Clarity Comes from Engagement

Spending time designing a system, message or business requires getting clear about how something should work, flow or connect. I have not found that this can be done in isolation. I need to bounce ideas off of others and work to get insights to integrate into the design.

Socially, we understand this. We have friends to talk things through when we have problems. It’s a way we get clear for ourselves. The mirroring, challenging and agreement help us make sense of what we are trying to formulate in our heads.

When it comes to putting together what has to happen next, you can start the process with a piece of paper or keyboard to get something started. However, working with your customer, trusted advisors and team members help to enrich and complete the solution. We simply need engagement to get clarity.

By the way, when you invite someone to think with you, be sure to frame the conversation. It’s not about perfection in presentation or your work-in-process. It’s about working together to refine a thought or design. Sometimes, it’s hard for people to watch how the sausage gets made if they are perfectionistic.

If you are stuck trying to get clarity, pick up the phone. Put a meeting together. Lead by getting conversation going and getting your thoughts and strawman designs out there for people to refine. You can get to better outcomes by teaming and interacting.

Who can you call to get clarity on an idea?