When I watched one of the episodes of Sean McCabe, called “Make Your Competitors Irrelevant”, I felt that I went through a lot of these questions as well before. Since ages I want to start a podcast, but I was asking myself a few questions over and over again:

• Should I do it in German or English, as German is my native language and I might not be able to sometimes really express what I wanted to?
• Should I do it under my beyond tellerrand brand or should I use something else (I was planning to run it under twumble, which I have registered and trademarked since years)?

For the first question I find enough pro and contra and I think in the end it is connected to the second question.

To answer the second questions a lot of things come into play. Do I want it to be connected with my brand? Does the content I produce fit to the brand I created with the other things I am doing under the brand? Many arguments of Sean are valid, if you want to strengthen your brand.

I also like what Sean says about competitors and community.

Community is the gathering of people with similar interest. It’s the partnering up of people who do similar things. You can’t ever have that, if everyone you see is a competitor to you.

Very true in my opinion. Thanks, Sean.

In August last year Brad Frost announced that he is writing a book about atomic design. Obviously I directly preordered the book as I am sure it will be a great and useful read. Oh, if you don’t know what it is about: creating and also maintaining interface design systems. Today, about 30 minutes ago, an update about the progress landet in my inbox and I’m more and more excited while reading it. He explained the planned and written content for chapter three as well as for chapter four.

The third chapter is all about pattern library tools, where the important detail for me is, that it actually is not only or mainly about the tools you can use, but more about how the tools are used. The fourth chapter is giving you information about the workflow of working with and – what I think is great – selling the idea of design systems.

Brad also announced that there will be a fifth chapter, originally planned to be part of the fourth chapter, which deals with maintenance of design systems.

So I was happily and excited reading the updates. As you can see.

More information about the Atomic Design Book.

Looking forward to hold my copy of Offscreen issue 13 in my hands. Did you already subscribe?

⇾ Visit: Offscreen Issue 13

(twitter: @nicewebtype text: Tim Brown) and (twitter: @Aetherpoint text: Andrew Johnson) started to create a useful collection of tools and services for working with type including a nice type glossary.

⇾ Visit: Typography Supply

John Davey, who runs Reasons to be Creative in Brighton for many years, also runs a one-day event in London for three years already. Reasons:London is a great opportunity to see a few fantastic talks for small money and the right way to start into the weekend.

Six speakers, one day and an affordable ticket price from £79. Even, if you come and leave on the same day that can work easily. Even from Germany (or other parts of Europe). Flights to London are cheap and the event starts at noon and ends at 7pm – though I’d always recommend you to stay for some after event drinks.

The venue is the beautiful LSO St Luke’s in London, an old 18th century church, which holds a maximum of 450 people, if the upper level balcony is used.

I will be there on February 19th and would be happy to meet you as well. Check who is speaking and what the topics are on the website and get yourself a ticket. See you there.

Got this lovely present from a bunch of wonderful #btconf attendees. They made a nice photo in Düsseldorf, signed it all, framed it and today I got it though they already finished it in May (plus the gin). Thank you all. You can't imagine how much this means to me. This is wonderful. Especially these days.

Thanks to (twitter: @maddesigns), (twitter: @derSchepp), (twitter: @helloanselm), (twitter: @ddprrt), (twitter: @derPepo), (twitter: @MadeMyDay), (twitter: @FabianBeiner), (twitter: @czillgens), (twitter: @rodneyrehm), (twitter: @jkphl), (twitter: @drublic), (twitter: @foobartel), (twitter: @tobiastom), (twitter: @bkastl), (twitter: @fernmuendlich), (twitter: @closingtag), (twitter: @fhemberger), (twitter: @trilodge), (twitter: @asciidisco), (twitter: @tcaspers), and (twitter: @dantz) (order of signing).

Update: I’m going to close the survey and the raffle tomorrow around midnight. So you have the whole day to fill in your information and take part in the book raffle. I will then evaluate the feedback and publish the results. Thanks to everybody who took part in the survey!

This morning Joschi asked an interesting question on Twitter.

Pls help me w/ this one: What's the average lead time you need / prefer for planning your conference visits? Thanks!

I find it interesting not only because I’m running my own event, but because I think I can’t really answer this question myself like a usual attendee. I’m attending so many events, that sometimes I decide to go to an event just the day before it takes place. Sometimes I need more time as I want to make sure to really have the time to attend as usually other – maybe family related things – might come in the way. Or someone books me to take photos at her/his event and I need to be there to make some extra shots from the setup, workshops or side events for example. Surely I plan everything for beyond tellerrand really early and also for SmashingConf, as I am a board member and part of the team, but especially events I have never been to with cities and countries I never been to, I try to make some extra time.

Sometimes it does not work out to have extra days before and/or after an event. As said, I am away quite a lot on many events and my family is happy for every day, that I stay at home, of course. Then I prefer to arrive a day prior the event to not miss anything on the first day and I like to leave a day after the event not too early to at least being able to take part in some of the networking opportunities that most events give after the event is over.

To get a more detailed impression, I created a survey that helps to understand how others plan their trips and event journeys. It would be really helpful, if you take part in it. All results will be publicly available.

I think especially (twitter: @jkphl text: Joschi) and (twitter: @briansuda text: Brian Suda), who are planning an exciting event in Iceland, are interested in the outcome of the survey (I guess this was also the reason for Joschi to ask), but of course I will publish all the results.

This way to the survey.

Thanks for taking part in the survey!

Update: forgot to mention that you can win one copy of the Smashing Book #5 or one of the new edition of Andy's Hardboiled Web Design Book, if you take part and want to win. Good luck and thanks to Smashing Magazine for giving the books.

I guess with these lovely notebooks planning of the next events is done already. Thanks (twitter: @justinavery)

What a fantastic present. Thanks so much for the lovely gift and the card, (twitter: @brad_frost) – you rock!

New family member: The Botanist. Directly made the base for a #Gimlet. #gin