First principles: Back to basics

We live in a world where user expectations evolve faster than ever. What works well today might be obsolete in a few months or even weeks. The rapid pace of technological change presents a true challenge for us designers, and even developers or product teams, who must balance innovation with clarity and usability.

For a long time, I struggled with this, especially in projects where innovation was constrained by laws, technology, or other restrictions. Looking back, I realised that every challenge forced me to analyse problems from multiple viewpoints. I had to create the best possible experience for users while making sure that the product was profitable for the company at the same time. Over time, I noticed a pattern in my approach. I would strip problems down to their core fundamentals, like reverse-engineering a LEGO set, to understand what was happening under the hood.

At the time, I was not aware I was applying a well known mental model. In 2016 while working on a project for a client in Germany, I was digging deep to understand the root cause of an issue, despite the client’s assumption that "the problem was in the website." During our discussion, the client mentioned that I was using "First Principles" thinking. Honestly, I had no idea what he was talking about. Fast forward to today... Ever since that day, I’ve been researching and applying different methodologies in my process in order to improve my deliveries as much as possible.

Understanding first principles: The atomic building blocks of innovation

If you Google "First Principles thinking," you’ll find huge amount of content on this topic. But let’s try to keep it simple... First Principles thinking is a problem solving method that breaks down complex issues into fundamental components before reconstructing solutions from the ground up. Instead of relying on assumptions, analogies, or existing solutions, it forces you to ask, “What do we know to be absolutely true?”

This approach isn’t limited to design or programming only. It applies to cooking, fixing washing machine, and could be applied even for daily decision making situations. The key is actually in awareness. Once you recognise that you’re using first principles thinking, you can apply it more intentionally, and your ability to solve problems will accelerate dramatically.

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First principles in action

Airbnb's "Experiences" feature

Airbnb’s "Experiences" feature didn’t came out of nowhere. They were not trying to simplify and copy hotel packages or competitor offerings. Instead, the team applied first principles thinking by deconstructing the travel experience and trying to understand the real opportunities in their products:

• People who travel seek authentic local engagement – You found yourself in this situation at least once in your life. Exploring Google Maps and trying to plan your trip but figuring out how to find some true authentic local experience. Something that only locals know, but that is not on Google Maps.
• Hosts possess unique knowledge – Why asking Google who charge for ads and is possibly giving you a result that is not fully related to your search when you already have your own database of local people who can give you those information for free or small fee?
• Trust enables transactions – Since Airbnb have already established some form of trust with their users it's actually reducing the friction towards engagement and possible transactions (Cha-Ching).

By building from these core challenges, Airbnb developed "Experiences," which contributed to a 12% revenue increase by Q4 2024. A record year-over-year growth, as noted by Ellie Mertz, Airbnb’s CFO. One word, AMAZING.

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Applying first principles in UX Design

"That’s great for Airbnb," you might say, "but what about us?" Right? They were already a multibillion company. They can afford to test things out. What about us, regular people? This is probably the most typical reply I get when I tell this story, and they are 100% right. But, where is the fun in life if we don't shake things up a bit?

Let me give you a few examples of what you can do to start practicing first principles.

• Start looking for obvious functionality over familiar patterns - This means that every UI element must pass the "zero explanation test". This could be a situation where user struggle with multi-state buttons showing their states. First principle solution would be to replace the buttons with toggle switch and leverage universal physical approach alongside the good microcopy.

• Apply consistency through atomic design systems - Ask yourself: "What interaction patterns are truly universal?". First thing that could come to your mind is a button. Universal sign of actionable components. Standardize paddings (24px), contrast ratios (4.5:1), and microcopy ("Start Free Trial" vs. generic "Submit") across all platforms.

• Avoid using complex systems to drown users in data - This is often seen in financial or trading platform apps, and first principles approach would be to understand how can you provide users to act swiftly on market shifts. This could easily be done by prioritizing lanes and highlighting assets with x% volatility by using color and spatial grouping rather than just raw charts.

Start using accessibility as a first principle, not an afterthought - Most common mistake is to treat accessibility as compliance checkbox. But let's reframe it with first principles. All users deserve equal access to functionality and this can be done by implementing keyboard navigation, screen reader labels and proper contrast checks at the component level. Not just the final and overall look.

Final thoughts

First Principles thinking is not just a buzzword. It’s a true and really useful approach that helps you build better products, solve real problems, and innovate beyond surface level trends. No matter if you’re designing interfaces, coding solutions, or making business decisions, breaking things down to their core truths allows you to rebuild with clarity and purpose.

Start small. The next time you face a design challenge, strip it down to its basics and question every assumption. You might be surprised at the clarity it brings.