Quality as We Know It
In a world where AI solutions emerge daily and cover almost all our problems, this has fundamentally changed how we view and create things. Everyone is now a designer or engineer, at least on paper.
After working with various startups, one thing remains constant: the obsession with speed. The pursuit to get ideas to market fast has always been there, but AI has amplified it exponentially. Templates are thrown around as shortcuts, AI tools fill every toolbox, and the pressure to ship has never been higher.
I'm guilty as charged. I built an entire client portal in 2 days using Cursor prompts. Technology has made building faster, but here's the question that haunts me:
Is the quality of craft still there?
When we talk about quality, it's subjective. Some define cheap and fast as quality, while others define quality as a feeling—something that's nearly impossible to measure in KPIs or OKRs. Quality in design is about good aesthetic taste and the ability to execute it well. It's about maintaining high standards and, yes, sometimes being a perfectionist.
The democratisation of design tools creates an interesting paradox. Everyone can now create something functional quickly, but fewer people are developing the deep aesthetic judgment that comes from years of deliberate practice. We can access all the Figma templates and Framer builds, but we're missing the color theory and composition fundamentals.
What Differentiation Actually Looks Like
One of my favorite tools lately has been Linear, and founder Karri has inspired me to recommit to craftsmanship. Using Jira feels clunky; using Linear feels smooth. It's those subtle animations, intentional spacing, deliberate interactions that make their product superior.
Linear became profitable by year two not by shipping faster than everyone else, but by being deliberate in their execution.
Knowing when to deliberately slow down for craft is precious.
Yet this creates a tension in most startups: while slower, more deliberate craft creates competitive advantage, the pressure to move fast often sidelines the very people who understand this craft.
Over the years in startups, I've watched design take a secondary seat. Designers needing to "fight" for a seat at the table, explaining why something is 8px instead of 10px. But sometimes, design doesn't need to be justifiable, it simply needs to look nice and feel comfortable.
That sense of "looking nice and comfortable" is a skill and craft that experienced designers spend years honing. It's the accumulated taste and intuition that knows when something feels right versus when it just works.
AI is here to stay, but there are still things AI cannot take away — your craft and your sense of taste.
While AI can accelerate execution, it can't develop the discerning eye that differentiates good work from great work.
For designers, it's time to rethink how you want to grow your career. For entrepreneurs and C-levels, trust that quality work speaks for itself, the same way you trust that good metrics bring in money.
Understanding this distinction between what AI can and can't replace has forced me to confront my own relationship with craft.
Being intentional
As for myself, this note serves as a reminder that I am a designer who came from a background where craft matters.
That 2-day client portal I mentioned? It worked, but did it create the kind of memorable experience that Linear delivers? The speed obsession I described isn't just changing how we build, it's changing how we think about what's worth building well.
We should be intentional to craft something excellent, not because someone is watching, but because it matters to us. In a world racing toward "good enough," the ones who choose craft and quality will stand out.
Build something that people remember, something that feels different, something that demonstrates care.
That's where the real competitive advantage lies.