Art and science

#59 - Apr.2023

complement each other during your design journey.

While it's important to make data-driven decisions our rational bias can limit the potential of novel ideas, experimentation, and divergent thinking.

This is the art vs. science paradox. What is the right balance between intuition and rational thinking for decision-making?

I think we can use the best of both approaches. In the business context, intuition is often misunderstood or linked only to higher management hierarchies. Nevertheless, I believe it is a key strategic skill that every professional should develop.

Intuition should be informed. It builds on top of empiric and structured knowledge. What you consume and how you reflect on learnings refine your intuition - in design, this can be how deeply you understand your customer's needs. It then becomes a proxy for insights and wisdom from your experience.

Intuition and emotions aren't blockers for good decision-making. Acknowledging the role your emotions play is much more important. Informed intuition can promote speed of action when a decision is stuck within rational debates. If nurtured properly, your intuition can become a powerful design tool.