The 5 levels of design originality ??

Welcome back. My long-awaited course "Making UX Decisions" is finally available for pre-sale - get $100 off until this Thursday (this slick landing page is built in Framer), so I'm celebrating by sharing one of my favorite chapters with you today.

I'm writing this from THiS24 (UserTesting Human Insights Summit) where I'm already filling pages of notes to share with you.

You can catch me on this week's Honest UX Talks podcast where we get into some spicy takes about the state of design in 2024. And I'm running on plenty of coffee as we wrap up this year's UX Tools Survey – the amount of moving parts is wild but the insights are going to be worth it.

—Tommy (@DesignerTom )

The Wireframe:

• My framework for deciding when to innovate
• The five levels of design originality
• When copying is actually the right answer

How I Decide When to Innovate

Here's a truth that took me years to accept: Not every design needs to be innovative. In fact, sometimes pursuing true innovation can actually harm your product's success.

Plus, many designers approach innovation backwards. They start with "how can we do something different?" when they should be asking "do we need to do something different?"

Here's my framework for making this decision →

1. Evaluate Market Position

• Are you competing on features or experience?
• Do users expect innovation or reliability?
• Could a novel approach be a genuine differentiator?

2. Assess Risk vs. Clarity

• How clear is the problem?
• How expensive would failure be?
• How much time do you have?

3. Consider User Cost

• Will users need to learn something new?
• What's the cognitive load of innovation?
• Is the payoff worth the learning curve?

The answers to these questions map directly to which level of innovation you should pursue. Let's break those levels down.

The 5 Levels of Design Originality

Think of design originality like a spectrum.

On one end, you have direct copies (Level 1). On the other, you have true innovation (Level 5). Most designs fall somewhere in between, and that's perfectly fine.

Note: This is from a module of my newly released course Making UX Decisions - it's on pre-sale for $100 off right now.

1. Direct Copies (Level 1)

Just straight-up copying what works. And yes, sometimes this is exactly what you should do. Perfect for standard elements that shouldn't be reinvented.

• Best for: Standard elements, rapid prototyping
• Example: Using a standard dropdown menu

2. Remixes (Level 2)

Combining proven solutions in new ways. This is where most good design happens - and there's no shame in that.

• Best for: Creating familiar but enhanced experiences
• Example: Combining social media tagging with traditional folder structures

3. Indirect Parallels (Level 3)

Borrowing ideas from other domains. Like using Spotify's playlist paradigm for managing documents.

• Best for: Fresh perspectives on familiar problems
• Example: Applying library cataloging principles to digital content management

4. Metaphors & Analogies (Level 4)

Using familiar concepts to explain new ones. Think "desktop" for computer interfaces.

• Best for: Making abstract concepts tangible
• Example: "Garden" metaphor for content growth and curation

5. True Innovation (Level 5

Creating entirely new patterns. Rare, risky, and usually unnecessary (but profound when successful).

• Best for: Addressing unmet needs or new possibilities
• Example: Novel AI-driven interface patterns

The bottom line: Most of us operate within levels 2 through 4—and that's perfectly fine. Aim for originality, but don't be afraid to learn from the past. Embrace the remix and adapt ideas from outside your domain. Focus on solving problems rather than being 100% original.

When Copying is Actually the Right Answer

I want to address the most misunderstood part of the spectrum: Copying. Copying isn't just okay - sometimes it's optimal.

When should you copy?

• Standard features (login, settings, basic CRUD)
• Time-sensitive projects
• Market parity features
• Low-risk components
• When users expect familiarity

Remember: Your job is to create value, not win design awards. Sometimes that means swallowing your ego and copying what works.

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Ask DesignerTom: When is true innovation worth pursuing?

Question: "How do you know when it's worth pursuing true innovation versus staying with more proven approaches?" —Marcus K.

Answer: In my experience, true innovation is worth pursuing when three conditions align:

1. Existing solutions are genuinely inadequate
2. You have resources to support extensive R&D
3. Users are willing to learn new paradigms

If any of these are missing, you're likely better off working within levels 1-4 and finding creative ways to remix or adapt existing solutions.

Remember: The goal isn't to be innovative for the sake of innovating—it's to solve problems effectively.

See you next week,

Tommy

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