Slow is Smooth, and Smooth is Fast: Why Rushing Doesn’t Cut It in Design
There’s a phrase I’ve come to appreciate:
slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.
It originally came from military training, but I’ve found it fits perfectly into how I approach web and graphic design.
If you take your time and plan things out, the process will naturally become smoother and, ultimately, quicker.
I’ll admit, in my early teaching days, I used to fly through demonstrations.
Whether it was building websites, designing PowerPoint slides, or creating posters in Canva, I’d race through, showing off what I could do. But I realized it didn’t help anyone, especially beginners. It left people behind, and frankly, it was more about me showing off than giving people the tools to create something great themselves.
That’s where “slow is smooth” came into play for me. I now focus on guiding my students and clients to slow down, plan properly, and think through their work.
And the magic of it? It speeds up everything in the long run.
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Front-Loading Time = Less Stress Later
One significant benefit of slowing down is front-loading your time. Putting in a bit more effort upfront can save a lot of hassle later on.
For example, if I’m designing an event poster, I don’t just dive into Canva and hope for the best. I start with a rough draft—grab a notepad, chalkboard, whatever works—get a few ideas sketched out, and tear them apart.
I ask:
Have we got all the important details front and center?
Who’s the main focus here? Is it clear?
Are we prioritizing the right messages?
That 10 minutes of planning saves me so much back-and-forth later. Without it, you end up stuck tweaking endless little details.
But with a solid plan, you’re off to the races.
Keep It Simple, Especially at the Start
Here’s the thing: you don’t need to get fancy with your tools right away. When I say “plan,” I’m not talking about opening up complex software. Grab a pen and sketch out ideas or wireframes with simple black-and-white layouts in Canva. You can use tools like Square Forge as you get more comfortable, but when you’re starting, keep it simple. The goal is to get your ideas down quickly, not to worry about every tiny detail.
Show Your Rough Work Early
Another key part of this process? Show your rough ideas to your client early. Even if it’s just a basic sketch, get their feedback now, so you’re not blindsided later by a missed detail or major change.
As crazy as it sounds, slower is, indeed, faster.
So, next time you jump headfirst into a project, remember: slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.
Front-load your time and plan things out; the whole process runs smoother and faster than if you rush in blind.
Let me know if this helps, and share your thoughts below. I'm always happy to chat about this stuff!
Cheers,
Elwyn
