Human Psychology & Product Design

What do human psychology and product design have in common? More than we think.

Discussing with a friend the other day, the following pattern came to mind, and I wanted to bring it to this online "table".


So many people appear polished, confident, and “perfect” on the outside—yet inside, they struggle. They suppress emotions, ignore their real needs, and focus on looking strong rather than being strong. Over time, this cracks. Without a solid emotional foundation, even the most “put-together” person can collapse under pressure.
The same is true for products and businesses. A sleek, beautiful product may impress at first glance—but if it lacks a robust foundation, intuitive UX, and a meaningful purpose, it will frustrate users and eventually fall apart. Shiny interfaces can't hide poor functionality forever.

This pattern isn’t new—many experts have highlighted similar ideas:
- Simon Sinek teaches us to Start With Why—companies that focus only on surface-level appeal but lack a strong core purpose struggle in the long run.
- Don Norman (The Design of Everyday Things) reminds us that bad design hides behind a beautiful exterior. If a product looks great but doesn't work well, it's destined to fail.
- Brené Brown speaks about the power of vulnerability—real strength comes from depth, not perfection. Suppressing emotions may look polished on the outside, but it leads to cracks over time.
- Steve Jobs said "Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works." Apple succeeded because they didn’t just focus on aesthetics—they built intuitive, functional, and resilient products.
- Nassim Nicholas Taleb (Antifragile) argues that true resilience means growing stronger under stress. The same applies to people and products—if they can’t adapt and evolve, they will eventually collapse.

We see this pattern everywhere:
- A person who prioritises image over emotional well-being risks burnout.
- A company that prioritises aesthetics over true value loses customer trust.
- A product that prioritises flash over functionality ultimately fails.

True strength—whether in people or products—comes from the inside. A person who builds resilience, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence will thrive in the long run. A product that is designed with real user needs, stability, and adaptability in mind will stand the test of time.