Making better things: 5 questions for the makers of things to ask – Part 1. Qs 1 to 3.

First, the spoiler. The five questions are:

Phase 1: Be subjective

• If not the thing you’re currently making, what thing would you rather be making?

Phase 2: Be objective

• Does the problem you want to build the thing to solve exist?

• Do people trust the thing you’re making to solve it?

• How much value do they place in its being solved by the thing you’re making?

Phase 3: Be subjective

• Do you want to be the one to do it?

Question 1: If not the thing you’re currently making, what thing would you rather make?

Alternatively: if not the problem you’re currently solving, what problem would you rather solve?

At its core, I think of every endeavour – be it personal, professional or creative – as being born out of a need or desire: either stated or unstated. Endeavour is another word, in a sense, for the ‘invention’ whose mother is ‘necessity’. Seen through this lens, we’re all makers of things.

We’re makers of things rather than senders of emails.
Makers of things rather than owners of products.
Makers of things rather than session drummers.¹