🔗 Why You Should Hit Delete More Often

Cierra Martin at the Gapingvoid compares the similarities between the process for great writing and achieving great design:

There’s an old saw in the copywriting business that the copywriter’s most useful tool is their delete button…

In industrial design, it’s not uncommon for the designer to create hundreds of prototypes before deciding on the final version… All we’re really doing is a form of editing.

The other thing to consider is that a lot of great creative work is the direct result of the “less is more” ethos. Apple’s first iMac came without a floppy disk reader, which got a lot of people howling in protest…

Often what separates the great creatives from the mediocre ones is NOT the result of inherent talent, but the fact that a much greater percentage of their output ended up in the trash can.

Using another example in Apple history, I believe the most powerful and instructive demonstration of this principle was during the introduction of Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in 2013. Sadly, Apple recently archived the video from the official Youtube channel.¹ However, you can still watch the original in video podcast form or a faithful reproduction like this one on Youtube.

The statement of intention explains the thoughtful process and design philosphy that Apple has always taken, shared with confidence and pride. This aspirational purpose drives how Apple rolls.

The real work in creative process and knowledge work is investigation, synthesis, and reductionism. Clarity of purpose and vision will magnify motivation and output.

There is no shortcut.