Fundamentals: What Every System Is Made Of

Every system is built on something. In product design, we often focus on features, aesthetics, or metrics—but under the surface, four deeper forces are always at play: Information, Energy, Space, and Time. These are the Fundamentals.

They shape how things function, how they feel, and how they evolve. Whether you’re designing a brain interface, a retail experience, or a TikTok ad flow, you’re working with these forces—whether you realize it or not.

Information: Structure and Meaning

Every system begins with information—what it knows, what it communicates, and how it’s structured. Good information design isn’t just about labels or data; it’s about clarity. It’s about building systems that make sense.

At Kernel, I designed MindsEye, a tool that visualized brain activity using hemodynamic data. It translated something invisible and complex—blood flow in the brain—into something researchers could actually see and work with. That’s the power of information: it turns chaos into clarity.

When information is weak, systems break down. People get confused. Decisions lose meaning. But when it’s strong, it creates trust, transparency, and insight.

Energy: Movement and Momentum

If Information is what a system knows, Energy is how it moves. It’s the force that drives action—within the system and between people interacting with it. Good energy design is about flow, responsiveness, and rhythm. It’s what makes a product feel effortless… or frustrating.

At TikTok, I worked on the Ads Manager campaign flow for small businesses. We stripped away unnecessary friction—helping users move quickly from intention to execution. The goal wasn’t just usability. It was momentum. Energy in that system meant keeping users inspired, not overwhelmed.

When energy flows well, people feel like they’re making progress. When it doesn’t, they drop off. Whether it’s a form, a conversation, or an entire ecosystem, energy is what keeps things alive.

Space: Form, Flow, and Arrangement

Space is how a system is laid out—its structure, scale, and organization. It’s not just about visual design or physical layout; it’s about how people move through an experience, what they notice, and what they ignore. Good spatial design feels intuitive, even if it’s complex.

At IKEA, I helped redesign their website to echo the journey of walking through the store. That meant creating room-based navigation, embedding inspiration alongside purchase paths, and building logic that mimicked physical proximity. It wasn’t just about selling—it was about spatial storytelling.

Space defines flow. It sets the stage for decision-making. And when it’s done right, users don’t even notice it—they just move smoothly from one moment to the next.

Time: Sequence, Rhythm, and Change

Time shapes how a system unfolds. It’s about pacing, duration, feedback, and evolution. Some experiences are designed to be immediate. Others are meant to stretch, build, or linger. Designing with time means thinking not just about what happens, but when—and how that timing feels.

At Oculus, I worked on immersive interfaces where time was elastic. In VR, time doesn’t just pass—it bends. You control the rhythm of discovery, the sequence of interaction, and the emotional tempo. That kind of design isn’t about screens—it’s about experience.

Whether it’s onboarding, storytelling, or real-time interaction, time is the hidden layer that shapes how everything feels.

Why Fundamentals Matter

Most systems fail because they’re designed from the surface in—features before flow, style before structure. But Fundamentals flip that. They ask you to look deeper. To start with how something works at its core.

If you understand a system’s information, you can shape its meaning.

If you understand its energy, you can guide its momentum.

If you understand its space, you can create clarity and movement.

And if you understand its timing, you can shape the entire experience.

Whether you’re designing an interface, writing a story, or building a business—these four forces are always in play. You’re already working with them. This just gives you language for it.