Fly fishing makes great product designers

In my career I've found the most inspiration outside of the domain I'm working in. Sometimes its adjacent, like hardware hacking conferences where hobbiests show off their inventions. I've been inspired to translate their relationship with creating technology to the using technology experiences that I've helped design.

A less adjacent, but probably more in sync inspiration has been fly fishing. First, I'm not a life-long fisherman. I would fish as a kid most summers. Dry Creek was walking distance behind our house and it was always fun to go on an adventure but then I went to college, and didn't fish. Then moved to New York City, and didn't fish. Then New Jersey, and finally the Hudson Valley of NY, but I still didn't fish. It wasn't until I stopped commuting four years ago that I picked up the hobby again. (thank you COVID). While I don't have the experience of others, I do have a fresh passion for it - and I've noticed some inspiring things.

The act of fly fishing is really and act of product design. They both have environments, tools, customers, data, insights, communities, successes and failures. In fly fishing, you have be aware of the natural surroundings, the type of water, the behavior of the fish, and the insects that the fish are feeding on. This knowledge is crucial for selecting the appropriate fly and technique. Similarly, in product design, designers need to have a deep understanding of their target audience, including their needs, preferences, and the context in which they will use the product. This user-centric approach ensures that the presentation of a fly or a product is relevant and effective.

Another parallel between fly fishing and product design is a test and learn process. Fly fishing often requires experimentation with different flies, casting, and retrieval to find what works best in a given situation. Anglers must be patient and willing to adapt their strategies based on feedback from the fish and changing conditions. In product design, iteration is a fundamental part of the process. Designers create prototypes, test them with users, gather feedback, and make improvements. This cycle continues until the product is ready for the world. Sounds great, but in both fishing and product design that isn't enough though.

One thing you only learn with experience is that you catch fish when the fish are eating and you don't grow a product marketing it to the wrong audience. Too often I've impatiently arrived at a river, grabbed my gear, and charged in with what I thought would be the best fly and the best cast to the best spot to catch a fish. I skip the research of what insects are in the air and under rocks, the temperature of the water, and the direction of the wind. Hours later, dehydrated because I forgot my water, I foolishly wonder what's wrong with the fish.

Sometimes though, and this has happened multiple times, I catch a fish in the first 20 minutes. It's an incredible feeling hooking that first customer, but it's risky because it can also create a false sense of how easy the day is going to be.

I see the same mistakes in product design. Too often research is skipped, or worse made-up with synthetic data and idealised user stories. The product is iterated on with feedback that is more 'what the team wants to hear' than 'what they need to hear'. Marketing dollars are put in the wrong channels, to the wrong people and these teams wonder what's wrong with their customers, competitors, or the world in general. Or worse, they get a few early customers and celebrate in false success until the negative reviews start coming in.

Creativity and innovation are the antidotes to this hubris. I've started to learn to tie my own flies. The process has taught me about what has worked for others in the past and how my environment is changing. With warmer temperatures insects are appearing at different times. Color variations are also showing up. I recently saw a video of schools of lake catfish feeding on cicadas, like a trout would with mayfly. Unheard of!

I've also learned there is a science to the tools. Tippet is the thin line that connects your fly to your fly line. In the water it should be invisible to a fish and common sense would suggest the thinnest tippet that won't break for the type of fish you are after. Common sense isn't quite right though. Your tippet should be sized to the fly you are using. If you are throwing a size 16 fly your tippet should be 3 or 4 times less. A four or five weight in other words. This equation balances the weight of the fly to the line so your casts are smooth and the fly presents to the fish gently.

Product design is no different. Environments and expectations are changing. (working from home for example - thanks COVID) Being able to use the tools to create or market a product is essential to a successful product strategy. Innovation comes from pushing the limits of what has been done before and what is thought to be possible. Can you really know what's possible if you don't know what it's made of? If not, commit some nights and weekends to the entire system of your product, not just the metrics of growth.

These are examples of critique as inspiration, but what about when you get it right? When you take the time to do the research, gather real data, and talk to real users. When your attention to detail is sharp and the execution is well recieved. In fly fishing it creates a deep connection with nature and a tangible reward in catching a fish. When a product is successfully launched and receives positive feedback from users, designers feel the endorphine rush of accomplishment and satisfaction.

You see this in the stories anglers tell and the case studies product designers create. There is a certain energy to the hardest things being the best won so it's obvious which stories are embellished and which aren't. The best story and experience attracts a reputation. In fishing that might be a new friend, in product that is word of mouth that leads to new customers and teammates.

This is the secret to both fishing and design. Designers take the insights they gained, the skills honed, and the user feedback received to inform their next project, continuously striving to create better and more innovative products. With fishing it leads to learning new tools, the next trip, and new types of fish.

So next time you're looking to fill a design role, ask them how they caught their last fish.

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