Developing Taste

When the first car came out, consumers didn't care about its color, or silhouette, because the competition was a horse.1 But now that cars have been commoditized, quality and details have become more important than ever.

The same applies to software. Simply shipping a product that works is no longer enough, everyone can do that,... See more

Taste is the bone-deep feeling that you’ve made something good. It is a sense, inexplicable and ephemeral. But it’s also a tangible skill that’s increasingly essential. Taste is how a business differentiates itself when attention is scarce and choice is abundant. Knowing what to make is just as important as the ability to make it.

But what is good taste? It’s commonly mistaken as personal preference, but it’s more than that — it’s a trained instinct. The ability to see beyond the obvious and recognize what elevates.