The bar for “good enough” keeps getting higher, and consumers’ understanding of what a well-designed thing is just keeps getting more defined. An app in 2009 could look like a raging dumpster fire and still be #1 in the app store… but that’s not the case anymore. In other words, people know when your thing sucks, and you need to care about quality, design, systems, user experience… and ship it before they forget you exist. *gulp*

Now, that’s a LOT of work. But frankly, that’s what it takes to “make it” in this digital age! So many people fail to meaningfully deliver in the areas that matter, and are *shocked* when their half-assed efforts fall flat. Of course, marketing plays an outsized role in the success of things on the internet, but… that’s for a different rant.

The bottom line: Sweat the small stuff. Make amazing things. Focus on quality. While those 1% changes won’t feel substantial in isolation, they compile into an amazing experience that people will love.