I was sketching a jacket for 6 months before I saw the real problem

Kept adding more pockets, zippers, even a weird hood shape, thinking it needed more 'features'. Then my friend flat out said 'Joel, who is this for, a spy or a person?' That hit hard. I was designing a costume, not clothes someone would actually wear to the store. How do you pull back from over-designing something?

3 comments

3 Comments

averywright4mo ago

Start by asking who would actually use the thing you're making. Keep a photo of a normal person using a normal version of it nearby while you work, it helps. The goal is to make stuff people use, not just look at.

holly_price4mo ago

Totally read a blog post that said the same thing.

dakota_taylor391mo ago

Oh come on, why do we always assume function over form is the only way to go? People buy stuff all the time just because it looks cool like that neon water bottle that barely keeps ice cold for an hour but everyone wants it cause it glows. Sometimes the whole point is just having something that makes you feel a certain way, not if it shaves 2 seconds off your morning routine. Ever stopped to think about how many "useless" things people really love like funky desk toys or weird lamps that barely light a room? Not everything has to be mission critical, you know.