Hey folks,
Welcome to another curated drop from “A Generalist”, where I dig up the best of the web on product, design, and startups, so you don’t have to.
This week’s picks are all about clarity, craft, and what it really takes to build things that matter. Let’s jump in.
Lenny nails it (again) with a tweet that boils down the art of building products into three painfully clear steps:
Pick the right problems to solve.
Solve them better than anyone else.
Convince people to pay attention.
Honestly, that’s the whole game. Whether you’re writing code, designing, or hustling for your first 1000 users, everything else is noise. Worth taping above your desk.
If you’ve ever felt boxed in by “the process,” you’ll love Jenny Wen’s latest note. She calls out how design became obsessed with artifacts, personas, journeys, flows at the expense of actually making things people love. Jenny argues that great work isn’t about following a rigid process, but about knowing when to skip steps, trust your gut, and just build something delightful. Sometimes, the best work is messy, intuitive, and breaks all the so-called rules. Highly recommended for anyone who’s ever felt like they’re just filling in the blanks.
Read Don’t Trust the (Design) Process
If you’re looking for your next adventure (or just want to see what’s hot), the Y Combinator Startup Directory is a treasure trove. You can filter by region like India and see which startups are hiring right now. From fintech giants like Groww and Razorpay to up-and-comers in edtech and AI, it’s a great way to get a pulse on the ecosystem or even find your next gig.
Browse the YC Startup Directory
I recently updated a completely free, open-source visual design guide for anyone looking to sharpen their UI chops. It’s a curated mix of articles, videos, and resources covering all the fundamentals—layout, spacing, typography, color, and even how to develop your personal taste.
Visual design is one of those tacit skills that’s hard to teach, but this guide is my attempt to make it accessible to everyone. Dive in and start leveling up, no matter where you are in your journey.
Check out the Visual Design Guide
Spotted in Prod is a fresh alternative to Mobbing that’s flying under the radar right now. It’s packed with a ton of cool interactions, animations, and micro-interactions—especially handy if you’re designing for iOS. If you want inspiration or just want to see what’s possible with delightful, modern UI, give this a spin.
That’s a wrap for this week’s curation. If you found something useful, forward this to a friend or let me know what you’re reading—I’m always looking for gems to share.
Until next time,
Shivam
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