About ten years ago, when web design was all the rage, I wanted to become a web designer. I thought I had what it takes to create beautiful things in pixels. That was not the case.
A bit later in college, I took some art classes out of curiosity. I wasn’t good creating art, but I got to be around people who did, and the experience was unforgettable.
From there I’ve never lost my respect for really good design. It’s not everything—nothing is everything—but I could never ship a project without clean-pitched lines and textures and colors, and the occasional pop.
So when people ask me what my design sensibility is, I’d answer that I’m not a designer but I have a eye for what’s good and what doesn’t work. Design, good or bad, gives immediate sensual signals to the end user, and that counts for a lot.