I don't have an industrial design background and don't know the first thing about making physical tools but have a deep appreciation for them and the people who make them. Authoring tools in software, however, is where I want to spend the rest of my life working. The best way to shape the future is by making tools for the people who will achieve that.

Tools matter

There are misconceptions in the industry that the tools and software you use don't matter. I disagree with that. I think the argument itself is flawed in how it’s thought about. I suspect when people say this they mean the tools do not develop the foundational skills. However, when you hit a certain level of comprehension with the foundation, the tools then begin to matter.

The sketch above is an attempt to convey the idea of when tooling becomes important. The idea is as you're developing fundamental skills in your craft (understanding programming, design concepts, etc.) the knowledge and proficiency in a tool don't merit a high return. Once you get to a certain milestone of mastery, there is a higher return on the tools. Once someone in their practice achieves a certain level of mastery, they start thinking about how to optimize their tools.

When the NIKE Kobe 8 shoes were released, Kobe Bryant asked NIKE to shave off a portion of the bottom of the shoe to have a bit of an edge. Keep in mind this was not the straight-out-of-high-school Kobe who could leap out of the gym. He was at the end of his career and his body started deteriorating. He was at peak fundamental skill and now made sure his tools were optimized for his precise needs.

“I’m always focused on improving my game, to perform at my best,” Bryant said when unveiling the Kobe 8 in 2012. “By shaving fractions off the height and weight, it allows me to play faster with more control. I want to feel like I’m moving at the speed of light.”

The example is Kobe’s meticulous detail to the tool (his shoes) rings similar to software engineers who have a specific configuration of their key bindings or workspace configuration.

Tool selection is key

Many reading this newsletter are likely Frank Lloyd Wright's quote, “You can use an eraser at the drafting table or a sledgehammer at the construction site.” Every day as software builders we are putting the sledgehammer at the construction site. What’s different is we don’t feel the same sense of waste in digital as we do physical.

There are appropriate tools for the right job to be done to achieve the task, and many times we over-build. The spicy take on design is the debate is the necessity of wireframes in this age of design. I hold wireframing in high regard to this day because it is the first look at the concept and schematics of what you’re building. You can get feedback and iterate on early directions at this fidelity before wasting your time designing the wrong thing in Figma. On the flip side of that, wireframes are not useful if it’s a theatrical part of the work.

The human connection with tools

I’ve spent the past decade working on various types of tools: IDEs, visual builders, clinical software, and consumer tools. The common thread between all these is that the workflows and behaviors of the users of tools are highly detailed and important. When I was at One Medical, I took every detail of critique and feedback seriously from the doctors and admins because I knew how crucial the workflows were to them. Any change in the interface affects their existing behaviors.

Tools reflect craft

One of the most iconic items in the history of the world is the Katana sword—the tool (and weapon) that Samurai used in Feudal Japan. Despite its primary use being a weapon in battle, the Katana was seen as a spiritual artifact where the lines of practicality and culture become infused. Samurai warriors held their weapons with the utmost care and regard to ensure it is well-crafted, maintained, and respected.

Whether it’s a Katana sword, a basketball shoe, or digital tools that build software, what you use and how you treat it has the utmost reflection of how you value your craft. Design decisions in how software is built reflect the consideration of craft as well. It might be the line-hop implementation in OmniGraffle Pro or connecting patches in Quartz Composer, the implementation of these give such a sense that the people who made them were very thoughtful of how important tooling is.

The work is not easy, but it’s a great honor and responsibility to build for makers and builders. When you realize how important tools are to people in their everyday lives, you easily realize why the smallest detail of quality matters and how it impacts how the future is shaped.

This is why tools do matter.