The Human Element Within the Code

By Karri Saarinen | October 15, 2026

I believe that exceptional products are mirrors of the individuals who craft them.

A product is more than its utility; it carries the essence of its creators—their lived experiences, their core values, and their specific philosophy on how a system should behave. Even if the developers remain anonymous, their perspective is palpable in the final user experience.

The Fallacy of the "Software Factory"

The tech industry frequently treats software development as a mechanical process. The prevailing narrative suggests a linear pipeline:

1. Gather requirements.
2. Build specific features.
3. Measure success metrics.
4. Repeat until finished. $\rightarrow$ Automate this entire flow using agents.

However, this "factory" model ignores a fundamental truth: two different teams can use the same tech stack and interview the same customers, yet produce entirely different results.

Craft vs. Commodity

Redefining Intuition

At Linear, we prioritize intuition over rigid processes or raw data. To some, this sounds like making arbitrary choices based on whim. In reality, intuition is a sophisticated form of synthesis:

$\text{Intuition} = \text{Experience} + \text{Customer Empathy} + \text{Learned Judgment}$

It is the result of working deeply on a problem, failing, and learning exactly where to focus. It is the courage to rely on your own judgment rather than hiding behind the safety of "faceless data."

The Path to Product Character

Before launching, we didn't just look at spreadsheets; we engaged in deep conversations with people across various roles to understand their workflows. This allowed us to merge our own frustrations with a broader understanding of the problem.

A product develops its character through a series of intentional choices:

• Deciding what to prioritize.
• Having the discipline to decide what not to build.
• Polishing a feature long after it is "technically" functional.

The Rise of the "Frankenstein" Product

Lately, I've noticed a trend where even successful products feel messy. There is an obsession with what technology can do rather than what the product should be.

// The "Additive" Logic of Modern Software
while (technology.canDo(newFeature)) {
    product.add(newFeature); 
    // Result: Core problem remains, but surface area increases
}

When changes are purely additive, the product ceases to be a cohesive tool and becomes a fragmented collection of capabilities.

The Agent Effect

I suspect this stems from how we organize work. When individuals use agents to push independent changes, they are essentially running miniature software factories.

Without a shared soul or a central perspective, the product becomes a mathematical average of its outputs. The distinct choices that once gave the software its personality are being eroded.

Final Thoughts

As we move forward, I hope we find more space to develop deep perspectives and the patience to follow them. I want us to move away from the "factory" mindset and return to a place where we shape an answer until every piece truly belongs.

I want to feel the creator behind the software, not the machinery.