AI & I What Jason Fried Learned from 26 Years of Building Great Products
1003 snips
Nov 5, 2025 
In a deep dive with Jason Fried, co-founder of 37signals and creator of Basecamp, he shares insights from 26 years in product design. He discusses how tactile design in architecture and watches influences software aesthetics. AI's role in enhancing personal tools sparks debate, as he reflects on its potential to accelerate prototyping. Jason emphasizes the importance of authenticity over imitation in creative work, and the need for unique, soulful products in a market filled with indistinguishable options.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Products As Complete, Coherent Works
- Jason Fried values products that feel like a single coherent idea executed beautifully.
- He compares that feeling to standing in a great building or sitting in a well-designed car.
Design Taste Reflected In A Vintage Watch
- Jason wears a vintage Heuer watch and cares about tactile design and details.
- His taste in watches reflects how he thinks about product aesthetics and materiality.
Cross-Disciplinary Design Inspiration
- Fried draws inspiration from non-software crafts: watches, cars, and architecture.
- He translates tactile qualities into digital design by imagining software as a physical object.
