Ken Kocienda offers a rare inside look at how Apple built some of its most iconic products, including the iPhone keyboard and Safari browser. What makes this book special is that it's written by someone who was actually in the room, writing code and iterating on demos.
The concept of "creative selection" - making products through a continuous cycle of demos, feedback, and refinement - feels particularly relevant as I think about building at startups. It's not about grand visions or perfect plans, but about taste, iteration, and shipping.
• Great products emerge from tight feedback loops, not long planning cycles
• Demos beat discussions - show don't tell
• Taste is developed through practice and paying attention to details
• Small teams with high trust can move faster than large coordinated efforts
• The best ideas often come from actually building and iterating, not brainstorming
• Strive for simlpicity