The uncertainty of design and running up a hill
I used to read a poem as a youngster called If by Rudyard Kipling and I loved it for two main reasons: (1) most lines were wrapped in levels of uncertainty, and (2) it was not clear how to change that uncertainty to certainty. Just reading that might sound confusing, and let’s just say; I was confused. My favorite line from this poem was and still is:
“Fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run”
For these next three minutes (hopefully not unforgiving), I ask that you fill it with 180 seconds of embracing the uncertainty.
Kipling mentions running as a metaphor that represents an action. My interpretation leads me to believe that although conditions might be unfavorable, go the distance and see what happens. Running is a hobby of mine and has become a mental escape for me. This escape allows me to foster up some of my best ideas. How does running do this? It simply puts me in a place of discomfort and uncertainty. Is that hill long? What’s around the corner? The beautiful thing is that for those 60 seconds, I’m not sure where I’m going but I’m interested in finding out.
What happens if it turns out to be a really long hill after I wrap around the corner? What do I feel? I feel frustration, discouragement and maybe the thought of turning around and saying “I’ll try that some other day.” Being in this state of mind can be a beautiful thing. What lies ahead is a massive opportunity to find certainty and maybe more. Traversing that hill and completing it leads me to a few things; I’ve actually done something that required additional effort, I’ve done something that perhaps now I know a better way to do (slower pace, better form, etc.), and I’ve done something that hopefully I want to do again. It’s an incredible realization that came from some uncomfortable and imperfect place to me.
I think of products and design in the same way. Introducing something new and different doesn’t have to be perfect. Sure, there is a lot of communication between creator and user that guides you in the right direction. For the case of a paved path on a hill, there was thought and rationale behind the degree of incline. There are controlled variables that enable people to use your products or physically traverse up and down the hill. The idea of creating an uncomfortable scenario for users as you explore the uncertainty of getting it right is super interesting to me because of the balance between how far you can take this. We want users to feel enabled and coming back, which drives the development and improvement of any experience. The feedback loop your body has when running is delivered in the form of pain and exhaustion. As you collect more feedback, you’re able to make changes that improve the overall experience, whether that’s less pain or [for the ambitious] more hill! In the realm of a product or experience, the feedback loop and discovery between creator and user is a shared initiative that over time surfaces more certainty. Often times this journey is abandoned early when in reality it should be the start of an iterative improvement cycle. I like to think that it takes a bit of pain to reach a place of accomplishment and satisfaction.
We shouldn’t be afraid to introduce uncertainty into the mix and create environments where the magic is actually found at the top of the hill.
