10/10 Skills to Build Design Taste for Software Engineers

Over time I've gotten better at noticing when a user experience feels off. Most of the time I can tell when something feels weird. I'm still learning, but a few things I've been doing over the last year are what actually helped.

Recognize patterns

Once you start paying attention, you'll see similar layouts, typography, and interactions across different products. Pay attention to the components and interactions that look alike and feel good. Collect them, study how they're built, and little by little you'll start to notice the patterns.

When an interaction catches your eye, ask yourself where you've seen something similar. If two apps suggest search results as you type, look at what they show before you type anything. One might show your recent searches. Another might suggest popular ones. That small difference can give you an idea of what would be useful in your own app.

Consume content intentionally

When you come across a design or engineering post you like, take a minute to put into words what caught your attention. What feels right? What feels off? Have you seen another product handle it the same way?

Create more than you consume

Start with a small interaction you're curious about. Rebuild a dropdown, experiment with how a dialog opens, or try a different way to show that a form has been saved.

Then work your way up to a full flow. What matters is that you start creating more than you consume. It doesn't matter if it looks bad at first. You'll get better as you create with intention.

Share what you build, even if it's a short clip of one interaction. Tell people what you were trying to improve and ask what they noticed. Their answers might give you something new to look for the next time you use an app.