Clear writing exposes sloppy thinking

I write a lot. Because it helps me think clearly.

My mind gets continually clogged up with too many thoughts. Writing is like opening a valve and letting all those thoughts pour out. Seeing my thinking take form as words allows me to reflect and build on them.

When I create designs, I also write out the rationale supporting my designs. I should be able to argue against my designs better than anyone else.

Writing isn't helpful just for me. I work with other people, so it’s helpful for them to see my thinking as well. Here’s how I think through writing in a team:

• In meetings, I share my screen and take notes so that everyone’s aligned.
• In workshops, I capture thoughts and questions the participants might have. It assures them that their concerns have been captured.
• In my 1:1s, I always write my thoughts out (but I don’t always share it).

We can’t read each others minds (yet), so we use substitutes: words, pictures, sounds, and gestures. Speaking and gestures are primitive forms of communication, so some details get lost. Words and pictures make the lack of understanding visible.

I'm not a fan of sitting in a meeting and talking at each. It’s amazing how quickly you can achieve alignment when everyone sees the same words. Clear writing exposes sloppy thinking.

Good thinking = good design. Writing is how you get there.

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P.S. Most of my writing isn’t public. What you read here is 3% of my writing. Here’s where and what I write:

🌶️  LinkedIn: mild writing, mostly professional

🌶️🌶️ Twitter/X: informal takes on design

🌶️🌶️🌶️ Notion: my second brain and raw, unstructured hot takes

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ ☢️ Top secret: atomic-level hot takes. For my eyes only.