2446:Micro Improvements Lead to Innovation: A Reflection on Design

 

Though I have never worked in the design industry, I’ve come to appreciate that good design, whether in products or processes, is about distillation—eliminating the unnecessary to highlight the essential. At its core, a well-designed object or system should be intuitive and functional, serving its purpose in the simplest way possible.

This principle of stripping down to essentials reminds me of an evolutionary metaphor: our tail. Humans, unlike monkeys, no longer have visible tails. Why? Because over time, the tail ceased to be necessary for human survival. Its primary functions—balancing on branches or aiding in tree climbing—became irrelevant as we evolved. Nature, in its own way, “designed out” the tail. In industries, similar evolutions take place. Technologies that once seemed indispensable slowly become obsolete, replaced by more efficient solutions.

Take, for example, the evolution of car antennas. Until the 1980s, most cars featured steel, expandable antennas. Today, such designs are virtually extinct, a relic of a bygone era, much like a Galapagos species that has failed to adapt. Similarly, early laptops relied on the SCSI interface for connectivity—an essential tool in the early Windows era. Now, it’s been replaced by the more versatile USB-A, and even that is being phased out for USB-C, which may soon become the new standard.

But design isn’t just about physical products. It applies to our work environments and lifestyles as well. Refining our processes and removing unnecessary elements in how we live and work can be just as important as designing tangible objects. As someone advocating for an effortless, cross-border working style, I see the need to continuously refine and "design" my approach, removing inefficiencies and focusing on what truly matters.

One of the pioneers of this way of thinking is David Kelley, founder of IDEO, whom I first encountered during my MBA studies. At the time, his ideas resonated with me, but it’s only now that I fully grasp their significance. Design thinking, as Kelley framed it, isn’t about large leaps—it’s about micro-improvements that accumulate over time to create something innovative. Every small refinement, every bit of unnecessary complexity removed, brings us closer to a more effortless and efficient way of doing things.

As I continue to learn and evolve, I realize that the journey of understanding design is endless. There will always be room for improvement, and that’s the beauty of it. Our work, our lives, and our innovations will forever be shaped by the small, incremental changes that, when added together, make a world of difference.