Right now, I am designing a quite difficult and important user interaction for an application. When I get in this mode, I like to use paper, pencil, and different color pens. It feels like kindergarten again. Pieces of paper spread around my desk and others are taped to the whiteboard and wall.
During this creative exploration, one of the things I have learned to respect is a secret natural law that prevents me from rushing this process. My best ideas come in waves. They have rhythm, a natural lifecycle. Rather than being pushed and grasped, these tender things, still unnamed, need to be caressed, seduced into becoming a concept.
Like a beautiful woman accosted by a suitor, beautiful ideas retreat with disdain when pressed too hard. And just the same, I cannot ignore the idea completely showing no interest.
So, I walk along with them and let them go where they must go first—but stay close. Then, if am lucky, they unexpectedly hold my hand and kiss me on the cheek.
This is hard work.
