It’s easy to identify part of a whole and to ask, “Why isn’t this element better?”

It’s much harder to see the big picture and to consider the many trade-offs that were made in the design phase.

Often, improvement in one area comes at the expense of another — whether it’s time, attention, or resources.

And this can be an intentional act: going to extremes to make one specific piece remarkable. Some of the best products, services, and experiences are built on this very idea.

We’re always making trade-offs. When you notice deficiency in one area, there’s likely a reason. And when you see brilliance in another, there’s likely a reason for that too.

Trade-offs.