Elon Musk on how to win product design with first-principles. (genius playbook)

3x cognitive biases Apple uses to make you spend more: Every designer should know this... Let's say you want to buy an iPad. You open the Apple website and are presented with five options: 1️⃣. $329 (iPad 9th Gen): The most affordable iPad. 2️⃣. $449 (iPad 10th Gen): The newer iPad with a better 3️⃣. display, chip, camera, and USB-C. 4️⃣. $499 (iPad Mini): The compact iPad that fits in one hand. 6️⃣. $599 (iPad Air): The thinner and lighter iPad with a laptop-grade chip. 7️⃣. $799 (iPad Pro): The best iPad money can buy. Like most customers, your needs would likely be met with the cheapest iPad. But instead, you end up spending 82% more (+$270) on the iPad Air. Why does this happen? The answer lies in cognitive biases: 👉 Center-Stage Effect 👈 When presented with a range of choices, customers perceive the middle options as the best value for money. Most buyers don’t see themselves as power users needing a ‘Pro’ device. But they also hesitate to buy a previous-generation model. This makes the base 10th Gen iPad a common starting point for most purchases. 🔁 Consistency Bias 🔁 After selecting the 10th Gen iPad, you’re guided through a series of incremental upsells, such as: Choosing between 64GB and 256GB storage for an extra $150. Deciding on Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + Cellular for another $150. Each upsell is introduced one at a time, filling your entire screen. This approach prevents you from evaluating the costs holistically. As you commit to each upsell, consistency bias keeps you from reversing your earlier decisions. ⚓️ Anchoring Bias ⚓️ When presented with the $150 price tags for storage and cellular upgrades, you calibrate their value relative to the benefits. Suddenly, upgrading to the iPad Air for the same cost as the add-ons feels like a better deal. By the time you finish evaluating, the iPad Air—a device that started outside your consideration—becomes the obvious choice. Apple’s mastery of behavioral psychology is why you end up spending more, even when your original needs were simpler! 👀

If you could give one piece of career advice to your 20-year old self, what would it be?

I'll jump in here... 10K is doing great work. The lack of good designers cannot be entirely on any school/bootcamps, but also on the students themselves to want to grow. Ultimately, 10K provides a tight community. If we are honest, the most important part of what you are doing.

@AravSrinivas I don't think this design choice makes a good experience on Perplexity... look at the before and after upload—barely any difference. (Not helpful that the icon is so small) Probably confusing users in terms of a UX feedback pov (I sure was)

A salary increase makes you happy once a year. A healthy workplace keeps you happy throughout the year.

@ArpitaDesigns ❤️🐍

If you struggle with consistency, read this: Why is nobody talking about... the problem with consistency isn’t laziness—it’s the way we approach it. Most of us aim for perfection when what we really need is persistence. If I had to start all over again, here's 5 big lessons I've learnt in my career... 1. Start small, stay focused Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to do everything at once. Begin with one habit or task. Success builds momentum, and small wins lead to big results over time. 2. Set clear, achievable goals Ambiguity kills progress. Define precisely what you want to achieve and break it into actionable steps. Clear goals keep you motivated and on track. 3. Create a routine that works for you Habits thrive on routine. Find a schedule that fits your life and stick to it. Consistency isn’t about perfection—it’s about showing up, even on tough days. 4. Track your progress What gets measured gets improved. Use tools, apps, or a simple notebook to log your efforts. Seeing progress keeps you motivated and reminds you that your work is paying off. 5. Celebrate the small wins Every step forward is a victory. Celebrate your progress, no matter how small. Acknowledging success keeps you energized and committed. Arguably, I'm still very weak in this area. 💀

@DenisJeliazkov that's just wild man

RT @felixleezd: I almost teared up (in happiness) for this. My dad has always been a silent supporter. Last night, I saw him resting in th…

RT @ArpitaDesigns: 🚀 We're hiring! @ADPList is looking for a talented Senior Backend Engineer to join our team. If you're passionate about…

@reddy_sricharan @ADPList Can you dm me your email? We'll check into it now.

@hellohinoelle 🤙

@PhilHedayatnia thanks sir

@AravSrinivas I suspect the reasoning traces sounding more “human” with the erms, hms and pauses — is also critical in making it more relatable than just traces

@lulumeservey Magic water!

RT @ADPList: 😻 Applications now open for ADPList’s 2025 Campus Leaders Program! Gain hands-on experience driving growth for ADPList while…

Designers, it's never *OKAY* to do this 💀

@karrisaarinen @benblumenrose first, why should designers be founders? curious, to hear your thoughts since it seems like that's where you're coming from