Optionality is a means to an end, not the end itself. Our obsession with optionality can backfire.

Appealing to everyone is impossible. If you make something that aims to be good across a broad range of capabilities, you are choosing not to be exceptional at anything in particular. That might be the right compromise for your audience, but it’s definitely a compromise.

Good design is opinionated. Good design is choosing the right compromise for yo... See more

Most buy something they just want to work. Configuration is a drag, not a desire. Setting something up brings them down. They just want their struggle out of the way, and choosing and buying the thing was the majority of the work they signed up for. The rest should just glide.

Defaults aren't just about nailing The Golden Path, it's also about choos... See more

Default choices are not inherently bad, but the entire world was not designed with your goals in mind. In fact, many companies have goals that directly compete with yours (a food company may want you to buy their bag of chips, while you want to lose weight). For this reason, you should be wary of accepting every default as if it is supposed to be t... See more