The designer’s paradox
I love a good paradox: A seemingly contradictory statement which upon investigation may prove to be true.
The juxtaposition of contradicting ideas excel at interrupting my regular programming. It introduces a moment to pause and reflect, followed by the discovery of an unexpected revelation, and finally concludes with a delightful learning, or two.
Take for instance the famous paradox, ‘This statement is false’.
At first, this phrase seems ordinary. But something about it makes you pause. Upon reflection, you realise if the statement is true, then the statement is false. But if the statement is false, then the statement has to be true!
Cue mind blown and a new perspective gained.
Learning from contradictions
Now that I’ve established why contradictory ideas are great at capturing my imagination, I want to frame 3 lessons learnt in my career in similar fashion to (hopefully) capture yours.
Succeed from failing
If you work in agile, this isn’t a new take. I’ve been to seminars, read books and have the pleasure of working with many talented designers. Yet moments when I’ve been paralysed by doubt, where my assumptions are picked apart, or where I’ve been humbled because I didn’t get it right – these are the lessons that stick in my mind. They’re also the ones I draw upon the most.
Of course, in the precise moment when these events occur, all I want to do is crawl into a hole and disappear. However, when I do eventually emerge, I find myself armed with a new set of invaluable tools to deal with similar adversities, including the ability to recognise and prevent the same mistakes from happening again.
Good designers know little
The best designers I know are influenceable. Meaning they are willing to drop their assumptions when a better, validated idea comes along.
Bertrand Russel quoted, ‘The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubt’. This is also known as the Dunning-Kruger effect.
I’ve witnessed many designers who sell their craft (successfully) with what I describe as ‘UX Jazz Hands’ - they’re full of confidence, swagger and design jargon … with an itty-bitty understanding of the actual problem space and even less behind their process.
Some great designers might even take more time to reach their solutions compared to less experienced peers, but that’s because they understand the value of sharpening their axe before they strike.
Leading in silence
Abe Lincoln apparently quoted, ‘Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.’
Some great leaders I’ve encountered are deftly strategic on when and how they speak. They pick their moments carefully, and take even more care with the words they deliver. They usually don’t need to raise their voice because a hush usually falls over the crowd when they take centre stage. Perhaps the weight behind their words are a result of scarcity bias?
It’s no surprise that these great leaders are often excellent active listeners too. They don’t listen to respond but instead listen to understand.
BONUS: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication
This one obviously isn’t mine but has always resonated with me. Classic designs that have withstood the test of time are honest. They stay true to their purpose and discard all unnecessary distractions through meticulous process and deliberate action. They aren’t influenced by fleeting trends and the complexity behind their nature can be easily underestimated by the untrained eye.
I mean, if simplicity is easy to achieve this we should all be Deiter Rams!
Thanks for reading!