In this week’s episode we get a little bit philosophical as we discuss the concept of done being better than perfect. This week’s episode comes by way of a listener comment, despite knowing that their design will only really come together in the end stage, they have a nagging doubt in their head that the project should look perfect at every step of the way. We discuss how we have overcome this doubt ourselves in the past and how done is better than perfect can often be good enough.
Don’t let tidying up your files and making everything look nice distract you from your actual work. Figure out which elements really matter, and which only you would notice if they were not there. Sometimes you might be faced with an unfortunate reality where by you need to make a trade off so that the project can move forward based on constraints outside of your control.
There are times when a polished presentation of your design is what is required but this should be the exception rather than the rule. If you are presenting to someone who does not have a design background, a polished presentation of the design can help them to understand the direction it is moving in. If you are asking a colleague on your team for feedback, the same level of preparation shouldn’t be required as they are familiar with the project and can follow your (as yet) less than perfect design.
If you need feedback but you’re concerned about the person’s reaction to your messy file, consider saying “I know this isn’t right yet, but I would love your feedback on how you think I could best make this work”. A simple statement like this might help you to feel confident in asking for feedback.
It is important to recognise that sometimes you need to take a break and come back to this part of the project again with fresh eyes. It can be a difficult thing to admit but sometimes this is the only way you can make progress.
It is not very often that we get to see a fellow designer’s full work in progress and all the iteration that goes into it. Do not be fooled by social media, there is a lot more mess, iteration, changes and improvements than what you see at first glance.
01.30 – Catch up
06.24 – Being busy makes you realise done is better than perfect
15.50 – Junior designers
18.50 – The impact of social media on WIP
25.00 – Solving problems Vs Making shiny things
