Thread by @cameronmoll

20 years building for the web as of this year! 🎉

Here are some of my top takeaways over two decades:

Your brilliant idea will probably take two years to gain sustainable traction. Stick with it. Consistency often trumps creativity.

The most effective teams are in a constant tussle between quality and shipping. They know perfection never ships. They understand there’s a point at which quality becomes too costly and strive to find that point with every release.

The most enduring businesses solve user needs in the context of responsible profitability. They hold themselves accountable socially AND financially.

Visual hierarchy is the underpinning of all visual communication. Without it, design has no value.

Visual hierarchy is hard. I’ve found it’s one of the hardest principles to master no matter how many years of experience. When mastered it’s the most effective tool for building great user experiences.

Writing ie. synthesizing the thoughts in your head has tremendous ROI.

If you want to be a better designer, write more.
If you want to be a better manager, write more.
If you want to be a better business owner, write more.

We’ve moved on from the need for every designer to code. But those who do will always have a more informed approach than those who don’t.

There is no error you can’t recover from. Be honest with yourself and with those impacted, and then problem solve your mistakes just as you problem solve your work.

Relationships are the most important output of our work. They endure far longer than the products we build.

Acting honorably, when the world around you does not, is the best advice I can give to aspiring business owners.

We have an obligation to build a better web for people from all walks of life. Remember, the web is merely a chain of interconnected user experiences. You get to decide if your work is a strong or weak link in that chain.

I miss the Flash days. Fun times. (Though ridiculously inaccessible!)