What is Two’s Complement? (2C)
Historical context: Two’s Complement is a mathematical operation used to store binary numbers on a computer. 💻🤓
Two’s Complement: near-perfect operational chemistry between the analytical left brain and imaginative right brain.
When we first began building together, we experienced something rare: near-perfect operational chemistry between the analytical left-brain and imaginative right-brain. We call this wonderful phenomenon Two’s Complement (2C for short).
The holy grail of design and development leadership can be found by crafting an environment with minimal inefficiencies between analytical and imaginative thinking. The most efficient method for building excellent products combines both mindsets into a careful flow of productivity.
Leaders often group developers into logical, mathematical, and analytical thinkers — and designers into artistic, intuitive, and imaginative thinkers. Nico and I think it’s harmful to generalize these groups, and see both schools of thought as a core competency for designers and developers.
🧠 Left-Brain Analytical Thinking
💻 Developers use left-brain thinking to perfect their code.
This mindset helps to:
- Organize code into logically maintainable shapes and sizes
- Achieve optimal product efficiency and speed
- Solve mathematical or logical problems, systematically
🖌 Designers use left-brain thinking to strengthen their design.
This mindset helps to:
- Ensure usability of the product interface
- Reason about the viability of a particular feature
- Analyze the user’s core problem to solve
🧠 Right-Brain Imaginative Thinking
💻 Developers use right-brain thinking to expand upon previously documented methods for using code.
This mindset helps to:
- Explore ways to use existing technology in order to achieve something new
- Imagine simple or clever ways to solve seemingly impossible problems
- Write code in an intuitive format that’s easy to understand
🖌 Designers use right-brain thinking to enhance product experiences.
This mindset helps to:
- Create intuitive and delightful products or visuals
- Imagine life and daily rituals from the perspective of a user
- Invent new approaches to existing paradigms
🔀 Where the Roads Meet
The science of brain function is constantly developing (just like us, ha!) — regardless of which part is responsible for these mindsets, it is extremely difficult to focus on both, simultaneously.
The core belief behind Two’s Complement (2C for short) is that our best work is produced when multiple people collaborate at once, each bringing a focus on analytical or imaginative thinking. This can obviously work at scale, but the complement between two people is perfectly balanced. When Nico Valencia and I work side by side, taking turns focusing on analytical and imaginative perspectives. We stitch this philosophy into our workshops, training, and design + development process.
We have found a handful of similar teams that balance these forces well. Here are a few that inspire us:
- Charles and Ray Eames
- Berger Föhr
- TNKR Design Co.
About the Authors
Katy and Nico are Partners at Twos Complement, a design and technology studio in Boulder, Colorado. Connect with them everywhere @katyjeremko and @nico_valencia.
We want to know, what do you think? How do you balance the left-brain and right-brain in your process? Share your thoughts, give feedback, and comment below! 👏🏼
