Steve Jobs once famously said on 60 Minutes that Microsoft had no taste and its products were unoriginal and culture-less. In his usual, insightful douchebag, way Jobs was articulating an idea that I think is paid lip service, or even attacked, but rarely engaged with in a meaningful way. That is, what is the role of “taste” in a software product’s success and a team’s process? What is taste, anyway?
First, I take taste, as used by Jobs here, to mean an understanding of what users want and expect, and how to make things that are not just satisfying to their needs, but appealing to their senses. Tasteful things affirm their owner’s sense of self-identity and make an emotional connection with them, over and above the thing’s basic utility. This talent/skill is often derided as hopefully squishy, unscientific, qualitative and arbitrary. But, I would argue that is a misunderstanding of taste by those who don’t have any. Taste doesn’t have to be a golden sight that some people have and others don’t. Or something that is so unpredictable as to be anathema to risk management. Taste is merely a predictive skill. One that, yes, some people are more talented at naturally, but which is not some magical, ineffable, quality. Just as antique experts can get better at predicting auction value, or top chefs can sometimes predict which new flavor profiles critics and diners love. It takes stepping back, doing a neutral analysis and introspection of your work. But even more importantly of your product peer group. Develop taste by practicing thinking “what do I like about this and why?” Develop it by seeing what really sells. Develop it by measuring feedback and understanding audience trends. It’s not some artsy fartsy nonsense. Learn what you like, and what others like. You’ll never be right all the time, but you can get better at it through focused intention, and attention to detail.
Most of all, I think this quote plays into the theory that being a great PM is a craft. Making something carefully, thoughtfully, that’s not just useful, but in some way beautiful, touching or meaningful. The kind of object or experience people will collect or remember. To have good taste is to know what will be compelling. Not just on first use, but in a way timeless, as much as software can be. Build your intuition for what is a flashy trend, and what is a good new paradigm that will be around for a long time.
Finally, this quote reminds me that, although I’m not a designer, aesthetics matter. What your design says to your users speaks louder than the copy on the screen. If you are building software with user interfaces, design is not an afterthought, or coat of paint on the machine of your engineer’s code. It is the thing that separates Apple’s best iPhone from Microsoft’s worst Zune. The Zune played mp3s fine, but it was in bad taste. If you’re not naturally a visually artistic person, that’s okay too. Hire one. Or work to develop your taste. Take a drawing or photography class. Go to art museums (especially modern or contemporary). Ask your designers about the designs they love and why. When you see something that you think is beautiful, don’t just pass it over. Stop, think, introspect. It’s not a magical blob of irrational emotional noise, untamable by analysis. Aesthetics are not random, there are patterns and you can learn them. And even more fun, you can feel them, if you care to.
So give taste a chance. Embrace your own taste (or acknowledge your lack thereof) and always work to understand not just what will help people, but will move them.