November 25, 2009
the politics of design
37Signals point me to an excellent essay by Paul Rand on the politics of design.
He hits on one challenge that we really resonate with - the need that clients (and managers) have to see multiple versions of a solution.
One of the more common problems which tends to create doubt and confusion is caused by the inexperienced and anxious executive who innocently expects, or even demands, to see not one but many solutions to a problem.
Although seeing multiple versions seems useful, it often dilutes the process. The process of finding one solution can be an all-encompassing challenge. The demand for multiple versions often leads a designer to limit their time on reaching for the best solution and instead work on making a number of directions seem viable.
Theoretically, a great number of ideas assures a great number of choices, but such choices are essentially quantitative. This practice is as bewildering as it is wasteful. It discourages spontaneity, encourages indifference, and more often than not produces results which are neither distinguished, interesting, nor effective. In short, good ideas rarely come in bunches.
Most importantly, this process often runs counter to the design process, which should involve scrapping dozens of ideas until you reach the one that feels right. Paul Rand sums this up nicely:
Whatever his working habits, the designer fills many a wastebasket in order to produce one good idea.
