Useless Projects: Catalyst for Creative Ideas

The idea is, the fewer constraints we’re exposed to, the more authentic the artwork becomes. While this may not be commercially viable right away, that’s not the point.

I want to initiate something that can bleed into future concepts—a platform, an incubator, where designers can show not what is, but what could be. It’s about experimenting with styl... See more

Can you give an example?

Sure. In the past, Google encouraged its employees to use part of their workday for passion projects—without requiring them to align with the company’s strategic goals. One of the outcomes was Gmail, one of the most used apps outside of their search engine.

inspired by a quote from design icon Charles Eames:

"My dream is to have people working on useless projects. These have the germ of new concepts."

Before we talk about "useless" projects, let’s take a moment to look at a "useful" one. In a typical project, a designer’s creative potential often sits buried, like a dormant hydrogen atom, as compromises and decisions by committee guide the client/creative relationship. Many of the ideas that ignite excitement in the designer are worn down by the... See more