“Make yourself proud by making people’s lives easier, richer and more fun. Don’t just give people choice, help them to choose.”
My understanding
Choice is powerful, but it can also be overwhelming. In the digital world, where menus stretch endlessly and options multiply by the second, giving people more choices isn’t always helpful. What truly matters is guiding them toward the right ones.
Ajaz Ahmed and Stefan Olander, in their book Velocity, remind us that digital tools are a means to a human end. Every app, every screen, every click leads to a person. That person might be tired, distracted, or uncertain. So our job isn’t just to display options. It’s to make the path clear. To design in a way that understands context, behavior, and emotion.
Helping people choose means reducing friction, cutting clutter, and presenting choices in meaningful ways. Whether it’s picking a product, starting a new habit, or learning something new, we can shape the experience to feel intuitive and empowering.
Designing with empathy means asking: What decision are they trying to make? And how can I make it easier for them to make it well?
PS. While Velocity talks about the human on the other side of the screen, it’s worth noting that in today’s evolving digital world, that “human” could also be an AI agent. But the core idea remains: design should always serve the end-user. Whether that’s a person or a digital assistant acting on their behalf. Clarity still wins.
Velocity’s 7 Laws
In Velocity: The Seven New Laws for a World Gone Digital, Ajaz Ahmed and Stefan Olander offer 7 guiding laws for building fast, meaningful, and human-centered digital experiences:
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A Smith & Wesson beats four aces. Evolve immediately. Entitlement kills.
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It’s easier done than said. Get going. Then get better.
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The best advertising isn’t advertising. Make meaningful connections.
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Convenient is the enemy of right. Never have anything to apologise for.
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Respect human nature. Make yourself proud by making people’s lives easier, richer and more fun. Don’t just give people choice, help them to choose.
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No good joke survives a committee of six. Have the balls to make the calls.
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Have a purpose larger than yourself. Do the right thing: always play from your heart.
Book
Reminds me
- “Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.”. The importance of making choices that reflect our values.