It took all of those mediocre ideas to find something that struck the right balance between all of the constraints. One idea inspired another idea inspired another idea. Instead of immediately declaring that it wasn’t possible (which I was inclined to do), I gave it a shot and was able to solve the problem.
This reminds me of one of the best pieces of advice I got early in my design career. I’d often bounce ideas off my friend Andrew Pairman while saying something like, “I wonder if it would work if I…” His response stuck with me to this day: “Try it.”
Jessica’s article is also a good reminder for me to share work in progress more often. Share earlier. Share as publicly as possible. Share even when it’s embarrassing.
John Cutler recently tweeted:
What is the Za’atar of #design ? Just add it to the dish and …
There are lots of great responses. “Research,” “iteration,” and “less.” But my favourite is “feedback.”