Notes on product development

• Every screen should have a main CTA
  • Ask: Where do I want my user's eyes to go?'
• Every product should have a magical moment
  • New users should feel "Wow! Now I get it' ASAP after signup/purchase
  • For example, being greeted with cookies on the kitchen table in your freshly cleaned Airbnb
  • Ask: What is my app's magical moment and how do I make it near-instant?
• Don't apply DRY to UX – it isn't code
  • Software engineering is a search for the simplest primitives and abstractions
  • Product development is about user empathy and communication
  • Just like in speech, you sometimes need to repeat yourself twice or thrice for the message to sink in
  • Do ruthlessly deprioritize features that don't add value, but don't be afraid to add complexity or "UX redundancy" (e.g. a signup btn in 2 spots) if it increases conversion or helps your user understand the product
• Don't over-systematize design
  • If you're an engineer you'll want to systematize the design system
  • This is great in some cases, e.g. utility classes for consistent padding jumps and font sizes
  • But you'll likely more than 3 colors, many of which will have to be hand-picked as opposed to mathematically derived
• Consumer apps are arrived at through a shit-ton of experiments
  • Develop a conclusive testing habit so you can navigate with conviction