Platform Design

I found this beautiful refection on the process of collaboration, it’s many meanings and it’s many pitfalls. While the article is frames by collaborative poetry it’s very relevant for any creative collaboration. The article just struck me when thinking about Platform Design. While PD is not collaboration it’s a kind of serial collaboration meets exquisite corpse.

Here are there resulting ten commandments. While I think number five could have been phrased better all in all it’s quiet interesting.

1. Thou shalt trust thy collaborator's art with thy whole heart.
2. Thou shalt trust thy collaborator's judgment with thy whole mind.
3. Thou shalt trust thy collaborator's integrity with thy whole spirit.
4. Honor thy own voice.
5. Honor thy collaborator's spouse.
6. Thou shalt not be an egotistical asshole.
7. Thou shalt not covet all the glory.
8. Thou shalt love the same foods as your collaborator.
9. Thou shalt eat and tire at the same time.
10. Above all, honor the muse.

It got me thinking about what the ten commandments of Platform Design might be like…

1. Thou shalt expect another to expand your design beyond your vision.
2. Thou shalt want another to have as much freedom as possible with your design.
3. Thou shalt trust the future to bring surprises in your design.
4. Thou shalt solve all the basic design requirement in a creative and highly ethical manner.
5. Thou shalt envision an open system.
6. Thou shalt not be an egotistical asshole.
7. Thou shalt not covet all the glory.
8. TBD
9. TBD
10. Above all, be the muse.

Here is the article by Denise Duhamel and Maureen Seaton