Sublime

Once in the review session with Steve, our efforts met with his editing. In our case, Steve saw something he liked, but he found the demo unnecessarily complicated, so he unpacked it. This deconstruction wasn’t typical, but it was completely in character.

Over time, Don and I began to understand and absorb the model Richard showed us. Look for ways to make quick progress. Watch for project stalls that might indicate a lack of potential. Cut corners to skip unnecessary effort. Remove distractions to focus attention where it needs to be. Start approximating your end goal as soon as possible. Maximize

I began to look at my derby-winning design in a similar way, as if it were a successful audition rather than a sold-out performance.

The release of the iPod was as much a surprise to me as it was to everyone else, and this portable music player kick-started Apple’s shift from computers to personal technology.

In the years since Richard showed me his browser demo, I’ve emulated his approach. When I make a demo, I think about the intended audience, and I make a specific decision about what features to include. I draw a conceptual ring around those key details, and I use a thick imaginary marker to do it. The demo points inside the ring are the focus, and

Why do some products, like the iPhone, turn out as well as they do? I’m now ready to offer my complete answer. It comes in three parts. The first part is the demo-making creative selection process.

Demos made us react, and the reactions were essential. Direct feedback on one demo provided the impetus to transform it into the next.

If the developer of the Contacts app had a suggestion or comment about using the keyboard to type a person’s first or last name into the appropriate field on a contact card, I was the one to ask about it.

Yet we never thought about such big numbers. We were too busy focusing on small details.