Config 2024: A new opportunity to make great software (Henry Modisett, perplexity.ai)

In this paragraph, the speaker, Henry, expresses his passion for software creation and its profound impact on people's lives. He emphasizes that the ultimate goal of software is to enhance human experiences, not just to create for the sake of creation. Henry highlights the current pace of technological innovation and the immense opportunity it presents to rethink and improve existing processes. He acknowledges the uncertainty around the future of software design but encourages focusing on the mission and the problems being solved. Henry introduces himself as the leader of the design team at Perplexity, a company that has built an 'answer engine' to provide immediate and accurate answers to any question, aiming to make the previously impossible feel simple and intuitive.

This paragraph delves into the evolving collaboration between designers and engineers, facilitated by coding, code generation tools, and prompt engineering. The focus has shifted from the mechanics of building to an ongoing evaluation of quality. Designers are now capable of producing a wider range of outputs, including code, brand elements, and various media, thanks to decentralized processes and new tools. Henry discusses the magic that happens when designers with great intuition are given the power to create anything, leading to innovative solutions that were previously difficult to scale. He provides examples of how AI can reorganize and present information in new ways, tailoring experiences to individual preferences and learning styles.

The speaker discusses the challenges of managing complexity in software design, especially with the introduction of AI. He talks about the importance of maintaining focus, hierarchy, and capability while continuously adding new features. Henry emphasizes the need for a clear purpose and the use of UI to express that purpose visually. He also addresses the challenge of designing for a wide range of user skills and the importance of creating UI that can adapt to each person's needs. The paragraph touches on the concept of building machines that are dynamic and non-deterministic, where every use results in a different outcome, and the importance of starting simple and molding the product until it becomes valuable.

Henry explores how AI can compress complexity into simple user interface patterns, allowing users to perform sophisticated tasks with simple actions. He provides an example of using AI to easily edit a photo, which would have required complex skills and tools in the past. The speaker discusses the importance of using familiar UI elements at the right time and ensuring that the interface is intuitive and obvious, even when performing tasks that were previously impossible. He also addresses the challenge of creating predictable outcomes from systems that are inherently unpredictable and the importance of guiding users through this process.

In this final paragraph, Henry outlines the principles that guided the development of Perplexity, focusing on speed, usefulness, trustworthiness, and reliability. He discusses the decision to avoid building a chat product in favor of a more utilitarian approach that delivers answers directly and efficiently. Henry shares the initial mockup and the iterative process of refining the product based on user experience principles. The goal is to create a product that can provide comprehensive answers, including text, sources, images, and videos, tailored to individual learning needs. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of design in making technology valuable and accessible in people's lives.