Steps vs concept

If you memorize the steps, you have a direct, simple and fast path to obtain the result.

Until the world changes.

Even the tiniest shift in the system will render your memorization useless.

On the other hand, if you understand the concept, you’ll be able to produce the steps whenever you need them.

This reminds me of Illustrator tutorials. Recently I needed to follow a tutorial to try out a specific text effect, and I meticulously followed all 24 steps toward completion. I didn’t, however, have any true understanding of what I'd done.

The difference is in really understanding the whole from the specific parts. When you know how something works inside and out you can redo the steps in any order you like, having a sense of your goal the whole time.

With design it’s very similar. Things are changing so quickly that any list you’d share for “steps to a good design” would become obsolete.

Understanding then, the goals of the project, how to manipulate the tools, and then where to insert AI into specific steps, helps keep you focused on where you need to go.

Via Seth Godin.