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Often the most important moment in the design process is figuring out what the right question is.
Thomas Heatherwick
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The key to effective design lies in identifying the right question to address.

This quote emphasizes the significance of understanding the core issues before diving into the design process. It suggests that finding the right focus or question not only guides the design but also ensures that the solutions created are relevant and impactful.

Themes

DesignQuestionsProcessUnderstandingProblem-Solving

In practice

Example use cases

In a design workshop, this quote can be used to guide participants on how to focus their brainstorming.

More from Thomas Heatherwick

I have a strong sense that every project is an invention, which is not a word I hear being used in architecture courses.
Thomas HeatherwickRead
I try to be a positive person, but I'm also always looking and wondering, 'Maybe this could be done differently.' As soon as your mind is in a critical mode, you're halfway through designing; as soon as you start thinking about whether something could be better, you're already halfway through a solution.
Thomas HeatherwickRead

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