314 - Addison James

Addison James is a Senior Product Designer from Los Angeles, currently leading the team at LightStim, a wellness device company. His team works on everything from mobile apps and websites to internal tools and physical user interfaces.

Previously, he ran a small design and development studio and independently released iOS apps. Outside of his design career he is also a lifelong musician.

Recently, he rebuilt his portfolio using Framer, scoring features on Designer Daily Report, Awwwards and CSS Design Awards.

Portfolio → https://addison.design
Twitter → https://twitter.com/addisonjames
LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/addison-design

Inside Addison's Workspace

Items:

• Apple Studio Display
• MacBook Pro 14” M1 Max
• iPad Pro 11"
• AirPods Max + AirPods Pro
• Sonos One Speaker
• Fujifilm X100V
• Art above desk: Oxleas by James D Wilson
• Art above record player: Original artwork by Wayne Coyne
• Houseplant Gloopy Candle by Seth Rogen
• Dusen Dusen Tissue Box
• MagFlott Magnetic iPad Stand
  

Music Gear:

• Fender Jazzmaster
• Fender Mustang Bass
• Gibson Les Paul
• Korg minilogue Synthesizer
• Universal Audio Volt 476 Interface
• 1byone Record Player + Sonos Five Speaker
  

Software:

• Figma
• Framer
• Sublime
• Notion
• Raycast
• Apple Music
• Homebridge + Pushcut
  

What is your favorite item in your workspace?

My favorite item in my workspace is the artwork hanging above my record player. It's an original piece created by Wayne Coyne (of The Flaming Lips) that he gifted to my wife and me as a Christmas present (the underlying poster was designed by Oliver Hibert for their album "With A Little Help from My Fwends”).

How do you spark creativity?

It's a blend of sharing and collaborating with other designers, taking walks outside, listening to music, and watching movies. I start every workday with a 30-minute stretch routine to wake up my body and get me in the right headspace. But I really find my stride in the back-and-forth of collaborating and refining ideas. And nothing beats the inspiration I get when my wife leaves fresh flowers from our garden on my desk.

How do you manage work-life balance?

Given that I typically spend around 10 hours a day at my desk, I make it a point to step away from my computer on the weekends. I've been a computer geek all my life, so design rarely feels like work. But maintaining a balance between designing for my job and exploring my own personal design interests is key.