Make a mess, then clean it up.

When I encounter any new design problem, I always start the same way: I make a mess.

I grab whatever assets I have, hastily sketch out ideas, and scribble down notes as I study the problem. It’s messy and disorganized, an explosion of creativity where speed is the priority. My output will appear nonsensical to everyone but myself.

After a while, when I have a really large mess, I’ll switch gears and start to clean things up. I’ll sift through the dirt and find the hidden gold nuggets.

The mess evolves; It takes shape and transforms from disorder to order.

Then I’ll get messy again. It’s a loop, a cycle, a dance performed over and over again as I work towards a solution. Each iteration adding polish and logic to the mess, like a sculptor chiseling away to reveal the finished piece.

For me, this loop isn’t just a stage in my process; It _is_ the process. This is design, in all its messy, marvelous glory.