We’re working on something new over here. We’re stuck on the design for a certain screen. Over many months we’ve probably been through a dozen concepts with dozens of minor tweaks to those concepts.

In all this work, and all the usage, and all the trials, and all the tweaks, I’ve spotted a pattern. Things that look good at the end of the day often don’t look good the next morning.

The end of the day has a way of convincing you what you’ve done is good. The next morning has a way of telling the you truth.

And that’s fine. Design is a process of experimentation and elimination. You should be excited to have your mind changed and throw things away.

This isn’t news, of course. “Sleep on it” has been great advice since forever. But it’s been a good reminder that the next morning isn’t just a block on the calendar, it’s a great design tool in itself. Use it to your advantage.