Bourbon takes time. Years of practice, craft, and care go into a single bottle before anyone ever takes a sip. Every decision matters along the way: the grain, the barrel, the blend, the label.
Product design works the same way.
Too often, teams treat design like a sprint: add features, launch quickly, and hope for the best. But the strongest products, like the best bourbon, are built with patience, intention, and respect for the people who will one day experience them.
A good bourbon doesn’t happen overnight. The wait is part of the story, and the anticipation adds to its value.
Products are no different. Reliability, trust, and delight aren’t achieved in a single release. They compound over time. Each iteration adds depth and each decision becomes part of the legacy. The products that endure are the ones designed with patience — and that’s what creates lasting value.
Distillers obsess over details most drinkers will never see: the char of the barrel, the shape of the still, the water source. That discipline is what makes the final sip extraordinary.
Great product design shows the same devotion to craft. Information hierarchy, accessibility, interaction patterns, microcopy — the small, deliberate choices — are what make an experience feel effortless. People may not notice each detail, but they’ll feel the integrity of the craft in the whole.
A single-barrel bourbon isn’t memorable simply because it’s rare. It’s memorable because every choice that led to it was deliberate. From grain to glass, nothing is accidental.
Product design thrives on the same principle. Not every element should shout for attention; the best products know where to be quiet, where to guide, and where to shine. A microinteraction that delights, a flow that anticipates a need, an elegant solution that feels effortless — these moments resonate because they’re intentional. Meaning emerges not from doing everything, but from doing the right things with care.
Every bourbon has a story: the history of the distillery, the master distiller’s vision, the reason a barrel was chosen. Those stories transform the product into something people celebrate and share.
Products are no different. Without story, design is just functionality. With story, design takes on weight and purpose. Storytelling is what transforms a product into something people connect with — and it’s the story that gives design its staying power.
I’ve spent years designing ecosystems that blend digital platforms with physical experiences, particularly in the world of memberships and spirits. Those projects taught me that a product isn’t just a feature set or a screen. It’s a narrative built with patience, craft, and care.
Bourbon reminds us that lasting value doesn’t come from rushing. It comes from the details, the anticipation, and the stories people want to pass on. Product design is no different. The best products aren’t built fast. They’re built to last.
