Not Fully Ready: A Designer’s Best Place To Start
In a nutshell
- Planning and making aren’t separate — they’re one motion.
- Authentic work often begins before you feel ready.
- Improvisation isn’t a flaw in the process — it is the process.
- “Aichaku” (愛着) is the love you grow for what you’ve made with care.
- AI is fast, but only humans can design with soul (= accountability).
- Imperfection is often the most honest part of the work 😉.
A designer is someone who constructs while s/he thinks, someone for whom planning and making go together.
A designer is someone who constructs while thinking — someone for whom planning and making occur simultaneously. This idea captures the heart of authentic design: the seamless integration of thought and action. When these processes flow together, design becomes an honest expression of the designer’s intentions, decisions, and creativity.
Making art always begins from the compromised position of not being fully ready — improvisation readily closes the gap.
In my experience, authenticity in design often emerges from moments of uncertainty. Making art and design always begins from the compromised position of not being fully ready. There’s never a perfect time or state of complete preparedness. Instead, authenticity comes from embracing this incompleteness and turning it into an opportunity for genuine improvisation. Improvisation, in turn, quickly closes the gap between uncertainty and creativity.
Aichaku 愛着 (love-fit) captures that special bond when an object fits your life so perfectly you immediately cherish it, blending love and perfect fit into one.
The Japanese term “aichaku,” or “love-fit,” resonates deeply here. It describes the emotional bond we form with objects — not just for what they do, but for their essence, the personal stories and subtle imperfections they carry. Think of a well-used notebook, worn by years of thoughtful writing, or a handcrafted mug shaped by gentle imperfections that tell its unique story. These objects become treasured because they embody authentic human qualities, reflecting the real, imperfect moments of creation.
When it comes to any creative endeavor, the selection of process is often more meaningful than the specific outcome.
This is precisely why authenticity matters so much today, especially as technology and artificial intelligence streamline and accelerate creative processes. While AI excels at precise, efficient creation, it can’t replicate the spontaneous, improvisational quality of human decision-making or the emotional depth inherent in our personal narratives. Authenticity, then, becomes our greatest differentiator.
Creative technologists are the vibrant glue in innovation ecosystems, blending design, art, and engineering to craft human-centered technology. They help make complex tech accessible, ethical, and delightful, driving forward new possibilities in AI and beyond.
As a designer or creative technologist, your greatest strength is your willingness to act boldly even when you’re not fully prepared. Your authenticity emerges not from perfect planning, but from the courage to move forward through uncertainty, continually refining ideas through practice and reflection. Planning and making must always be intertwined — each action informing the next in a continuous dialogue.
Letting go accelerates the getting going.
Ultimately, true authenticity in design lies in embracing imperfection, celebrating improvisation, and crafting objects that carry a genuine human story. By keeping this approach at the center of your creative process, you’ll create work that resonates deeply, remains meaningful, and endures beyond mere functionality. Get going! — JM
