Hardcover Live Adam Fortuna & Stelian Dobrescu

Summary
Adam and Ste discuss their recent activities and then dive into designing widgets for the Hardcover app's dashboard. They explore different options for displaying the 'currently reading' widget, including the possibility of a carousel-like feature. They also discuss the idea of customizable settings for each widget, such as the ability to track reading progress by day, week, or month. They consider the use of a universal control for widget sizes and the option to edit progress using input fields or a slider. They also discuss the design of the update button and the possibility of making the progress fields content editable. In this conversation, Ste and Adam discuss different ways to update progress and add actions to the currently reading widget. They explore options such as marking a book as read, leaving a review, changing the edition, and setting a custom page count. They also consider the possibility of resizing and reordering the widget based on the number of books being read. The conversation concludes with a discussion on using interactive inputs for page numbers and percentages. Overall, they aim to make updating progress and taking actions on the currently reading widget more intuitive and efficient.
Takeaways
The dashboard in the Hardcover app will serve as a customized portal to users' data and preferences.Widgets on the dashboard can be designed to work on both desktop and mobile, with some widgets having multiple size options.Customizable settings for each widget, such as tracking progress by day, week, or month, can enhance user experience.The 'currently reading' widget can display all books being read, with the option to scroll or adjust the widget size based on the number of books.The update button can trigger a drawer or window for editing progress, and progress fields can be made content editable for seamless editing. The currently reading widget can be enhanced by adding actions such as marking a book as read, leaving a review, and changing the edition.Consider implementing a custom page count or minute count option for books with different editions or formats.Resizing and reordering the currently reading widget based on the number of books being read can provide a better user experience.Using interactive inputs, such as draggable sliders, for page numbers and percentages can make updating progress more intuitive.Reuse design elements and styles from other cards, such as the letter books card, to maintain consistency across the application.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Recent Activities08:03 Designing Widgets for the Hardcover Dashboard27:06 Exploring Widget Design in Bento33:32 Exploring Actions on the Currently Reading Widget40:49 Marking as Read and Leaving a Review51:09 Customizing Progress Updates for Different Editions01:02:37 Intuitive Inputs for Page Numbers and Percentages

Summary
Adam and Ste discuss their recent trips to South Korea and Romania, respectively. They talk about their experiences, including hiking, exploring local markets, and enjoying the cherry blossoms. They also discuss updates to the card design for lists on Hardcover, specifically focusing on adding reasons for adding books to a list. They explore different options for displaying the reasons and gather feedback from Discord users. They also discuss the possibility of auto-saving the reasons and using avatars to indicate the list creator. In this conversation, Ste and Adam discuss the design of book cards and explore different elements and features that should be included. They discuss the placement and design of prompts, reasons, and upvoting functionality. They also consider the hierarchy of information and the sorting options for book cards. The conversation ends with a plan to implement and test the different card designs.
Takeaways
Travel experiences can be enhanced by immersing oneself in local culture and exploring specific aspects of the destination, such as folklore and cuisine.Involving users in the design process through platforms like Discord can lead to valuable feedback and iterative improvements.When designing features, it's important to consider user preferences and make the interface intuitive and easy to use.Auto-saving can provide a seamless user experience, but clear feedback is necessary to ensure users understand that their input has been saved.Using avatars can personalize the user experience and provide visual cues for differentiating between list creators and other users. Book cards should include prompts, reasons, and upvoting functionalityThe hierarchy of information on the card should be carefully consideredSorting options for book cards should include most recently added and most likedDifferent card designs should be implemented and tested
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Travel Experiences11:28 Designing the Card Layout for Adding Reasons to Lists29:56 Auto-Saving vs Manual Saving: Balancing User Experience36:35 Designing Book Cards: Prompts, Reasons, and Upvoting52:40 Implementing and Testing Different Card Designs

Summary
In this conversation, Adam and Ste discuss various topics including their upcoming trip to Korea, the progress of open sourcing Hardcover, and the new design for the list page. They also talk about bulk editing and filters, as well as sorting and pagination options. Overall, they are excited about the future developments of Hardcover and the improvements it will bring to the user experience. In this conversation, Adam and Ste discuss various design decisions for the hardcover app. They debate between pagination and infinite scrolling, ultimately deciding to go with infinite scrolling for a smoother user experience. They also discuss the idea of different views for different list types and the possibility of animating the transition between views. They consider the option of uniform cover sizes and the potential of making the match percentage feature a supporter-only feature. Finally, they plan to design the card view and gather feedback from the community.
Takeaways
Infinite scrolling is preferred over pagination for a smoother user experience.Different list types may require different views to display relevant information.Animating the transition between views can enhance the user experience.Consider making certain features supporter-only to manage resource usage.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Ice Cream03:02 Upcoming Trip to Korea06:37 Open Sourcing Hardcover09:49 New List Page Design12:18 Bulk Editing and Filters14:44 Development Progress35:10 Pagination vs Infinite Scrolling40:37 Different Views for Different List Types46:05 Transitioning between Views50:42 Uniform Cover Sizes51:22 Making Match Percentage a Supporter Feature58:02 Designing the Card View01:03:07 Customizing Card Views for Different List Types

Summary
In this conversation, Adam and Ste discuss recent events in their neighborhood, including a shooting and stabbing incident. They then move on to discuss updates on Car Cover, including the ability to edit authors and set author avatars. They also discuss the upcoming list page updates, including the table view and column customization. They explore the possibility of adding a popularity chart to show the popularity of books over time. The conversation methodically discussed and designed the charting functionality, explored the concept of popularity charts, and brainstormed the bulk editing functionality. The team also discussed and refined the design of the bulk editing interface, including the placement of buttons and the selection process. They further discussed the rating bulk editing and finalized the design of the table view. The conversation concluded with considerations for the card view design.
Takeaways
Charting functionality can be implemented to show the popularity of books over time.Bulk editing functionality should allow users to select multiple books and edit various attributes such as rating, status, and tags.The bulk editing interface can include checkboxes for selection and dropdown menus for different editing options.The table view design should provide a clear and user-friendly way to perform bulk editing.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Unexpected Event05:04 Updates on Car Cover11:44 List Page Updates15:12 Table View and Column Customization33:45 Discussion on charting functionality36:02 Exploring the concept of popularity charts38:24 Bulk editing functionality44:29 Designing the bulk editing interface52:04 Refining the bulk editing interface58:02 Discussion on rating bulk editing01:03:38 Finalizing the table view design01:05:10 Considerations for the card view design

Summary
In this conversation, Adam and Ste discuss personal updates, including playing a new board game and watching the movie Dune. They also share work updates, such as new team members joining and designing new features. The conversation then shifts to implementing a banned users feature and the challenges of book discovery on the platform. They explore ideas for restructuring the navigation and information architecture to support new features. They also discuss lab experiments and prototyping, as well as icon design and color themes for the discovery tools. The conversation focused on making changes to the color palette and accent colors, improving book discovery and browsing, refining the profile dropdown and navigation, discussing the feed and dashboard, and considering mobile navigation and future considerations.
Takeaways
Personal updates and casual conversations can help build rapport and strengthen relationships in a team.Implementing features like banned users requires considering various aspects, such as API access and data visibility.Book discovery is a complex challenge that requires thoughtful navigation and information architecture.Prototyping and experimenting with new features can help gather feedback and improve the user experience. Consider the contrast and compatibility of colors in the design.Allow users to customize accent colors to suit their preferences.Create clear sections for book discovery and browsing.Ensure easy access to important features in the profile dropdown and navigation.Highlight upcoming features and changes with labels or badges.Consider the mobile experience and adapt navigation accordingly.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates03:00 Movie Discussions: Dune and Theaters05:56 Work Updates: New Team Members and Feature Designs08:05 Implementing Banned Users Feature11:58 Book Discovery Challenges12:52 Restructuring Navigation and Information Architecture15:55 Exploring New Book Discovery Features22:07 Emphasizing Book Discovery in Navigation26:02 Icon Design for Discovery Tools29:58 Color Themes and Accent Colors33:13 Color Palette and Accent Colors39:00 Book Discovery and Browsing42:20 Profile Dropdown and Navigation49:02 Feed and Dashboard52:31 Mobile Navigation59:36 Navigation Changes and Future Considerations

Summary
The conversation focuses on improving the list page on Hardcover. The hosts discuss the results from the State of Hardcover survey and identify easy wins based on user feedback. They emphasize the importance of the list page and its presence throughout the site. The conversation explores different views for lists and the options for sorting and filtering. The hosts review the current design in Figma and discuss the reuse of list design across the site. They consider a collapsible sidebar for filters and sorting, as well as options for columns in table view. The conversation concludes with a discussion on draggable columns and adding/removing columns. In this conversation, Ste and Adam discuss various improvements to the user interface of the list feature on Hardcover. They explore options for reordering columns, adding reasons for book additions, and setting a default view for shared lists. They also plan to create a better table view and refactor the existing table view code. The conversation concludes with a target release date for the new features.
Takeaways
The list page is a crucial feature on Hardcover and needs improvement based on user feedback.Easy wins identified from the State of Hardcover survey can be implemented to enhance the user experience.Different views, such as shelf view, card view, and table view, should be considered for displaying lists.Filters and sorting options should be integrated into the list page design, with a collapsible sidebar as a potential solution.Customizable columns in table view can provide users with flexibility and control over their reading lists. Direct controls should be added to improve the user interface of the list feature.Reordering columns and adding reasons for book additions are important functionalities to consider.A default view for shared lists can enhance the user experience.Refactoring the table view and creating a better table view will improve the overall design and functionality of the feature.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Current Projects01:03 Results from the State of Hardcover Survey03:22 The Importance of the List Page04:18 Lists Throughout the Site05:11 Reimagining the List Page06:14 Bulk Editing and Filtering Lists08:22 Different Views for Lists09:14 Options for Sorting and Filtering10:26 Considerations for Different Views11:27 Exploring Different List Views12:24 Simplifying the View Options13:43 Reviewing the Current Design in Figma14:58 Reuse of List Design Across the Site15:43 Integration of Filters and Sorting18:09 Collapsible Sidebar for Filters and Sorting20:26 Considerations for Columns in Table View22:03 Collapsible Sidebar for Columns23:28 Reordering and Customizing Columns25:18 Simplifying Column Options26:28 Bulk Editing and Customizing Columns29:02 Draggable Columns and Adding/Removing Columns30:56 Improving the User Interface33:03 Reordering Columns36:23 Adding Reasons for Book Additions38:08 Default View for Shared Lists42:07 Creating a Better Table View46:11 Refactoring the Table View50:07 Setting Default View for Lists53:39 Designing the Default View55:02 Finalizing the Feature56:08 Target Release Date