Design Is Function
Saarinen does not think of design as visuals. He thinks of it as friction reduction.
Every click, every transition, every loading state — each one is an opportunity to lose a user.
Linear obsesses over these micro-interactions. That obsession compounds.
Premium Feels Spread
When a product feels premium, people talk about it.
Linear grows through word of mouth. Developers tell other developers: you need to try this.
That word of mouth is driven by design quality. Not marketing budgets.
You need to acquire people, get them to use the product, and keep them using the product.
The Compound Effect
A 1% improvement in UX does not feel like much. But it compounds.
After a year of daily 1% improvements, the product is unrecognizable. In a good way.
Saarinen says most companies under-invest in design. The ones that over-invest win.