Try three iterations

I’m often asked, “How many times should we iterate?”  Surprisingly, in my many years of working with design thinking, I don’t recall ever hearing a satisfactory answer. As often as you need to? Until you’re finished?

Based on my experience applying DT in many different contexts, here’s my rule of thumb: three iterations.

I find that, regardless of what I’m working on (e.g., a storyboard, a presentation, a define statement, a workshop agenda, a coding project, or a talk script), it usually takes me three good iterations to feel confident in the work.  This happens so consistently for me, that I plan for it.

Allowing myself three iterations takes the pressure off the first version, and ultimately speeds up my work.  Once I stumble through a first super-rough draft, I usually have a good sense of what to focus on and what needs to change.  And then, as the second slightly more resolved version comes together, it becomes clear how to refine and finalize key details.

The next time you find yourself working on something that requires a little creative thinking, whether it’s a 10 minute task, a 10 hour project, or 10 week initiative, see if using three iterations helps.