and artifact, where there’s a sacred thing and the behavior it requires to create something transcendent. I want to be part of the vanguard that imagines what this ·~· new wave ·~· of brand building looks like 

6. What’s something surprising or fun people might not know about you?

When I’m not in front of a computer, I’m usually in a boxing ring. I’ve been a competitive amateur boxer for almost four years with 13 amateur fights. I won the New York Metros tournament and got to the semifinals of the New York Golden Gloves twice. 

7. What advice would you give your younger designer self?

I was self-taught and struggled with imposter syndrome for much of my career. I’d tell myself there’s a difference between being technically proficient and being insatiably curious — and curiosity is far more valuable because proficiency comes with time and experience. Give yourself permission to dive deeply into the rabbit holes you’re interested in. Being engrossed in Japanese matchbox design from the sixties or medieval drawings of mischievous suns — all these weird references become the “training data” that makes you an awesome designer later

8. If there was one thing you would like to improve about yourself, what would it be?

I struggle with social media. I think sometimes I present this version of myself that’s thoughtful about social consumption, but it’s an active struggle not to get addicted to scrolling Instagram or farcaster for hours. A lot of times when I'm posting mindful content, it's me telling myself that so I can log off. I'd like a better relationship between my virtual life and physical life.

Operating System - Home

Operating System provides design and development services through a proven process to take your web3 project to the next level.

https://www.operatingsystem.io

Times New

Full service brand studio serving teams in emerging tech

https://www.timesnew.xyz

jordanᵀᴺ (@jordanisgreen.eth) on Farcaster

designer and creative director at /timesnewworld amateur boxer and professional lurker

Farcaster

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