Monday, 29 November 2010
“It’s weird to say your life needs more friction. But I think mine does. Distractions are so easy to get to, there’s almost no good reason not to partake. Unless I count the one big reason: we all have big, important, useful work we could be doing.”
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This is from January of this year. I wrote it thinking “I need to apply a bit of friction for myself to aim my focus, to prevent myself from getting distracted.” Which is true. But now, a few months on, I’m thinking a bit differently about friction in a larger context.
We’ve been trained to optimize. That’s typically our job as designers, but what’s the last thing you loved that was easy to get? You have to wait in line for the really good restaurants, but that’s part of the experience. That rare Japanese pressing of that LP you love? You probably love it because of the hunt, the story. Girls play hard to get for a reason. (It works.)
Friction is an important part of any experience, and if designers are more frequently designing experiences, I think we should acknowledge that the presence of friction is important. When we overly optimize, everything becomes lubricated, and thus easy and disposable. Some resistance is good. Careful placement of friction breeds loyalty. As a person who makes things, I want to make things that people love.
There’s no time for anything else.
(via viafrank)
(Via via Frank.)
