New and flashy ≠ effective

Don’t confuse new and flashy for effective.

That’s not to say new and flashy services, programs, or products can’t be effective. They can absolutely create the impact you and your collaborators are designing for.

But sometimes, we set ourselves on creating what we perceive as the most “ground-breaking” or “disruptive” solution, that we land on something that doesn’t make much sense while overlooking ideas with much greater potential for impact.

So try not to be romanced by innovation for the sake of innovation.

(Or—let’s be honest—by the ego boost that comes with receiving the innovation accolades handed out within the design community.)

Instead, focus on impact, collaboration with folks closest to the work, and the metrics of success that matter to those most impacted by the design.

If that means moving forward with something new and flashy, fantastic. If that means going with something simpler or a variation of something that already exists, you’ve still got something to feel great about.

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