I am all about removing friction for end users. Anything we can do to design and engineer complexity out of the way is always worth considering and usually worth doing. Good architecture is not about how complicated a design actually is. It’s about how simple it can be, and then, how simple it can appear to be.

Often we see leaders preferring to operate primarily in positive space. After all, everyone likes good news and a can-do attitude, and I absolutely understand how critical this can be in building trust and inspiring confidence.

Even so, I think the right kind of friction can be good and even necessary to meaningfully move things forward.

We already know as humans that useful friction (applied with thoughtful and constructive intent) is required to turn rocks into sculpture, remove jagged edges that can hurt someone, and polish a functional machine into a desirable object so the intended user wants to touch it and use it. Dare we add: they might even enjoy using it.

An example: I think brushed metal is beautiful. For me, it conveys strength, resilency, and a sense of calm. I also know there are intense, even violent processes required to create it. Friction yields beauty when applied constructively.

And of course, people and their ideas are different, and friction can be uncomfortable. When we say “let the best ideas win,” someone usually feels like they lost. It’s important to find and engage with those folks, help them understand why the crucible produced the result it did, and encourage them to continue contributing in the future.

Leaders should embrace and channel useful friction to guide their teams in building the best possible solutions, then seek to remove useless friction from the user experience.

February 2024 Update

I’m sure I hold this opinion because of my experience and interactions, but also I’m pretty sure it’s largely inspired by this great story from Steve Jobs recorded in 1995. I didn’t actively recall it when I wrote this, but it’s very good.