Trung Nguyen

Journal

Notes on design, process, and things I'm working through. Not a blog — more like thinking out loud.

Thinking 22.09.24

On writing as a design tool

Before I open Figma, I usually write. Not docs, not specs — just thinking. A paragraph that tries to explain the problem forces clarity that mockups can't.

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Product 14.07.24

What makes a product feel intentional

Some products feel like they were made by someone who cared. Others feel assembled. The difference is rarely about features — it's almost always about decisions.

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Tools 12.01.25

The case for boring tools in creative work

Every few months a new tool appears that promises to change everything. Usually it doesn't. The tools I keep coming back to are the ones that stay out of the way.

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Process 08.11.24

Shipping fast without losing craft

Speed and quality are usually framed as opposites. I don't think that's right. The real tension is between speed and completeness — and completeness is often overrated.

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Design Systems 01.03.25

Why I stopped using design systems I didn't build

There's a particular kind of friction that comes from inheriting a system you didn't make decisions for. It looks clean on the surface, but every edge case reveals assumptions you weren't part of.

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