Each week on Polygon, we round up the most notable new releases to streaming and VOD, highlighting the biggest and best new movies for you to watch at home.This week, Twisters, the standalone sequel to 1996s Twister starring Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People) and Glen Powell (Anyone But You), finally blows its way onto VOD. If youd rather not go chasing tornadoes, I dont blame you; theres lots of other exciting releases on streaming to choose from this month. Weve got the new spy thriller The Union starring Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry on Netflix, the Purge-like action comedy Jackpot! on Prime Video, the streaming debut of Immaculate on Hulu and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga on Max which also has a new Black and Chrome version which just released on VOD this week.Heres everything new thats available to watch this weekend!New on NetflixThe UnionWhere to watch: Available to stream on NetflixGenre: Spy comedyRun time: 1h 39mDirector: Julian FarinoCast: Mark Wahlberg, Halle Berry, Mike ColterMark Wahlberg plays Mike, just your average blue-collar construction worker, who reunites with his high school sweetheart Roxanne (Halle Berry), who is revealed to be a secret agent. Mike gets pulled into the high-stakes world of espionage because, as it turns out, the identity of every spy in Roxannes agency has been compromised, so they need to tap in a plucky, street-smart nobody to help save the world. Oh, and J.K. Simmons is there!DaughtersWhere to watch: Available to stream on NetflixGenre: DocumentaryRun time: 1h 42mDirectors: Angela Patton, Natalie RaeThis documentary follows four girls with incarcerated fathers as they get ready for the Daddy Daughter dance at the prison, one of the very few opportunities they get to meet physically. Their fathers, meanwhile, undergo a Fatherhood Training Program that helps them emotionally prepare for this moment. Daughters won two awards at Sundance Film Festival.They Shot The Piano PlayerWhere to watch: Available to stream on NetflixGenre:Musical docudramaRun time:1h 43mDirectors:Fernando Trueba, Javier MariscalCast:Jeff Goldblum, Tony Ramos, Abel AyalaThis animated docudrama follows a music journalist (voiced by Jeff Goldblum) who embarks on a globe-trotting journey to uncover the truth behind Francisco Tenrio Jnior, a Brazilian samba-jazz pianist who was instrumental in popularizing Bossa Nova music, and the reason behind his sudden mysterious disappearance.New on HuluImmaculateWhere to watch: Available to stream on HuluGenre: Psychological horrorRun time: 1h 29mDirector: Michael MohanCast: Sydney Sweeney, lvaro Morte, Benedetta PorcaroliSydney Sweeney (Euphoria) stars in this new supernatural horror movie as Cecilia, a devout nun who is invited to serve at a beautiful secluded convent to tend to ailing nuns on their deathbeds. Upon arriving, Cecilia quickly discovers that the convent has much more in store for her, as she awakens to discover she is miraculously pregnant.From ourreview:From the beginning,Immaculatedirector Michael Mohan is thoroughly committed to delivering a throwback exploitation movie of exorbitant sleaze. There may not be any outright sex in the movie, but there are long scenes of nuns taking baths in skimpy white dresses, and leering priests lurking around every corner that interrogate Cecilia over her virgin status only to verify the purity and truth of their coming savior, of course.Immaculatealso has more graphic blood, guts, and gore than most action movies these days. All of these little elements are hallmarks of prime 1970snunsploitation, the horror offshoot specifically centered on the cloth.New on Prime VideoJackpot!Where to watch: Available to stream on Prime VideoGenre: Action comedyRun time: 1h 44mDirector: Paul FeigCast: John Cena, Awkwana, Simu LiuJackpot! is like The Purge but with a comedic twist. In this world, anyone who loses the lottery gets to hunt the winner, and if they murder the winner before sundown, they get the jackpot (get it?). Awkwafina plays a struggling actress whos the lucky lottery winner, so long as she can stay alive by the time the sun goes down. She hires a lottery protection agent (played by John Cena) to help keep her alive.New on MaxFuriosa: A Mad Max SagaWhere to watch: Available to stream on MaxGenre: Sci-fi actionRun time: 2h 28mDirector: George MillerCast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom BurkeMad Max director George Millerhas returned with another explosive entry in his post-apocalyptic action series. Set anindeterminate amount of yearsbeforeMad Max: Fury Road, Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queens Gambit) stars as Furiosa, a young woman who struggles to reclaim her freedom after being kidnapped by Dementus (Chris Hemsworth), the ruthless leader of an army of bikers. Along the way, shell cross paths withImmortan Joe(Lachy Hulme), her future boss-turned-adversary, and Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke), her mentor and ally.From ourreview:An epic, nearly 20-year saga likely isnt what most people were expecting fromFuriosa, but the approach allows the world to expand in pleasing ways. The MCU-ification of cinema means that franchise blockbusters often reveal characters, important MacGuffins, narrative loose ends, and potential sequel nods in bite-size teases that areless and less likely to lead anywhere. But withFuriosa, Miller widens the scope of the Mad Max landscape exponentially, as characters old and new blast their way onto the screen, giving clearer insight into the setting of the Wasteland, its societal hierarchies, its gasoline-fueled wars, and its steampunk-hued reality.New on Metrograph at HomeP.P. RiderWhere to watch: Available to stream on Metrograph at HomeGenre: Comedy dramaRun time: 1h 58mDirector: Shinji SmaiCast: Tatsuya Fuji, Michiko Kawai, Masatoshi NagaseBased on a story written by Leonard Schrader the brother of writer-director Paul Schrader this quirky, 1983 melancholic drama newly restored follows three high school friends who journey across Japan in order to save the life of a bully who has been kidnapped by the Yakuza. Why are they trying to rescue him? Why, to get their own revenge on the bully before hes killed, of course!Typhoon ClubWhere to watch: Available to stream on Metrograph at HomeGenre: Teenage dramaRun time: 1h 55mDirector: Shinji SmaiCast: Yuichi Mikami, Youki Kudoh, Tomokazu Miura This ones another streaming premiere of a restoration on Metrograph at Home. Set over the course of five days, this 1985 adolescent drama follows a group of junior high kids who are trapped inside their school during a typhoon. Cut off from the outside world with no adult supervision, the school becomes a powder keg for the students pent-up angst, exploding in series of fantastical sequences that blur the line between reality and imagination. How will their lives be changed from this experience after the storm inevitably subsides? Youll have to watch Typhoon Club to find out.New to rentTwistersWhere to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and VuduGenre: Disaster thrillerRun time: 2h 2mDirector: Lee Isaac ChungCast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony RamosDirector Lee Isaac Chung follows up his 2020 breakthrough Minari with a standalone sequel to the 1996 film Twister starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton. Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell, Twisters follows a dueling group of storm chasers as they attempt to navigate and survive a outbreak of tornadoes wreaking havoc through Oklahoma.Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Black & Chrome Edition)Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and VuduGenre: Sci-fi actionRun time: 2h 28mDirector: George MillerCast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom BurkeMove over Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color theres a new monochromatic version of a recent sci-fi movie release in town! Like 2015s Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga has received its own Black and Chrome version, transforming the colorful cacophonous spectacle of George Millers post-apocalyptic action movie into a black and white movie about the moral grey area between revenge and retribution in a world gone mad. Youll have to watch this version yourself to see which one you prefer.Watchmen: Chapter 1Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and VuduGenre: Superhero dramaRun time: 1h 23mDirector: Brandon ViettiCast: Troy Baker, Adrienne Barbeau, Corey BurtonWatchmen is back, this time as a multi-part animate film series! In an alternate 1985, a government-sponsored superhero has been inexplicably murdered. Determine to apprehend his killer, a costumed vigilante named Rorschach reunites with his estranged former colleagues scores the criminal underworld of New York is his search for clues. What he uncovers is a conspiracy that threatens to endanger the entire world. Will he be able to track down the conspirators before its too late?National AnthemWhere to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and VuduGenre: DramaRun time: 1h 39mDirector: Luke GilfordCast: Eve Lindley, Charlie Plummer, Mason AlexanderCharlie Plummer (Looking for Alaska) stars in this coming-of-age drama as Dylan, a 21-year-old construction worker trying to support his younger brother and alcoholic mother in rural New Mexico. After crossing paths with a close-knit community of queer ranchers and rodeo performers, Dylan find himself navigating his own sense of sexuality and the emotional challenges that come with newfound love, life, and family.Mothers InstinctWhere to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and VuduGenre: Psychological dramaRun time: 1h 34mDirector: Benoit DelhommeCast: Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Josh CharlesBenoit Delhommes period drama stars Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway as Alice and Cline, two housewives with a sisterly bond who live next door to one another in an picturesque 1960s American suburb. When their idyllic lives are upended by inexplicable tragedy, the harmony of their daily existence is shattered by paranoia, grief, and barely concealed rage exploding to the surface.June ZeroWhere to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and VuduGenre: Historical dramaRun time: 1h 45mDirector: Jake PaltrowCast: Tzahi Grad, Joy Rieger, Koby AderetDirector Jake Paltrows latest film explores the trial of Adolf Eichmann, the principal architect of the Holocaust, from the perspective of several individuals who were either present or involved in some way with this historic reckoning. Based on true accounts, June Zero follows the story of Haim (Yoav Levi), a Moroccan Jew tasked with protecting Eichmann during his trial; Shlomi (Tzahi Grad), a soldier-turned-factory owner commissioned to build an oven to cremate Eichmanns remains; David (Noam Ovadia), an Israeli teenager working in Shlomis factory; and Micha (Tom Hagi), an Auschwitz survivor who becomes the chief interrogator of Eichmanns trial.

Pricing projects can be one of the most challenging aspects of running a digital agency or working as a freelance web designer. Its a topic that comes up frequently in discussions with fellow professionals in my Agency Academy.Three Approaches to PricingOver my years in the industry, Ive found that there are essentially three main approaches to pricing:Fixed price, Time and materials,And value-based pricing.Each has its merits and drawbacks, and understanding these can help you make better decisions for your business. Lets explore each of these in detail and then dive into what I believe is the most effective strategy.Fixed PriceFixed pricing is often favored by clients because it reduces their risk and allows for easier comparison between competing proposals. On the surface, it seems straightforward: you quote a price, the client agrees, and you deliver the project for that amount. However, this approach comes with significant drawbacks for agencies and freelancers:Estimating accurately is incredibly challenging.In the early stages of a project, we often dont have enough information to provide a precise quote. Clients may not have a clear idea of their requirements, or there might be technical complexities that only become apparent once work begins. This lack of clarity can lead to underquoting, which eats into your profits, or overquoting, which might cost you the job.Theres no room for adaptation based on testing or insights gained during the project.Web design and development is an iterative process. As we build and test, we often discover better ways to implement features or uncover user needs that werent initially apparent. With a fixed price model, these improvements are often seen as scope creep and can lead to difficult conversations with clients about additional costs.The focus shifts from delivering the best possible product to sticking within the agreed-upon scope.This can result in missed opportunities for innovation and improvement, ultimately leading to a less satisfactory end product for the client.While fixed pricing might seem straightforward, its not without its complications. The rigidity of this model can stifle creativity and adaptability, two crucial elements in successful web projects. So, lets look at an alternative approach that offers more flexibility.Time and MaterialsTime and materials (T&M) pricing offers a fairer system where the client only pays for the hours actually worked. This approach has several advantages:Allows for greater adaptability as the project progresses. If new requirements emerge or if certain tasks take longer than expected, you can simply bill for the additional time. This flexibility can lead to better outcomes as youre not constrained by an initial estimate.Encourages transparency and open communication. Clients can see exactly what theyre paying for, which can foster trust and understanding of the work involved.Reduces the risk of underquoting. You dont have to worry about eating into your profits if a task takes longer than expected.However, T&M pricing isnt without its drawbacks:It carries a higher perceived risk for the client, as the final cost isnt determined upfront. This can make budgeting difficult for clients and may cause anxiety about runaway costs.It requires careful tracking and regular communication about hours spent. Without this, clients may be surprised by the final bill, leading to disputes.Some clients may feel it incentivizes inefficiency, as taking longer on tasks results in higher bills.T&M pricing can work well in many scenarios, especially for long-term or complex projects where requirements may evolve. However, its not always the perfect solution, particularly for clients with strict budgets or those who prefer more certainty. Theres one more pricing model thats often discussed in the industry, which attempts to tie pricing directly to results.Value-Based PricingValue-based pricing is often touted as the holy grail of pricing strategies. The idea is to base your price on the value your work will generate for the client rather than on the time it takes or a fixed estimate. While this sounds great in theory, its rarely a realistic approach in our industry. Heres why:Its only suitable for projects where you can tie your efforts directly to ROI (Return on Investment). For example, if youre redesigning an e-commerce site, you might be able to link your work to increased sales. However, for many web projects, the value is more intangible or indirect.Accurately calculating ROI is often difficult or impossible in web design and development. Many factors contribute to a websites success, and isolating the impact of design or development work can be challenging.It requires a deep understanding of the clients business and industry. Without this, its hard to accurately assess the potential value of your work.Clients may be reluctant to share the financial information necessary to make value-based pricing work. They might see it as sensitive data or simply may not have accurate projections.It can lead to difficult conversations if the projected value isnt realized. Was it due to your work or other factors beyond your control?While these three approaches form the foundation of most pricing strategies, the reality of pricing projects is often more nuanced and complex. In fact, as I point out in my article How To Work Out What To Charge Clients: The Honest Version, pricing often involves a mix of educated guesswork, personal interest in the project, and an assessment of what the market will bear.Given the challenges with each of these pricing models, you might be wondering if theres a better way. In fact, there is, and it starts with a different approach to the initial client conversation.Start by Discussing AppetiteInstead of jumping straight into deliverables or hourly rates, Ive found it more effective to start by discussing what 37signals calls appetite in their book Shaping Up. Appetite is how much the product owner is willing to invest based on the expected return for their business. This concept shifts the conversation from What will this cost? to What is this worth to you?This approach is beneficial for several reasons:Focuses on the budget rather than trying to nail down every deliverable upfront. This allows for more flexibility in how that budget is allocated as the project progresses.Allows you to tailor your proposal to what the client can actually afford. Theres no point in proposing a $100,000 solution if the client only has $20,000 to spend.Helps set realistic expectations from the start. If a clients appetite doesnt align with whats required to meet their goals, you can have that conversation early before investing time in detailed proposals.Shifts the conversation from price comparison to value delivery. Instead of competing solely on price, youre discussing how to maximize the value of the clients investment.Mirrors how real estate agents work they ask for your budget to determine what kind of properties to show you. This analogy can help clients understand why discussing budgets early is crucial.To introduce this concept to clients, I often use the real estate analogy. I explain that even if you describe your ideal house (e.g., 3 bedrooms, specific location), a real estate agent still cannot give you a price because it depends on many other factors, including the state of repair and nearby facilities that may impact value. Similarly, in web design and development, many factors beyond the basic requirements affect the final cost and value of a project.Once youve established the clients appetite, youre in a much better position to structure your pricing. But how exactly should you do that? Let me share a strategy thats worked well for me and many others in my Agency Academy.Improve Your Estimates With Sub-ProjectsHeres an approach Ive found highly effective:Take approximately 10% of the total budget for a discovery phase. This can be a separate contract with a fixed price. During this phase, you dig deep into the clients needs, goals, and constraints. You might conduct user research, analyze competitors, and start mapping out the projects architecture.Use the discovery phase to define what needs to be prototyped, allowing you to produce a fixed price for the prototyping sub-project. This phase might involve creating wireframes, mockups, or even a basic working prototype of key features.Test and evolve the prototype, using it as a functional specification for the build. This detailed specification allows you to quote the build accurately. By this point, you have a much clearer picture of what needs to be built, reducing the risk of unexpected complications.This approach combines elements of fixed pricing (for each sub-project) with the flexibility to adapt between phases. It allows you to provide more accurate estimates while still maintaining the ability to pivot based on what you learn along the way.Advantages of the Sub-Project ApproachThis method offers several key benefits:Clients appreciate the sense of control over the budget. They can decide after each phase whether to continue, giving them clear exit points if needed.It reduces the perceived risk for clients, as they could theoretically change suppliers between sub-projects. This makes you a less risky option compared to agencies asking for a commitment to the entire project upfront.Each sub-project is easier to price accurately. As you progress, you gain more information, allowing for increasingly precise estimates.It allows for adaptability between sub-projects, eliminating the problem of scope creep. If new requirements emerge during one phase, they can be incorporated into the planning and pricing of the next phase.It encourages ongoing communication and collaboration with the client. Regular check-ins and approvals are built into the process.It aligns with agile methodologies, allowing for iterative development and continuous improvement.This sub-project approach not only helps with more accurate pricing but also addresses one of the most common challenges in project management: scope creep. By breaking the project into phases, you create natural points for reassessment and adjustment. For a more detailed look at how this approach can help manage scope creep, check out my article How To Price Projects And Manage Scope Creep.This approach sounds great in theory, but you might be wondering how clients typically react to it. Lets address some common objections and how to handle them.Dealing with Client ObjectionsYou may encounter resistance to this approach, especially in formal bid processes where clients are used to receiving comprehensive fixed-price quotes. Heres how to handle common objections:We need a fixed price for the entire project.Provide an overall estimate based on their initial scope, but emphasize that this is a rough figure. Use your sub-project process as a selling point, explaining how it actually provides more accurate pricing and better results. Highlight how inaccurate other agency quotes are likely to be and warn about potential scope discussions later.This seems more complicated than other proposals we've received.Acknowledge that it may seem more complex initially, but explain how this approach actually simplifies the process in the long run. Emphasize that it reduces risk and increases the likelihood of a successful outcome.We don't have time for all these phases.Explain that while it may seem like more steps, this approach often leads to faster overall delivery because it reduces rework and ensures everyone is aligned at each stage.How do we compare your proposal to others if youre not giving us a fixed price?Emphasize that the quality and implementation of what agencies quote for can vary wildly. Your approach ensures they get exactly what they need, not just what they think they want at the outset. Encourage them to consider the long-term value and reduced risk, not just the initial price tag.Were not comfortable discussing our budget upfront.Use the real estate analogy to explain why discussing the budget upfront is crucial. Just as a real estate agent needs to know your budget to show you appropriate properties, you need to understand their investment appetite to propose suitable solutions.By adopting this approach to pricing, you can create a more collaborative relationship with your clients, reduce the risk for both parties, and ultimately deliver better results. Remember,Pricing isnt just about numbers its about setting the foundation for a successful project and a positive client relationship.By being transparent about your process and focusing on delivering value within the clients budget, youll set yourself apart in a crowded market.

A fantastical playground of unfettered creativity replete with tableaux lies tucked away into an unassuming post-industrial building on the outskirts of Long Island City, New York. It belongs to Jouffre, a living luxury heritage company and upholstery atelier hailing from France that has become a cradle for bespoke furniture design, custom craft, and textile experimentation in Manhattan. Their recent showcase entitled Lcho, which remains somewhat of a fluid installation as their showroom and office expands to this day, is emblematic of their modus operandi using history as a guide to navigate a labyrinth of eclectic client tastes, designer needs, contemporary challenges, and neo-traditional methods. Though traffic is typically designers with discerning clients, theres much to be appreciated by inquiring minds outside the trade.LCHO SHOWROOM: Reflection I & II ceramics by Adriana Castro x Corina Durrego; Monoliths & Vessels by Drew Hart; Drapery design by Edward MeadeBroken down into three scenes, Lcho begins as guests pass through the warehouse walls and beyond the modest threshold where they are received in the Showroom proper that is staged like a formal parlor. It establishes the studios identity through a nimble display of upholstery prowess from seating to wall paneling, not only in a variety of aesthetic executions but in a case study of comfort as well. On this occasion, our focus was on promoting natural materials as the new standard for fabrication while specifically showing that we can achieve the same quality of excellence and ease weve established in the past with synthetic foams, says Jouffre Design Director Taylor Scott Ross. The curation contributes to the conversation between history and the future of design. A critical part of this dialogue is Enkev, whose materials include Cocolok and Taillok comprising coconut fibers and horsehair rubberized with natural latex, respectively.LCHO SHOWROOM: Blue Time handwoven art by Kimberly English; Echo Chair by Taylor Scott Ross; Cage Sofa by Studio Giancarlo Valle; Henge Club Chairs byRRP x Jouffre; Pina Coffee Table by Gregory Beson, Kansas Lamp by Luke Malaney; Monoliths & Vessels by Drew Hart; Drapery by Edward Meade; Domus Sconces by Studio LudditeIncluded in this vignette is the Cage Sofa by Studio Giancarlo Valle. This piece boasts an iconic woven oak structure, which it shares with its 2021 Cage Chair predecessor, and seating draped in plush alpaca fur from Sedallo. The nearby playful Echo Chair, designed by Ross himself, utilizes Brooklyn-based weaver rrukas energetic Sophia Rose textile, which contrasts two colorways through warp and weft. Partially encapsulating this space is a textural embroidery collaboration between Atelier Lebuisson and Jouffre, filling architectural niches with abstract, pulsating waves crafted from sustainable materials. Surfaces are further accented by sophisticated lighting from Studio Luddite including the Dormus Sconces and Stagg Lamp.LCHO SHOWROOM: Blue Time handwoven art by Kimberly English; Echo Chair by Taylor Scott Ross; Cage Sofa by Studio Giancarlo Valle; Pina Coffee Table by Gregory Beson; Monoliths & Vessels by Drew Hart; Drapery by Edward Meade; Domus Sconces by Studio LudditeLCHO SHOWROOM: Cycle Dance Rome Chair by Combray Design; Lcho Triptych wall embroideryby Atelier LebuissonThose lucky enough to get a literal peek behind the veil of sheer curtains continue onto the production floor where some 60 industry veterans, artisans, and designers alike contribute their skills to the making of inimitable home furnishings. The hum of productivity is tempered by soft laughter as workers cross-pollinate from across the atelier. Visitors move through a field of projects-in-progress demonstrating various savoir-faire: traditional upholstery, window and wall treatments, gainage, and woodworking. In the far corner opposite the enclosed showroom is another vignette, this time a survey of covetable seating situated atop a monochromatic landscape. Labeled Iconique, this portions terminus represents a fraction of Jouffres catalog of collectible vintage designs that may be reupholstered to order. It bookends a series of designs by Jean Royre.LCHO ICONIQUE: Oeuf Sofa, Polar Bear Chair, & Croisillon Coffee Table by Jean RoyreThe final display is another aptly named curation called Dreamscape, which is wrapped in Dedar velvet and hidden adjacent to the showroom. Entrants into this intimate space feel swaddled in rich textures and soothed by contrasting colors that feel plucked from illustrations found in bedtime stories. The most impressive aspect is the Echo Bed, designed by Jouffres own Nikki Bregman, made entirely from natural materials by Enkev and color blocked using fabrics from Sedallo. Its voluminous, chunky proportions conspire with muted yellow and greige tones to emanate an ethereal glow that beckons onlookers to retire to bed.LCHO DREAMSCAPE: Echo Bed by Nikki Bregman; Pockets Side Table by Luke Malaney; Adler Sconces by Studio Luddite; Rondo Hammered Sculptures by Martin Espinosa; Dominion Art Piece by Kimberly EnglishLCHO DREAMSCAPE: Pearlyna Floor Lamp by Jenna Graziano; Easy Chair by Fritz HansenRooted in interdependence and connection, the ever-evolving exhibition serves as a testament to founder Charles Jouffres mission and the incredible assemblage of makers and thinkers who are at the forefront of their disciplines. It is paramount to partner with design voices that align with our values, challenge and uplift our capabilities, and complement our savoir-faire, Ross adds. In these moments, the broader spaces become a beacon of international community and perpetuate craft across borders: real objects transformed momentarily into vestiges of profound global humanism.To learn more about Jouffre Ateliers capabilities and collaborations visit jouffre.com.Photography by Joseph Kramm.

In the world of digital product design, having a clear, comprehensive strategy is crucial for any design team aiming to make a lasting impact. Starting last year, together with my team Ive explored the process of developing such a strategy hands-on and documented it through a five-part article series published by The UX Collective. This article is supposed to serve as an overview of and guide to the approach we took, offering a rough birds-eye view of the entireseries.From defining a teams mission to crafting an inspiring vision, well walk through each critical component of a design team strategy, including the Strategy House as a helpful visualization. Youll discover howto:Create a roof that embodies your teamsmission.Build robust pillars representing your most important objectives.Construct your strategys foundation with carefully defined teamvalues.Establish design principles that operationalize yourvalues.Cap it all with a vision that guides your team towards a successful future.Whether youre leading a design team or simply interested in strategic thinking, this comprehensive guide in five parts will provide you with practical insights and actionable steps to elevate your teams performance and align your efforts towards sharedgoals.Made with Microsoft Designer.Part IThe strategy house: how to define a design teamsmissionThis article focuses on an introduction to the Strategy House Modela visual representation of a teams strategy, with the mission as its roof, the most important topics as its pillars, and the values as its foundation. It goes into detail on how our digital product design team at BestSecret developed their team mission by brainstorming stories of value; extracting actors, actions, and outcomes; and finally compiling the overall mission statement fromthose. Speicher, Maximilian. The strategy house: how to define a design teams mission. UX Collective. February 3,2023.Part IIPillars, objectives, and OGSMs: how to define a design teams most important topicsIn this article of our Design Team Strategy series, we explore how to define the most critical topics of a design teams strategy by brainstorming current and future objectives, clustering them into overarching themes, prioritizing them, and formulating corresponding OGSMs. By following these steps, you create the pillars of your teams Strategy House, which will guide your decision-making process and ensure that youre staying true to your overall strategy. Speicher, Maximilian. Pillars, objectives, and OGSMs: how to define a design teams most important topics. UX Collective. March 2,2023.Part IIITeam values: the foundation of anystrategyIn this article, we explore the importance of team values in creating a cohesive and effective strategy for a design team. Team values are the guiding principles that shape a teams culture and determine how its members interact with each other and stakeholders. Defining them is a collaborative process that in our case involved revisiting our stories of value, brainstorming our proposed team values, agreeing on a final set through an affinity diagram, and, finally, creating posters for each to make them salient and memorable. While design principles are important to a design teams work, they are not the same as team values. Team values serve as a framework for making decisions, setting priorities, and guiding behavior. Speicher, Maximilian. Team values: the foundation of any strategy. UX Collective. April 19,2023.Part IVDesigning together: the importance of shared principles for designteamsDesign principles operationalize a teams values into concrete guidelines that inform the design process. The specific steps we took for developing our own set of principles were: Brainstorming already established principles, inspiration from other teams, and what prevented us from becoming more successful; Revisiting our nine team values; Conducting a closed card sorting to map the brainstormed principles to the values; and Clustering similar principles within each value category while distinguishing between design principles and team principles. The end result was a set of principles that provide common understanding and guidance for executing our teams design work in line with our values and standards. Speicher, Maximilian. Designing together: the importance of shared principles for design teams. UX Collective. August 9,2023.Part VCrafting a Vision thatInspiresA team vision is the North Star that guides a design teams collective efforts towards a shared purpose and ultimate goal. In this article, we explore the importance of a team vision, how it differs from other components of a strategy, and provide a step-by-step guide on how to craft a team vision that resonates with everyone: Crafting stories from the future; Extracting the essence of those stories; Formulating individual vision statements; and Crafting a collective vision that brings it all together. We share our own experience and the exercises we used to develop a vision that aligns our teams efforts and inspires us to work towards a commongoal. Speicher, Maximilian. Crafting a vision that inspires. UX Collective. August 9,2024.Copyright 2024 by Maximilian Speicher Originally published by The UX CollectiveDesign team strategy: the complete guide was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

At most gyms, theres a cylindrical pad on the floor somewhere near the squat rack. (If its not there, check the Smith machine.) When I first started squatting, I needed that pad on the baror thought I did. How else would I protect my bony neck? But the truth is, you dont need that pad. And if youre planning to lift more and more over the years (which you will, you beast, you), youll have to ditch it.What is a bar pad, anyway? The pad I'm talking about looks like the one below. I'm sharing this with you for educational purposes, not because I think you should go buy one for squats. (It's not a bad idea at all to use one for hip thrusts, though, if you're looking for something for that exercise.) The bar pad wraps around the center of the barbell, and usually has a velcro flap or a pair of straps to hold it on the bar. FITGIRL - Squat Pad and Hip Thrust Pad for Leg Day, Barbell Pad Stays in Place Secure, Thick Cushion for Comfortable Squats Lunges Glute Bridges, Olympic Bar and Smith Machine (Black Leopard) $17.99 at Amazon Learn More Learn More $17.99 at Amazon Should you use a bar pad when doing squats? Look, you can use a bar pad if you want. I'm not your mom. But I'd argue that you shouldn't, or at least that if you use one your first day in the gym, you work on weaning yourself off of it as soon as you can.The purpose of a bar cushion, in theory anyway, is to keep the barbell from pressing into the back of your neck. But if the bar is pressing in like that, you probably have the bar too far up your neck, and you're not squeezing your shoulder blades together to make the "meat shelf" that holds the bar in place and protects your neck bones. Why youre better off without the padThe one upside of the pad is that, on your first day squatting, it probably helped you get more comfortable. Great! But there are downsides, and youll notice them more as the weight gets heavier: A cushion around the bar makes the bar unstable. When you have hundreds of pounds on your back, you dont want any squish. (This goes for your feet, too; get proper shoes.)It also holds the weight an inch off your back, which some folks find is enough to shift your center of gravity, and thus alter your form. If you intend to compete, there are no barbell pads on the platform. Train like you compete. The only time a pad does make sense is if youre using light weight and the bar feels totally under control, and the pad helps you feel more confident about squatting at all. If you just squatted for the first time, maybe the pad helped you get used to the exercise. Great. Now lets take off the training wheels.Find the right place for the barThe bar should not be resting on the bone at the base of your neck. It also should not be on your shoulder bones. If its hurting either of these areas, all you need is a little adjustment. For high bar squats, the bar will rest on your trapezius muscles. These are the muscles on either side of the base of your neck. Place your hands as narrowly as you can on the bar (somewhere just outside shoulder width), and squeeze your shoulder blades together. That will make your traps into a sort of meat cushion for the bar, and it wont be resting on any of your bones.For low bar squats, the bar will rest below shoulder level, so it shouldnt be pressing on any of those bones. (If you dont know what low bar is, youre probably not doing it.) Alan Thrall has a video showing good low bar positioning here. Once you get the positioning right, youll probably find you dont miss the pad at all. Save that pad for hip thrusts, where it makes a lot more sense. Can you use a pad for front squats? Nope, I wouldn't recommend it here either. When you do front squats, you need the bar to sit on your shoulders, but in front of your neck. There isn't much room there! A bar pad is going to take up space and make it impossible to get the bar in a good position. If you find front squats uncomfortable, read this guide and make sure your positioning is correct. There's one more thing to consider, though. Sometimes people will do front squats with a safety squat bar, which comes with a built-in pad. It's not just a barbell with a pad, though; the ends of the bar are shaped at an angle, which changes the balance and positioning entirely. Some people do prefer doing front squats with this bar. But don't confuse a safety squat bar with a straight bar pad.

The sports streaming service Fubo has temporarily fended off a huge financial threat from Disney-Fox-Warners potential competitor Venu Sports and its collection of sports broadcasting licenses thanks to a recent court ruling. A federal judge in the Southern District of New York granted Fubos request for an injunction in its antitrust case against the joint sports streaming venture and its parent companies.US District Judge Margaret Garnett wrote in an opinion issued earlier today such a concentrated collection of media power would eliminate consumers choices. The launch of Venu would also hike prices on both consumers and other distributors and create a multi-year monopolistic runway in the sports streaming sector for Disney, Fox and Warner.Even if the [joint venture] defendants swear that such price-hiking and competition excluding will not actually occur (thoughthere is good reason to believe that it will), the opinion reads, one purpose of antitrust injunctions is to prevent anticompetitive incentives from forming in the first place so that American consumers do not have to simply take their word for it and hope for the best.Garnett also wrote the injunction is needed because of quintessential harms that money cannot adequately repair if Fox-Disney-Warners Venu Sports moves forward.Fox-Disney-Warner first announced its plans to launch a live sports streaming channel in February and later revealed the name and price for its Venu Sports streaming service. The joint sports streaming venture will cost viewers $42.99 a month with a seven-day free trial and promises 14 channels of live sporting events with access to ESPN+ and four of its spinoff channels, the Fox network and both of its Fox Sports channels and a handful of Warner Bros. owned cable networks such as TNT and TruTV, according to a press release.Fubo filed its lawsuit a couple of weeks after Fox-Disney-Warners initial announcement. Fubos antitrust lawsuit accused the trio of media giants of staging a years-long campaign to weaken its sports streaming service. The suit also claimed the joint venture would concentrate too many entities in one service and would hinder competitiveness and jack up prices for viewers and distributors.The injunction puts a temporary hold on Fox-Disney-Warners plans for Venu Sports. Its fate will ultimately be determined by the antitrust case in federal court.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/fubo-wins-injunction-to-delay-disney-fox-warners-live-sports-streamer-venu-215943713.html?src=rss

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Want more housing stories from Lance Lamberts ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the free, daily ResiClub newsletter.During the Pandemic Housing Boom, housing demand surged rapidly amid ultra-low interest rates, stimulus, and the remote work boom. Federal Reserve researchers estimate new construction would have had to increase by roughly 300% to absorb the pandemic-era surge in demand. Unlike housing demand, housing supply isnt as elastic and cant quickly ramp up. As a result, the heightened demand drained the market of active inventory, causing prices to overheat, with U.S. home prices in May 2024 a staggering 50.3% above March 2020 levels.That overheated home price growthcoupled with the ensuing mortgage rate shock, with the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate jumping up from the all-time low of 2.65% in January 2021 to 6.49% as of this weekhas created the fastest-ever deterioration in housing affordability.On Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled her plan for addressing crushed housing affordability and spurring the construction of 3 million additional housing units in her first term as president, including:Federal assistance for first-time homebuyers: The Harris campaign says its plan would allow over 4 million first-time buyers over four years to get significant down payment assistance on average of $25,000.Creating a tax incentive to encourage builders to build starter homes: It would complement the Neighborhood Homes Tax Credit, the Harris campaign says.An expansion of existing tax incentives for builders that build rental housing that is affordableCreating a $40 billion innovation fund that would empower local governments to fund local solutions to build housingThe problem for Harris?As the country saw firsthand during the Pandemic Housing Boom, housing demand can jump quickly, but total housing stock cannot respond as swiftly. So even if we assume that Harriss plan could increase new construction to some degree, it would be a gradual increase that would take years to materialize. Meanwhile, the increase in housing demand from the $25,000 first-time down payment assistance would be felt immediately once it went into effect.Giving millions of first-time homebuyers $25,000 down payment assistance could quickly ramp up housing demand, accelerate home price appreciation, and further deteriorate housing affordability, especially in Midwest, Northeast, and California housing markets where active housing inventory for sale remains well below pre-pandemic levels.[Photo: Lance Lambert/Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta]On the supply side, most housing analysts agree with Harris that the U.S. housing market needs more homes.Over the last several years, our research on the housing supply deficit has been widely followed, and while weve seen housing inventory improve slightly, a substantial undersupply still exists and remains one of the most significant obstacles facing the housing market today, Len Kiefer, deputy chief economist at Freddie Mac, told ResiClub in May.Just to bring housing vacancy rates back to historic norms, the U.S. housing market would need 1.5 million housing units built and sitting empty, according to research published by Freddie Mac economists in May.So even by the most conservative accounting, Freddie Mac economists estimate the U.S. housing market is short 1.5 million homes. The actual housing shortage, Freddie Mac tells ResiClub, is around 3.8 million units.[Photo: Lance Lambert/Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta]This presents another problem for Harris: Not only would cash handouts accelerate housing demand faster than housing supply, but the realities of supply capacity would also be a significant roadblock to her goal of adding 3 million additional homes beyond the current trajectory during her sought-after four-year term.Since January 2020, the U.S. has completed an average of 1.39 million housing units per year. To achieve 3 million additional housing units beyond the current trajectory, annual housing starts would need to increase by 750,000, reaching 2.14 million starts per year in 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028.Such a significant increase in residential construction within a short timeframe, outside of a post-recession recovery, is unprecedented. Housing construction involves a massive number of inputs from around the worldsuch as lumber, windows, and concretewhich makes it challenging to achieve even a gradual increase in building capacity. During the Pandemic Housing Boom, builders attempted to quickly ramp up capacity to meet elevated housing demand. However, they managed to reach only 1.82 million annualized housing starts in April 2022 before hitting supply limits and facing skyrocketing input prices, including lumber, which at one point increased by more than 300%.[Photo: Lance Lambert/Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta]What can the U.S. do to improve housing affordability? First, simply give it time and make smart fiscal and monetary decisions. If you do that right, over time incomes rise and mortgage rates fall, helping to alleviate the historic housing affordability strain created by the accelerated pandemic housing demand boom and the ensuing rate shock. Second, focus on policies that increase housing construction and supply capacityperhaps some of Harriss current ideasbut without causing a sharp acceleration in demand.One final point: The uncomfortable truth is that improving housing affordability might not be as easy or straightforward as some think. But just like with a Lego structure, sometimes its easier to identify what might break it (for housing, increasing homebuyer demand subsidies) than to fix it.

The in-house design team of New York menswear brand Stffa has mixed vintage and contemporary furniture for its flagship store in SoHo.Fashion brand Stffa focuses on "championing a shift toward quality, sustainability, and individuality" through made-to-order clothing and predominantly operated out of pop-ups before opening up a 2,000-square-foot (186-square-metre) retail space in New York City.The internal design team at Stffa has created a flagship shop in SohoThe team focused its design on "natural materials" often used for the brand's clothing."We use all-natural materials in our collection, often highlighting existing fabrics no longer in production, and carried this ethos into the design of the store," said the team.The team mixed contemporary and vintage furniture in the space"The space is outfitted with a mix of vintage and modern fixtures that highlight the beauty of diverse cultures and periods," it continued.The space consists of a front showroom that displays a seasonal collection, while a narrow passageway covered by linen lace curtains leads to a large private area for made-to-measure fittings.Over four months, the team stripped back the space to reveal original elements such as concrete floor slabs, and brick and plaster walls then outfitted the interior in a palette of neutrals and a deep brown to provide "a calming backdrop" for visitors.The front of the shop is "gallery-esque"The shop is organised to "encourage a thoughtful approach to wardrobe building" according to the team, with a large, open room at the front and a more "home-like" space in the back."The front room is gallery-esque. It's deliberately merchandised sparsely, giving each garment room to breathe," said the team. "As you transition to the private room, the space feels more intimate and home-like."Read: Rotate opens first physical store with interior by Thibaut AllgayerAt the front, the space is divided almost symmetrically, with four, slender hanging racks placed on either side of the room in front of small changing rooms.On one side, a vintage wooden desk and mirror, paired with a metal sitting chair with curving armrests, sit between the clothing racks. A large glass planter, wooden stool and warm-toned boulders sit in the corner.The back room was designed to be "home-like" for fittingsA floor-length mirror sits on the other side and between the, two ash wood benches topped with light pink circular cushions.In the back room, a large custom solid ash table made in collaboration with Brooklyn-based Studio POA, founded by Guatemalan designer Giovanni Valdeavellano, sits beneath a skylight, framed by a large built-in closet made of the same wood.Ash wood furniture was used throughout the shop"This anchors the space and serves as the meeting point for our made-to-measure appointments," said the team.Geometric MM chairs by Milanese designer Mario Milana finished in lamb suede were placed throughout the space and a wavy, wooden privacy screen provides a changing area.Tall ash closets were fitted into the passageway between the two rooms and contain storage for the store.The palette is dominated by neutrals and a deep brown"The store reflects the brand's refined aesthetic sensibility and provides a calming backdrop for the elevated shopping experience," said the team.Founded in 2014 by designer Agyesh Madan and Nicholas Ragost, Stffa is a New York-based clothing brand that designs made-to-order clothing in the pursuit of creating more sustainable and individual menswear.Nearby in Soho, fashion brand Kith placed olive trees in the centre of display units and architecture studio Al-Jawad Pike used an assortment of marble to create a second flagship store for Athletic Propulsion Labs.The photography is by William Jess LairdThe post Stffa opens New York City flagship with "calming backdrop" appeared first on Dezeen.