What can slicing a watermelon teach us about design? Turns out… quite a lot. This week, I chat with Vitaly Friedman, founder of Smashing Magazine, to explore curiosity, inefficiency, and why the best designers obsess over process, not perfection.

What if your next design breakthrough came not from a book or a course, but from learning to slice a watermelon?

Do you feel like you’re supposed to have it all figured out by now?

⇢ The perfect process.
⇢ The right framework.
⇢ The “one best way” to design things.

But what if that mindset is killing you?

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So what does that have to do with slicing a watermelon?.

When I sat down with Vitaly Friedman, founder of Smashing Magazine, we didn’t talk about design systems or AI… We talked about watermelons. 🍉

Specifically, his years-long obsession with finding all the ways to slice one.

At first, it might sound ridiculous.

But his quest turned out to be a perfect metaphor for design itself:
👉 Curiosity over efficiency
👉 Exploration over optimization
👉 Learning for the joy of learning

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Vitaly and I dig into:

▶️ Why inefficiency isn’t a flaw. It’s where discovery lives.
▶️ Why asking “I don’t know, can you explain?” is one of the most powerful things you can say in a meeting.
▶️ Why every great designer needs a few weird obsessions outside of work.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, burned out, or trapped in the process, this one’s a reminder that growth doesn’t come from knowing. It comes from not knowing.

The Many Ways to Slice a Wat... Nov 6 · Beyond UX Design 72:12   ​

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1️⃣ Curiosity is more valuable than efficiency: Design isn’t about finding the perfect process or the fastest solution—it’s about exploring possibilities. Vitaly reminds us that curiosity is what keeps us learning and evolving. When we let go of the obsession with being efficient, we make space for creativity, discovery, and delight.

2️⃣ The best learning happens when you don’t know the answer: Vitaly shares how his most formative experiences came from entering spaces where he knew nothing—like barista training or exploring new hobbies. Designers can apply the same mindset by embracing not knowing, asking for help, and seeing ignorance as the beginning of understanding, not a weakness.

3️⃣ Make the process joyful, not just productive: Whether it’s cutting a watermelon or ironing a shirt, Vitaly approaches tasks with intention and enjoyment. This mindset is powerful for designers—it turns routine work into meaningful craftsmanship. Slow down, notice the details, and remember why you love what you do.

4️⃣ Vulnerability builds trust at work: Asking questions and admitting you don’t know everything creates stronger teams. In enterprise environments, where burnout and bureaucracy run high, showing humility and curiosity helps break down silos and rebuilds trust among colleagues.

5️⃣ Find meaning in the mundane: From coffee to conference talks, Vitaly finds inspiration in everyday rituals. He argues that joy, focus, and craft come from doing small things well. For designers, it’s a reminder that inspiration isn’t only in pixels—it’s in everything you touch, if you choose to look closely.

Listen to episode 138 now!

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