Design is an adventure

Lately I’ve been toying with words that help me find who I am as a designer, after undergoing major transformations in my spiritual and emotional life.

The words that come to me are: Adventure, Cluefinding, Wonder.

It wasn’t always like that. It used to feel more serious for me. As I uncovered more of my true self, the way I thought about design also shifted. With an updated outlook, I truly believe it benefits myself as well as everyone else that I work with!

Adventure - Problem Solving with Fun!

The path to success isn’t always straightforward and predictable. There are obstacles and trials. There are allies. There are moments for celebration and moments for contemplation.

There’s surprise and disappointment. Sometimes we find that what we thought we wanted isn’t what we actually needed.

Some things are faced alone, and some are faced together.

No matter what, it’s never the same. And that’s what makes it an adventure. :)

Cluefinding - Questioning like a Detective

The human brain loves to through tons of effort into solving probelms, yet what I discovered is that a product or problem is very rarely 100% solved.

Why not approach it like I’m finding clues to mysteries?

My brain collects a vast amount of information. I can’t help it. When faced with a problem, rather than engaging in a step-by-step process, my mind engages in an emergent process. My body creates a sketch, a mockup, a design, or a sentence for my brain to make the most sense of it.

The process feels random and disorganized, but somehow, a solution gets pulled out of me. Like all the pieces are coming together, AAAHHH, and then something comes out of me that’s somehow a step in the right direction. :) I imagine this is the closest I can feel to Sherlock Holmes!

Wonder - Finding Beauty in the Unknown

Despite my love of finding answers, I also remember there’s so much to wonder about. Instead of information gathering as a crutch for avoiding discomfort, I also now trust that I don’t have to know everything to trust that there is good stuff around the corner, even if there’s no evidence YET.

“I wonder what the next step looks like.”

“I wonder how to help my teammate.”

“I wonder what customers will think.”

“I wonder what beauty will come out of this.”

“I wonder how this could be different.”

What is design but an expression of life, and what is life without wonder? :)

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Who knows if this will be the same in 6 months or a year, but right now this feels right!