I just finished Little Bets, by Peter Sims. This book explores the similarities between a variety of creative processes. Sims examines stand-up comedy, pixar’s story boarding process, the agile software development process, and all kinds of other scenarios.

One thing that these processes all have in common, Sims argues, is failing forward. The key is iterative development. When developing new products at Proctor and Gamble, for example, designers will begin with rough sketches and low-quality prototypes. Once they get feedback from actual users, they can take that information and slightly improve their designs. Doing this repeatedly allows them to learn as they go, rather than designing a new product from the top down and then testing the market response. Continue reading →