Developing Taste: How to Cultivate Your Aesthetic Sense

1. The Shift of an Era: From Tools to Taste

When the first cars appeared, people didn't care about the car's color or appearance. That's because the car's competitor at the time was the horse.¹ But now cars have become ubiquitous, and quality and detail matter more than ever.

The same shift applies to software. Simply shipping a product that works is no longer enough. With the advancement of AI, anyone can build a product with basic functionality. What matters now is brand, design, intuitive usability, and the overall experience. Ultimately, taste is what makes a product stand out.

"In times of scarcity, we value tools. In times of abundance, we value taste."

• Anu Atluru, Taste is Eating Silicon Valley

2. What Is Taste?

Many people mistake good taste for simple personal preference. But taste goes beyond that. It's a trained instinct. Good taste is the ability to perceive more than what meets the eye and to recognize what makes something special. That's why some designs feel natural and refined while others feel awkward and forced.

So, how can you train good taste?

3. How to Cultivate Good Taste

(1) Surround Yourself with Great Work

To cultivate good taste, it's important to be exposed to great work. If you're a designer, study outstanding designs. If you're a writer, read excellent books. By exposing yourself to great work, you naturally learn what's good and how it feels.

"It's important to expose yourself to the best things that humans have done, and then try to bring those things into what you do."

• Steve Jobs

Also, find people who are respected in the field. Look at who they respect and whose work they reference. Build a list of inspiring people. Studying their work, using their apps, and reading their books is the most effective way to learn.²

(2) Think About Why You Like Something

In the process of calibrating your taste, don't simply judge things as "good" or "bad." It's important to logically analyze why something is good. Don't rely solely on intuition — understand the patterns and find the reasons behind them.

If you're a designer, don't just use an app — study why specific interactions feel good.³ If you're a filmmaker, don't just watch movies — think about why the director made certain choices. Go beyond surface-level observations and think deeply. It's crucial to never lose your curiosity.

(3) Practice

The surest way to develop taste is to create things yourself. Designers should design, and writers should write. Through consistent practice, you can go beyond being someone with good taste and become a tastemaker.

Getting feedback during the practice process is also important. Good criticism from the right people reduces trial and error and accelerates growth.

At first, you might not like what you create. But this is actually a good sign. Your taste has already reached a high level, which is why you can recognize that your work falls short. Everyone goes through this stage, so don't give up. It will get better with time.⁴

"At first, your work won't be good. But that's okay. It'll get better if you keep going."

4. Summary: 3 Steps to Developing Taste

1. Expose yourself to great work

   • See, read, and use great works to learn.
   • Explore the work of respected figures.

2. Analyze why you like things

   • Don't rely on intuition alone — analyze logically.
   • Think beyond the surface level.

3. Practice and get feedback

   • Work consistently and grow through feedback.
   • Don't fear initial imperfection.

5. Conclusion: Taste Is Training

Good taste is not innate — it's cultivated through training. By surrounding yourself with great work, thinking deeply, and practicing consistently, you too can develop refined taste. Ultimately, taste goes beyond personal preference to become a force that can guide the world in a better direction.