Anton Sten
@antonsten.com
I write about design and careers at https://www.antonsten.com
Head of Design at Summer Health. Previously I used to consult for 15 years, worked with loom, Google, Herman Miller, Spotify and many more.
Head of Design at Summer Health. Previously I used to consult for 15 years, worked with loom, Google, Herman Miller, Spotify and many more.
Pinned
Anton Sten
@antonsten.com
· Sep 16
Products People Actually Want | Anton Sten – UX Lead & Product Designer
A Designer's Guide to Building Better. We're drowning in products nobody wants, built by people who never asked if they should.
www.antonsten.com
It’s never been easier to launch a product.
AI, no-code, tools everywhere.
But the hard part hasn’t changed:
Building something people actually want.
That’s what my new book is about.
Products People Actually Want — out now
www.antonsten.com/books/produc...
AI, no-code, tools everywhere.
But the hard part hasn’t changed:
Building something people actually want.
That’s what my new book is about.
Products People Actually Want — out now
www.antonsten.com/books/produc...
Reposted by Anton Sten
Product People Actually Want 📗
@antonsten.com
Learn how to focus on what users actually need, communicate design decisions effectively, and build products that solve real problems.
Added to the library
links.1984.design/books
—
#designsky
@antonsten.com
Learn how to focus on what users actually need, communicate design decisions effectively, and build products that solve real problems.
Added to the library
links.1984.design/books
—
#designsky
November 5, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Product People Actually Want 📗
@antonsten.com
Learn how to focus on what users actually need, communicate design decisions effectively, and build products that solve real problems.
Added to the library
links.1984.design/books
—
#designsky
@antonsten.com
Learn how to focus on what users actually need, communicate design decisions effectively, and build products that solve real problems.
Added to the library
links.1984.design/books
—
#designsky
Products People Actually Want just went live on Amazon.
Started as frustrated notes about watching teams build things nobody wanted. Now it's something you can leave on your desk or give to that colleague who keeps adding features instead of talking to users.
www.antonsten.com/books/produc...
Started as frustrated notes about watching teams build things nobody wanted. Now it's something you can leave on your desk or give to that colleague who keeps adding features instead of talking to users.
www.antonsten.com/books/produc...
Products People Actually Want | Anton Sten – UX Lead & Product Designer
A Designer's Guide to Building Better. We're drowning in products nobody wants, built by people who never asked if they should.
www.antonsten.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Products People Actually Want just went live on Amazon.
Started as frustrated notes about watching teams build things nobody wanted. Now it's something you can leave on your desk or give to that colleague who keeps adding features instead of talking to users.
www.antonsten.com/books/produc...
Started as frustrated notes about watching teams build things nobody wanted. Now it's something you can leave on your desk or give to that colleague who keeps adding features instead of talking to users.
www.antonsten.com/books/produc...
Reposted by Anton Sten
"If I'd asked people what they wanted, they'd have said faster horses."
This quote gets used to justify skipping user research. But the real problem is the question itself.
"What do you want?" is terrible research.
This quote gets used to justify skipping user research. But the real problem is the question itself.
"What do you want?" is terrible research.
Henry Ford's horse problem wasn't about imagination | Anton Sten
The famous "faster horses" quote isn't wrong because users can't imagine solutions—it's wrong because it defends lazy research.
www.antonsten.com
October 10, 2025 at 10:54 AM
"If I'd asked people what they wanted, they'd have said faster horses."
This quote gets used to justify skipping user research. But the real problem is the question itself.
"What do you want?" is terrible research.
This quote gets used to justify skipping user research. But the real problem is the question itself.
"What do you want?" is terrible research.
One of my readers asked me something I hadn't put into words yet:
"How has design changed from showing what technology can do to actually serving individual needs?"
Short answer: We've moved from "look what this can do" to "here's what this can do for you."
"How has design changed from showing what technology can do to actually serving individual needs?"
Short answer: We've moved from "look what this can do" to "here's what this can do for you."
From powerful to personal: Where design is heading | Anton Sten
Design has shifted from showcasing what technology can do to helping people get exactly what they need. Personalization is becoming the baseline, and AI is accelerating this shift toward hyper-customi...
www.antonsten.com
October 3, 2025 at 12:25 AM
One of my readers asked me something I hadn't put into words yet:
"How has design changed from showing what technology can do to actually serving individual needs?"
Short answer: We've moved from "look what this can do" to "here's what this can do for you."
"How has design changed from showing what technology can do to actually serving individual needs?"
Short answer: We've moved from "look what this can do" to "here's what this can do for you."
AI will confidently fill in all the blanks in your thinking.
The problem? Those blanks are where the real design work happens.
If you don't know what your customers want, AI will happily make it up for you. That doesn't mean it's right.
www.antonsten.com/articles/ai-...
The problem? Those blanks are where the real design work happens.
If you don't know what your customers want, AI will happily make it up for you. That doesn't mean it's right.
www.antonsten.com/articles/ai-...
AI will happily design the wrong thing for you | Anton Sten
AI tools are incredible leverage, but they amplify whatever you bring to them. If you don't understand the problem you're solving, AI just helps you build the wrong thing more efficiently.
www.antonsten.com
September 29, 2025 at 5:52 PM
AI will confidently fill in all the blanks in your thinking.
The problem? Those blanks are where the real design work happens.
If you don't know what your customers want, AI will happily make it up for you. That doesn't mean it's right.
www.antonsten.com/articles/ai-...
The problem? Those blanks are where the real design work happens.
If you don't know what your customers want, AI will happily make it up for you. That doesn't mean it's right.
www.antonsten.com/articles/ai-...
It’s never been easier to launch a product.
AI, no-code, tools everywhere.
But the hard part hasn’t changed:
Building something people actually want.
That’s what my new book is about.
Products People Actually Want — out now
www.antonsten.com/books/produc...
AI, no-code, tools everywhere.
But the hard part hasn’t changed:
Building something people actually want.
That’s what my new book is about.
Products People Actually Want — out now
www.antonsten.com/books/produc...
Products People Actually Want | Anton Sten – UX Lead & Product Designer
A Designer's Guide to Building Better. We're drowning in products nobody wants, built by people who never asked if they should.
www.antonsten.com
September 16, 2025 at 8:48 AM
It’s never been easier to launch a product.
AI, no-code, tools everywhere.
But the hard part hasn’t changed:
Building something people actually want.
That’s what my new book is about.
Products People Actually Want — out now
www.antonsten.com/books/produc...
AI, no-code, tools everywhere.
But the hard part hasn’t changed:
Building something people actually want.
That’s what my new book is about.
Products People Actually Want — out now
www.antonsten.com/books/produc...
Reposted by Anton Sten
I can't wait for Bluesky to acquire Ueno 2.0 #designsky
September 10, 2025 at 1:46 AM
I can't wait for Bluesky to acquire Ueno 2.0 #designsky
Reposted by Anton Sten
How to stand out, when anyone can use AI to build anything?
For @antonsten.comSten, most people go for “how do we build this”, instead of asking “what should be built that people actually want?”. This leads to a situation, where, most new apps and products, solve, fake problems.
For @antonsten.comSten, most people go for “how do we build this”, instead of asking “what should be built that people actually want?”. This leads to a situation, where, most new apps and products, solve, fake problems.
How to stand out when anyone can build anything | Anton Sten
When AI tools have democratized product creation, standing out isn't about better tools or flashier features—it's about fundamentally different skills that most people skip entirely.
www.antonsten.com
September 10, 2025 at 7:30 AM
How to stand out, when anyone can use AI to build anything?
For @antonsten.comSten, most people go for “how do we build this”, instead of asking “what should be built that people actually want?”. This leads to a situation, where, most new apps and products, solve, fake problems.
For @antonsten.comSten, most people go for “how do we build this”, instead of asking “what should be built that people actually want?”. This leads to a situation, where, most new apps and products, solve, fake problems.
Anyone can build an app in an afternoon now.
But people changed the question from "how do we build this?" to "what do we build next?", without asking if people actually want it.
The result? An explosion of products that work fine but solve problems that don't exist.
www.antonsten.com/articles/how...
But people changed the question from "how do we build this?" to "what do we build next?", without asking if people actually want it.
The result? An explosion of products that work fine but solve problems that don't exist.
www.antonsten.com/articles/how...
How to stand out when anyone can build anything | Anton Sten
When AI tools have democratized product creation, standing out isn't about better tools or flashier features—it's about fundamentally different skills that most people skip entirely.
www.antonsten.com
August 19, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Anyone can build an app in an afternoon now.
But people changed the question from "how do we build this?" to "what do we build next?", without asking if people actually want it.
The result? An explosion of products that work fine but solve problems that don't exist.
www.antonsten.com/articles/how...
But people changed the question from "how do we build this?" to "what do we build next?", without asking if people actually want it.
The result? An explosion of products that work fine but solve problems that don't exist.
www.antonsten.com/articles/how...
While getting feedback on my new book, Maureen asked a question that got me thinking:
"You mentioned you see yourself as an introvert - what does leading a team look like for you? How do you manage your energy levels?"
"You mentioned you see yourself as an introvert - what does leading a team look like for you? How do you manage your energy levels?"
July 24, 2025 at 12:57 PM
While getting feedback on my new book, Maureen asked a question that got me thinking:
"You mentioned you see yourself as an introvert - what does leading a team look like for you? How do you manage your energy levels?"
"You mentioned you see yourself as an introvert - what does leading a team look like for you? How do you manage your energy levels?"
I'm using Claude to edit an old e-book and update some references. But why do I feel like I'm cheating on ChatGPT?
July 10, 2025 at 12:47 PM
I'm using Claude to edit an old e-book and update some references. But why do I feel like I'm cheating on ChatGPT?
Three years ago, I got a cold email from Matthew Woo and thought, “Maybe a 6-month project.”
Fast forward—I’m still here. I wrote about what’s made this the longest I’ve ever stayed with one company (on purpose):
www.antonsten.com/articles/fro...
Fast forward—I’m still here. I wrote about what’s made this the longest I’ve ever stayed with one company (on purpose):
www.antonsten.com/articles/fro...
From 'Maybe 6 months' to 3 years | Anton Sten
Reflections on three years at Summer Health and how meaningful work can change your relationship with your career.
www.antonsten.com
July 8, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Three years ago, I got a cold email from Matthew Woo and thought, “Maybe a 6-month project.”
Fast forward—I’m still here. I wrote about what’s made this the longest I’ve ever stayed with one company (on purpose):
www.antonsten.com/articles/fro...
Fast forward—I’m still here. I wrote about what’s made this the longest I’ve ever stayed with one company (on purpose):
www.antonsten.com/articles/fro...
Reposted by Anton Sten
We've been growing fast lately, and we're growing the Ghost team to keep up!
Still looking for more staff-level product engineers to come and work with us full-time on open source:
Still looking for more staff-level product engineers to come and work with us full-time on open source:
It's been a while, but we are HIRING again 🚀
Join us as Staff Product Engineer and get paid to work on open source software shaping the future of independent media!
🌍 Fully remote since 2013
📅 4 day work week
💸 Competitive salary
🧑💻 Equipment paid for
careers.ghost.org
Join us as Staff Product Engineer and get paid to work on open source software shaping the future of independent media!
🌍 Fully remote since 2013
📅 4 day work week
💸 Competitive salary
🧑💻 Equipment paid for
careers.ghost.org
Ghost
Ghost is a proud non-profit organisation building open source technology for fiercely independent, professional publishers.
careers.ghost.org
June 16, 2025 at 11:02 AM
We've been growing fast lately, and we're growing the Ghost team to keep up!
Still looking for more staff-level product engineers to come and work with us full-time on open source:
Still looking for more staff-level product engineers to come and work with us full-time on open source:
One design across all devices is great, but what I'd really want is for Apple Music on my Mac to pick up where I left off on Apple Music on my phone (like Spotify does). #wwdc25
June 12, 2025 at 5:03 PM
One design across all devices is great, but what I'd really want is for Apple Music on my Mac to pick up where I left off on Apple Music on my phone (like Spotify does). #wwdc25
Slowing down doesn’t always mean falling behind. Sometimes it’s the only way to see what you’d otherwise miss. I wrote about designing outdoors, friction, and the value of working differently.
→ www.antonsten.com/articles/tin...
→ www.antonsten.com/articles/tin...
Tiny frictions, better ideas | Anton Sten
Reflections on how working outdoors and introducing small frictions can lead to better ideas and deeper thinking.
www.antonsten.com
June 12, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Slowing down doesn’t always mean falling behind. Sometimes it’s the only way to see what you’d otherwise miss. I wrote about designing outdoors, friction, and the value of working differently.
→ www.antonsten.com/articles/tin...
→ www.antonsten.com/articles/tin...
I keep thinking about something @henryy.bsky.social said in this interview (www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhJ3...) about different types of designers.
Out of the three he mentions, I’ve lived through two.
Out of the three he mentions, I’ve lived through two.
The Curious Case of Henry Modisett — First of Kind
YouTube video by INDIE
www.youtube.com
June 5, 2025 at 6:44 PM
I keep thinking about something @henryy.bsky.social said in this interview (www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhJ3...) about different types of designers.
Out of the three he mentions, I’ve lived through two.
Out of the three he mentions, I’ve lived through two.
Is anyone still using Dot? Are they still working on it? new.computer/dot
Introducing Dots
The first Social Intelligence
new.computer
June 4, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Is anyone still using Dot? Are they still working on it? new.computer/dot
What’s the best app for sleep tracking on Apple Watch?
May 24, 2025 at 5:27 PM
What’s the best app for sleep tracking on Apple Watch?
I haven't seen this feature work this well in @figma.com before 👏
May 13, 2025 at 12:30 PM
I haven't seen this feature work this well in @figma.com before 👏
@bryanmanio.com linked out to your latest blog post in my last newsletter! Love the idea of public bookmarks
May 12, 2025 at 5:17 PM
@bryanmanio.com linked out to your latest blog post in my last newsletter! Love the idea of public bookmarks
Too many designers get pushed into management before they’ve gone deep in the work.
But the best leaders? They still know how to move things around on the canvas.
Wrote some thoughts on why craft comes first →
www.antonsten.com/articles/gre...
But the best leaders? They still know how to move things around on the canvas.
Wrote some thoughts on why craft comes first →
www.antonsten.com/articles/gre...
Why great design managers are usually great designers first | Anton Sten
Exploring why the best design managers are often seasoned individual contributors first—and how staying hands-on builds trust, sharpens leadership, and deepens impact. Inspired by insights from Mig Re...
www.antonsten.com
May 12, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Too many designers get pushed into management before they’ve gone deep in the work.
But the best leaders? They still know how to move things around on the canvas.
Wrote some thoughts on why craft comes first →
www.antonsten.com/articles/gre...
But the best leaders? They still know how to move things around on the canvas.
Wrote some thoughts on why craft comes first →
www.antonsten.com/articles/gre...
We ran a design sprint — without the sprint.
Instead of cramming everything into 5 days, we talked to users before building anything. Prototypes were scrappy.
Turns out, ugly prototypes = better feedback.
And slowing down = faster progress.
www.antonsten.com/articles/des...
Instead of cramming everything into 5 days, we talked to users before building anything. Prototypes were scrappy.
Turns out, ugly prototypes = better feedback.
And slowing down = faster progress.
www.antonsten.com/articles/des...
Designing less to learn more | Anton Sten
How slowing down the design sprint, focusing on real user feedback, and embracing rough prototypes led to deeper learning and better outcomes.
www.antonsten.com
May 5, 2025 at 12:15 PM
We ran a design sprint — without the sprint.
Instead of cramming everything into 5 days, we talked to users before building anything. Prototypes were scrappy.
Turns out, ugly prototypes = better feedback.
And slowing down = faster progress.
www.antonsten.com/articles/des...
Instead of cramming everything into 5 days, we talked to users before building anything. Prototypes were scrappy.
Turns out, ugly prototypes = better feedback.
And slowing down = faster progress.
www.antonsten.com/articles/des...
