Work toward progress and remember that perfection is an illusion.

Design is indeed a tricky profession, as it involves navigating the development of concepts, prototyping, and iterating towards valuable outcomes. However, there is a common tendency among students to strive for perfection, even though designers understand that perfection is an illusion. Instead, designers should aim to satisfy a combination of constraints to create valuable solutions, knowing that there will always be room for improvement.

We often seek confirmation rather than using user interviews as opportunities for intervention and improvement. There seems to be an underlying belief that the first concept we come up with has to be perfect, or else we perceive it as a personal failure.

Fixation occurs when designers become attached to their own ideas, limiting possibilities. Stuckness arises when designers isolate themselves and don’t seek feedback. The design process stalls and it feels as if there is no way forward.

To address fixation, we recommend play-based workshops that challenge designers to rapidly and radically reframe their design projects. By considering how other people and stakeholders view the project and designing for them, designers can open up entirely new ways of approaching their work.

To overcome stuckness, we refer to Principle 5 and 7. Students who feel stuck in their projects often isolate themselves and avoid sharing their work with experts, peers, and teachers. By not engaging with the strength of the design community and the potential of collective insight, these students put unnecessary pressure on themselves to have all the answers. It is important to recognize that sharing projects and seeking feedback can provide fresh perspectives and help overcome challenges.

By embracing the iterative nature of design, challenging fixations, and actively seeking feedback and collaboration, designers can break free from perfectionism and overcome stuckness, leading to more innovative and valuable outcomes.