A sharp manifesto.
Manifesto for Sharp Solution Design.
Like our colleagues in the software development community, we are uncovering better ways of designing innovative solutions by doing it and helping others do it.
Through this work we have come to value
Unbiased empathy for real people over best-practices and heuristics.
A love for complex challenges over off-the-shelf solutions.
The fearless sharing of ideas over defined roles and procedures.
Efficiency and expertise over volume and margin.
That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.
Principles behind the Sharp Manifesto.
We follow these principles
Anyone—regardless of role or experience—can be a designer.
Empathy is the most important skill we bring to the table. Empathy makes it possible for us to focus on other people’s needs, create solutions for real problems, improve peoples’ lives, become better problem solvers, and become better people.
Good design is as simple as possible. While complexity is natural and unavoidable, good design renders complex problems understandable and actionable without instructions.
Our clients’ success is more important than our recognition.
Our clients and partners are our users. Everything we deliver—from the most basic email to the most sophisticated specifications—must exceed their needs and expectations.
Design depends on frequent collaboration. While we are experts in a process, our clients and partners are experts in their subjects and our users are experts in their lives.
Progress is more important than perfection. The iterative delivery of our best work is the most effective way to advance projects and grow as designers.
The selfless assessment of process and scope of work—before, during, and after delivery—aligns all parties and improves the quality of work without sacrificing schedules and budgets. Avoiding introspection and conflict perpetuates disfunction and leads to overruns.
Talented people don’t need to be co-located to produce great work.
We fail or succeed as a team. Whatever challenges we face, facing them together makes every day more rewarding and productive than the day before.
A diversity of social, economic, gender, sexual-orientation, and career backgrounds makes for a more successful and insightful team who create more better solutions.
Fair wages, salary transparency, a healthy work-life balance, and professional development are the most effective investments in creative output.