Thinking through making

When it comes to creative thinking, the classic napkin sketch is great for capturing an idea before it runs away, but that’s only part of the equation.

The tangible materials we use to create our ideas also influence what and how something is made. Some of our most inspiring solutions come through the different physical processes we use to think through how things might work — where constraints aren’t just obstacles to overcome, they’re actually a tool that can inspire creativity, invite happy accidents and push the work in unexpected directions.

We’re all guilty of trying to settle on an answer before we have all the info we need. I’ve seen this happen at varying levels within organizations, from folks at the tippy-top on down to junior designers (and of course I too am guilty of it at times). We stumble to find a solution like baby giraffes learning to walk, brainstorming and shouting out ideas before we’ve had ample time to think. We mistake motion and action for progress.

We need more time to think. And at Pinterest, making is a form of thinking.

Gleaming the cube

Last year, the team sponsored a space at West Coast Craft, a show of craftspeople inspired by life on the best coast, attended by hip parents or anyone looking for cool ceramics, jewelry or clothing. The event is huge and can easily overstimulate your senses, so we knew we wanted to create a space for making and relaxing. Through the alchemy of brainstorms, image curation and sketches, we landed on a concept for a space we called Inspiration Point, a combination of bleachers, modular stairs and a booth for people to try new things.

As much as we tried whiteboarding, it was still tough for us to fully understand the structure.

To quickly visualize the space, and iterate on what we planned to build, we didn’t use fancy software or algorithms (that came later). We used gum. Specifically Ice Breakers Ice Cubes, which come in easily stackable square cubes (sugar cubes would have worked but were in short supply).

Because they were so easy to move and play with, the gum cubes let brand designer Celia Jaber and me plan a visitor’s journey more quickly and iterate as needed. It was also easier for our partners to understand. And the modularity of the cubes gave things a structure that influenced the rest of the build and spacial graphics.

Fresh breath and chill concepts, brought to you by Ice Breakers gum.

“What is this, a Bauhaus playground?” — Overheard compliment at WCC

Rock, scissors, PAPER!

The theme for our SxSW activation in 2018 was “What will you try next?” One of the centerpieces of the experience was our taste tuner — an interactive experience that let people see how their taste in style, fashion and food is shaped through their choices.

Design lead Andreas Helin wanted to demonstrate how people’s tastes can overlap. He tried sketching things out, but it wasn’t until he started ripping up post-its and sliding them together that he and his team were able to break through to an effective solution.

Sometimes the simplest tool is the most effective.

People could see how Pinterest understands their taste through our Taste Tuner.

From papers to panels: handheld to huge.

The reward is in the process

Recently the entire marketing team took a week off to engage in Creative Thunderdome — a sprint to ship the first element of a campaign by the end of a single week. Calendars were cleared, conference rooms were booked, briefs were written and teams assembled. It was a dedicated time to focus on one problem and work out the messy middle of starting an ad campaign. Resources were tight and the timeline was even tighter, but by working within these constraints, all five teams were able to create campaigns that were small bets toward something bigger.

The key to the success of the whole project was focusing on making things together. While the goal was to ship work, the higher level takeaway was for cross-functional teammates (some who live in other states and had never met each other) to work together on a dedicated problem. The week-long experiment was as much about developing new processes together as it was about creating work.

Thinking through making isn’t about learning on the job, it’s about learning through the job. Accepting the limitations of a material or project is a form of creative judo that gives the power back to you. Projects will always have friction, but the sooner we learn to work with the elements that once held us back, the better our solutions become (and we’ll be happier, too).

“But the analog world is all about friction … Should we have a completely frictionless life? Creativity happens in clashes. In truth, it is friction that sparks creativity. Without friction, things simply go as planned.”
— Scott Belsky, Revenge of the Analog

The next time you’re feeling stuck, consider pausing for a beat and try making things with your hands. Embrace the accidents, and friction you encounter along the way. In the words of Sister Corita Kent: “Nothing is a mistake. There’s no win and no fail, there’s only make.”