The Fallacies of Perfection in Design

Understanding the Concept Better to Move Forward Faster

“Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems, in my opinion, to characterize our age.”
— Albert Einstein

Perfection is subjective.

What one person considers to be a perfect design may not be the same for another person.

Perfection is often unattainable.

There is always room for improvement and it is unrealistic to expect that any design will be perfect.

Perfection can stifle creativity.

The pursuit of perfection can lead to a lack of experimentation and risk-taking, which can inhibit creativity.

Perfection can be time-consuming.

The pursuit of perfection can lead to an excessive amount of time spent on a design, which can be inefficient and costly.

Perfection can be costly.

The pursuit of perfection can lead to an excessive amount of resources being spent on a design, which can be financially costly.

Perfection is often unnecessary.

In many cases, a design that is “good enough” is sufficient and any additional effort spent on trying to achieve perfection may not be worthwhile.

Perfection can be limiting.

The pursuit of perfection can lead to a narrow focus on certain aspects of a design, which can limit the potential of the design.

Perfection can lead to overdesign.

The pursuit of perfection can lead to the inclusion of unnecessary elements or features, which can clutter the design and make it less effective.

Perfection is often a moving target.

As design trends and preferences change, what is considered “perfect” may also change, making the pursuit of perfection an ongoing and potentially futile effort.

Perfection is not the same as excellence.

While perfection may be unattainable, excellence is achievable and should be the goal of design. Excellence involves creating the best possible design within the constraints and limitations of the project.