Max Levchin Quotes

Design should not dominate things, should not dominate people. It should help people. That's its role.

Design must reflect the practical and aesthetic in business but above all... good design must primarily serve people.

You cannot understand good design if you do not understand people; design is made for people.

There's a fundamental problem with how the software business does things. We're asking people who are masters of hard-edged technology to design the soft, human side of software as well. As a result, they make products that are really cool - if you happen to be a software engineer.

User-centered design means understanding what your users need, how they think, and how they behave - and incorporating that understanding into every aspect of your process.

Design is directed toward human beings. To design is to solve human problems by identifying them and executing the best solution.

Accessible design is good design.

The only important thing about design is how it relates to people.

I believe consistency and orthogonality are tools of design, not the primary goal in design.

User-centered design means working with your users all throughout the project.

Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.

Design must be functional, and functionality must be translated into visual aesthetics without any reliance on gimmicks that have to be explained.

Design should be easy in the sense that every step should be obviously and clearly identifiable. Simplify elements to make change simple so you can manage the technical risk.

The point is that I don't design stuff for myself. I'm a toolmaker. I design things that other people want to use.

To whom does design address itself: to the greatest number, to the specialist of an enlightened matter, to a privileged social class? Design addresses itself to the need.

For much of its existence, design was all about convenience. We wanted to hide technology so that users are not distracted into thinking about the tools they use.

Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it's really how it works.

Web users ultimately want to get at data quickly and easily. They don't care as much about attractive sites and pretty design.

Design is people.

I did an early version of my site where it was virtually impossible to get through it, just as a statement about the web. But after a few laughs and some angry e-mails, I realized it wasn't doing me much good. I think the web has become more about the final product, not what it takes to get to it.

Integrating breakthrough technology into everyday products is always a challenge; at the same time, this is exactly how design makes tech products easily adoptable in life.

Empathy is key in the design process, especially when you start expanding outside of your comfort zone to new languages, cultures, and age groups. If you try to assume what those people want, you're likely to get it wrong.

Design negotiates between technology, policy, systems, and users.

Design helps shape our everyday interactions through products, furniture, objects, or experiences.

You must have the ability to recognize good design and good user experience. These are core things at Airbnb. It doesn't matter which department you're in.