A process full of errors is actually great

We often see design—and any other creative endeavor, for that matter—as great only when the final product has been perfected through craft and creativity. While that’s true, there’s something else behind it: we usually reach this so-called "perfection" through trial and error (nothing unheard of here). But the main point that’s actually interesting is "error". And I say that because we always praise “the trial” and we dread “the error”. We’re really afraid of mistakes. We don’t like them. They make us look bad. They expose our inefficiencies. And let’s be honest, most of us would rather avoid them altogether. For. Ever.

So most of us (agencies but also sometimes creatives themselves) have created structured processes that are designed to make creativity efficient. These processes describe specific steps and ideas that lead to the "perfect outcome". Yet, what is often overlooked is that creativity thrives on a unique, almost random element that cannot be forced or scripted. Without this, creativity becomes a formula rather than something authentic.

However, to get the best of out a creative process, we have to allow the space and freedom for failure. This doesn’t mean the entire process should fail, but that we should create parts where things are uncertain—moments where you work without being sure of the final outcome.

Of course, this approach requires a bit of courage and a deeper understanding of the creative process. You can't box creativity into a fixed process without making it a rigid formula. Nor can you plan to fail; as errors don’t happen on command or follow a specific step.

But once we find the courage to go on this path, we need to cultivate an active curiosity. One that allows us to view mistakes differently. When an error occurs—and trust me, it will—it should be seen as an opportunity, a chance for new possibilities instead of a dead-end. This mindset helps us break free from our comfort zones and explore unexpected possibilities.

And all this is not as instinctive as it sounds. Two things need to happen at the same time. It requires our own openness to be vulnerable, to embrace potential failure, to miss that important deadline, or even more, to question our own skills. And it requires that we can fail. The more advanced the tools are, the less effort is needed to get to the final result, which, in turn, makes it harder to fail and embrace the interestingness of error.

This is, of course, great for (economic) efficiency, but is it that great for creativity?

ARTICLE OF THE MONTH

It’s not an article, but you can treat it as a long read.

That’s all.
Until next time

Cheers,
Andrei