Thin tools, thick thinking
You don’t always need heavy tools to solve real problems. Often, a small, focused solution built quickly and shaped with care will do the job better.
This is the shift: instead of starting with a big system or polished platform, you start by asking, “What’s the smallest thing that would work right now?” You can describe a need and instantly generate something that meets it. A script, a checklist, a schedule, a conversation prompt.
Thin tools are lightweight, disposable, and specific. They’re not meant to last forever. They last just long enough to help you act or decide. Thick thinking means putting care into what matters: what problem are we solving, what does good look like, and what’s the next step?
This also begs the question: in a tech world shaped by long-lived SaaS platforms—optimized for complexity, scale, and monthly recurring revenue—how will they adapt when the market starts generating solutions in milliseconds? When users can create a tool on demand, use it once, and discard it, the economics of software, and the role of product design, may need to change.
Instead of jumping into design systems or polished flows, designers can now use AI to generate microtools—tiny UI fragments, copy tests, or flow sketches—based on intent. These tools solve a single moment, like explaining an error, testing a headline, or exploring layout friction.
- Generate one-page tools that simulate a user moment, then test them. - Use plain HTML or prompts to explore interaction language before styling. - Avoid designing for the system before validating the situation.
Parenting benefits from thin tools too. Instead of overhauling the household with a new app or routine, start with something simple: a sticky note list, a printable checklist, or a 5-minute trial run of a new habit. These low-cost experiments let kids and adults learn what works without pressure.