Things I believe

• People should be at the center of the work

  Great product teams have a steadfast focus on the people they serve — without getting too distracted by internal politics, industry jargon, or flashy technologies. I am inspired by Liz Sanders’ assertion that “useful, usable, and desirable” products stem from layering research techniques. Great product teams take time to observe and interview people, and perhaps even invite them into the design process in a hands-on way.

• Great products help people accomplish their goals

  In ways big and small, people’s goals are often unmet by existing products. I am inspired by Alan Cooper’s notion of Goal-directed Design and Clayton Christensen’s theory of Jobs to be Done. Both frameworks urge teams to focus on people’s needs and motivations by learning about their underlying goals. As Christensen argues, “Customers don’t buy a product, they hire products to do a job.”

• Designers should love the content, not just the form

  In a good design, form and content complement each other, forming a mutually-beneficial relationship. My former team had a loose No Lorem Ipsum policy, a content-centric mentality that I grew to love. I am inspired by Beatrice Warde’s profound 1930 essay, The Crystal Goblet, and Michael Bierut’s wise quip: “The greatest thing about design is that it is almost always about something else.”

• High-performing teams admit they might be wrong

  Designing products is not a science, but great product teams approach their work with the same curiosity and deferral of judgment of a scientist. Talent, intuition, and experience are important — but so is curiosity, grit, and a willingness to hypothesize and test. With that in mind, I believe that teams are well-served by quickly prototyping options and alternatives, rather than endlessly refining one thing.