Creative Strategy
April 4, 2021
Closeness

If closeness to our work is about knowing, distance is about forgetting.

Open Reference

The closeness of our work distorts judgment.

When we spend time with something, we become closer - in the sense that you know it more.

After we complete something, we stand back and look at our work - we don't just see the result - we bask in the work's memories. Hard work makes the review of what we did sweeter. Like a 7 mile hike in the snow to Warrener Tower fire lookout, the challenge makes the view better.

Professional designers make strategies to get distance between themselves and their work.  

If closeness to our work is about knowing, distance is about forgetting.
And forgetting gives us the perspective.

Strategies to create distance and get perspective.
1. Make more than one viable iteration. Explore more than one path that you would take. (Don't trick yourself with fake alternatives.)
2. Leave it be; once you finish some work, don't look at it for a few days
3. Pretend it's not yours. Give feedback and ask for it in this way.

Still, I can't help but find this idea of closeness is in tension with the idea of just shipping work; sometimes you have to move forward - you can't wait a day.

Knowing how to handle the closeness of your work should not be an excuse to hide your work. Proximity is not always bad - sometimes, you have to trust your first take.

Be close or be far,
just look up and see
where you are.

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