We’re pulling back our curtain and inviting everyone backstage. Early this March, through a partnership with Adobe, we launched Elevate TV. With virtual VIP access to our studio, viewers are able to see our design thinking and experimentation in real-time.

What Exactly is Elevate TV?

Elevate TV is a one-hour live show, put on every other Friday at 11am PDT, here at DT. Hosted by our very own Ryan Lange (Creative Marketing Director) and Claude Piché (Senior UX/UI Designer), the show captures the conception of raw ideas to real-world applications, thanks to Adobe’s latest and greatest tools. Through collaboration with our clients and special guests, we build digital experiences at the speed of thought.

Elevate TV’s Purpose

We love what we do. Each day we work hard to take abstract ideas and bring them to life for our clients. Although this is an everyday grind for us, our process is a more behind-the-scenes experience, and that’s a damn shame.

What better way to see exactly what it is that we do here at DT than to experience it live? By carefully compressing an extensive process into a single hour, we rapidly craft ideas into applications while still capturing every step along the way.

Elevate TV doesn’t stop there. While our little innovation factory has the ability, knowledge and tools to succeed, no project is complete without collaboration. Input from clients, guests and audience allows us to expand our thinking and create the best work that we can.

What a Typical Elevate TV Episode Looks Like

While watching an episode of Elevate TV, you can expect to witness a lot of fun, a little chaos, full-blown collaboration and an idea quite literally come to life. Here’s how the show typically goes down:

Guest Interview

Every show will start with meeting the special guest or guests. During the guest interview, you’ll get to hear the details of the guest’s digital experience idea or design challenge.

Whiteboard Session

Next, we’ll move on to a whiteboard session. This portion of the show is where brainstorming happens, ideas are mapped out and solutions are discovered.

Wireframe Creation

Once a clear path is decided upon, it’s time to crank out some wireframes. Wireframes give some much-needed guidance and direction for the actual design.

Design Execution

During the design portion of the show, you’ll start to see the initial idea come to life on the screen little by little.

Five Design Tips

Every show, our team makes a point to teach you five – count ‘em, five – lessons. Whether you’re new to the design game or you’re an experienced designer who’s been around the block a few times, these tips are good to hear for the first or millionth time.

Prototype Building

It’s finally time to build our prototype. Here, we watch what started as an abstract idea blossom into a real-world application.

Audience Involvement/Feedback

We’re firm believers in asking our audience for extra help and feedback. A fresh set of eyes from a third party can go a long way and we’re always open to any input our viewers voice.

How YOU Can Get Involved

Hey, you! Yeah, you. Like we mentioned before, we need YOUR help to produce the best Elevate TV content that we can. During our shows, we urge all of our viewers to connect with us live via YouTube chat. Here, you are able to shoot us any design question, ask our special guests questions, or give us feedback. Additionally, you can find us on Twitter sending out links and asking for your help.

If you’d like to be more closely involved, head over to WatchElevate.TV and fill out our contact form. While providing us with your information, you’ll be able to specify whether you’re interested in being a guest, need help building something awesome or hope to guest-host a stream with us.

Upcoming Shows

This season of Elevate TV, you can expect anyone from giants of the tech world to legendary pro skateboarders. Here’s what our next three shows look like:

This Friday, March 31, Elevate TV will be pairing up with Christian Picciolini, co-founder of Life After Hate, to help end racism and hate speech online through an iOS app and Chrome extention.

After breaking free from the violent hate movement, Christian made a name for himself with an incredible amount accomplishments:

Earned a Degree in International Relations from DePaul University

Started his own global entertainment media firm

Became a Member of the Chicago Grammy Rock Music Committee

Became a Board Member of the Chicago International Movies and Music Festival

Co-founded Life After Hate, a non-profit helping people disengage from hate and violence extremism

Published “Romantic Violence: Memoirs of an American Skinhead”

Won a 2016 Emmy® Award for his Life After Hate/ExitUSA PSA “There is life after hate”

Was nominated for four regional Emmy® Awards

Was appointed United Nations-Affiliated Ambassador for iChangeNations

Was honored with a National Statesman Award

Became an Associate for the USC Price “Homegrown Violent Extremism” Program

Worked as an Adjunct Professor at the college level

Contributed to Google Chairman Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen’s New York Times Bestseller “The New Digital Age”

Tuesday (that’s right, Tuesday), April 4, Elevate TV will be pairing up with Loki the Wolfdog, a company whose mission is to inspire people to explore their world and make memories with their dogs, to create an app for helping influencers connect directly with brands.

Friday, April 28, Elevate TV will be pairing up with Nixon, a brand that produces watches and other accessories, to create an iOS app for their Mission Watch.

See Ya This Friday!

Now that you know a little about what we’ve been up to at DT, we hope you’ll catch Elevate TV live at 11am PDT this Friday, March 31, at: WatchElevate.TV