Embracing Change

Reframe bad past investments as a stage to loosen attachment to them

With loss, perception is everything. As long as we've gained something, we can let go. How can you reframe past efforts?

As we're naturally inclined to avoid recognising our losses wherever possible, we exhibit unhealthy sunk costs, whereby we're unwilling to let go of a failing incomplete project, especially the more time, effort and money we'd put into it.

However, we'll be more willing to see the wood for the trees and let go of our past efforts and move on when our scenario is reframed as part of a bigger story.

As former Apple Designer Jonny Ive once said when creating the iPhone, the learnings from the processes to build the device we more valuable than the output itself. Sure, the outcome may appear more tangible by default, but how many new learnings, improvements and previously-unknown discoveries has this project now surfaced? In some cases, perhaps for a product that isn't so well-considered, these insights may be more valuable than its eventual release.

In such cases, the team may say "If we knew what we know now back at the start, we'd definitely not have built the product like this."

In this sense, how can you reframe peoples' past efforts not as wasted but as a necessary part of the creative process? What work or learning can be salvaged from your efforts thus far? Thinking in this way will greatly reduce any sunk costs, mistaken assumptions as well as repackaging what could otherwise be seen as a painful waste of resources into the nucleus for a brilliant new idea based on credible feedback and new insight that the team can truly all get around.

Embracing Change

Reframe bad past investments as a stage to loosen attachment to them

With loss, perception is everything. As long as we've gained something, we can let go. How can you reframe past efforts?

As we're naturally inclined to avoid recognising our losses wherever possible, we exhibit unhealthy sunk costs, whereby we're unwilling to let go of a failing incomplete project, especially the more time, effort and money we'd put into it.

However, we'll be more willing to see the wood for the trees and let go of our past efforts and move on when our scenario is reframed as part of a bigger story.

As former Apple Designer Jonny Ive once said when creating the iPhone, the learnings from the processes to build the device we more valuable than the output itself. Sure, the outcome may appear more tangible by default, but how many new learnings, improvements and previously-unknown discoveries has this project now surfaced? In some cases, perhaps for a product that isn't so well-considered, these insights may be more valuable than its eventual release.

In such cases, the team may say "If we knew what we know now back at the start, we'd definitely not have built the product like this."

In this sense, how can you reframe peoples' past efforts not as wasted but as a necessary part of the creative process? What work or learning can be salvaged from your efforts thus far? Thinking in this way will greatly reduce any sunk costs, mistaken assumptions as well as repackaging what could otherwise be seen as a painful waste of resources into the nucleus for a brilliant new idea based on credible feedback and new insight that the team can truly all get around.

Embracing Change

Reframe bad past investments as a stage to loosen attachment to them

With loss, perception is everything. As long as we've gained something, we can let go. How can you reframe past efforts?

As we're naturally inclined to avoid recognising our losses wherever possible, we exhibit unhealthy sunk costs, whereby we're unwilling to let go of a failing incomplete project, especially the more time, effort and money we'd put into it.

However, we'll be more willing to see the wood for the trees and let go of our past efforts and move on when our scenario is reframed as part of a bigger story.

As former Apple Designer Jonny Ive once said when creating the iPhone, the learnings from the processes to build the device we more valuable than the output itself. Sure, the outcome may appear more tangible by default, but how many new learnings, improvements and previously-unknown discoveries has this project now surfaced? In some cases, perhaps for a product that isn't so well-considered, these insights may be more valuable than its eventual release.

In such cases, the team may say "If we knew what we know now back at the start, we'd definitely not have built the product like this."

In this sense, how can you reframe peoples' past efforts not as wasted but as a necessary part of the creative process? What work or learning can be salvaged from your efforts thus far? Thinking in this way will greatly reduce any sunk costs, mistaken assumptions as well as repackaging what could otherwise be seen as a painful waste of resources into the nucleus for a brilliant new idea based on credible feedback and new insight that the team can truly all get around.

Hungry for more?

What's Cooking?

New Nugget In The Wild

How Experian's CreditLock creates calm with well-designed control
How Experian's CreditLock creates calm with well-designed control
This week

New Cheat Sheet

New "Overcoming Status Quo" Cheat Sheet
New "Overcoming Status Quo" Cheat Sheet
This week

Improvement

Simplified navigation
Simplified navigation
This week

Improvement

After ten years, just who is behind Coglode?
After ten years, just who is behind Coglode?
This week

Feature

Interactive Defaults Tool released
Interactive Defaults Tool released
This week

Coglode Live

Defaults Live video and deck now available
Defaults Live video and deck now available
This week

Cure

Cancelling Amazon Prime - An interactive, behavioural remedy
Cancelling Amazon Prime - An interactive, behavioural remedy
This week

New Nugget In The Wild

How new browser Arc overcomes Status Quo bias with Boosts and Zaps
How new browser Arc overcomes Status Quo bias with Boosts and Zaps
This week

New Cheat Sheet

New "Overcoming Risk Aversion" Cheat Sheet
New "Overcoming Risk Aversion" Cheat Sheet
This week

Feature

Cheat Sheets redesigned - Includes Checklists
Cheat Sheets redesigned - Includes Checklists
This week

Coglode Live

Self-Expression Live video and deck now available
Self-Expression Live video and deck now available
This week

Coglode Live

Self-Expression Live event announced
Self-Expression Live event announced
This week

Coglode Live

Feedback Loops video and deck now available
Feedback Loops video and deck now available
This week

Feature

Figma Behavioral Design System released
Figma Behavioral Design System released
This week

Feature

Figma Behavioral Design System sneak-peek
Figma Behavioral Design System sneak-peek
This week

Coglode Live

Feedback Loops Live event announced
Feedback Loops Live event announced
This week

Coglode Live

Prospect Theory video and deck now available
Prospect Theory video and deck now available
This week

New Nugget In The Wild

Reframing service fees as benefits
Reframing service fees as benefits
This week

Feature

Cookbook for Teams announced
Cookbook for Teams announced
This week

New Nugget In The Wild

Deliveroo's tipping system, behaviourally deconstructed
Deliveroo's tipping system, behaviourally deconstructed
This week

Improvement

Nuggets In The Wild component redesigned and rebuilt
Nuggets In The Wild component redesigned and rebuilt
This week

Feature

Completed core of forthcoming Nuggets Library for Figma
Completed core of forthcoming Nuggets Library for Figma
This week

New Nugget In The Wild

Flora case study into overcoming stagnant social proof
Flora case study into overcoming stagnant social proof
This week

Coglode Live

Open Access Prospect Theory Event added
Open Access Prospect Theory Event added
This week

New Nugget In The Wild

Case study that reframes product waste into a playful second life for cats
Case study that reframes product waste into a playful second life for cats
This week

Improvement

Improved persistent login pane
Improved persistent login pane
This week

New Pairing

New combo of Nuggets that reinforce the 'best' choice centrally
New combo of Nuggets that reinforce the 'best' choice centrally
This week