“Received wisdom is that if you spend time up front getting the design ...” — Kent Beck Quote

Received wisdom is that if you spend time up front getting the design right, you avoid costs later. But the longer you spend getting the design right, the more your upfront costs are, and the longer it takes for the software to start earning.

The problem is, in software design, often the consequences of your decisions don't become apparent for years.

We could talk, act, and dress funny. We were excused for socially inappropriate behavior: 'Oh, he's a programmer'. It was all because we knew this technology stuff that other people found completely mystifying.

Extreme programming is an emotional experience.

Developer testing is an important step towards accountability. It gives developers a way to demonstrate the quality of the software they produce.

We always say we are a brand for our fans because through social media we're so lucky to see what people are asking us for, what they're looking for, and so we really design what we like but also take our fans in mind.

I make spaces that are calm rather than confrontational. I seek a certain kind of logic that allows you to move in space and perceive it as beautiful and rational. Clarity is a worthwhile quality.

We've gone from a world in which Starbucks set a cutting-edge standard for mass-market design to a world in which Starbucks establishes the bare minimum. If your establishment can't come up with an original look, customers expect at least some sleek wood fixtures, nicely upholstered chairs, and faux-Murano glass pendant lights.

I have a notebook, and I know what decisions will be made in pre-production. Everything is pre-determined in the pre-production period. I visually design the whole thing, and I know when things will happen.