Recently, there's been a tendency for product and user experience designers to place a heavy emphasis on process, suggesting that a well-structured, step-by-step approach can invariably lead to well-designed products. However, it's important to remember that some of the most transformative products in the world were born out of less structured, more chaotic processes. Take Dropbox, Airbnb, Uber, Stripe, and Pinterest as examples. These products didn't emerge from the standard processes often advocated by user experience experts. Instead, they were typically the result of a founder encountering a personal problem, and then creatively and spontaneously devising a solution.

This observation serves as a gentle reminder that the essence of a design process should embrace the lessons from these unstructured journeys. The elements of chance and adaptability play crucial roles in diving into the depths of creativity and curiosity. An effective process is one that is guided by the discovery of new opportunities and the pursuit of curiosity. Musicians like Charlie Puth have echoed this sentiment, attributing their inspiration for entire songs or albums to everyday sounds or the reimagining of beloved classics.

Embracing divergent thinking, entertaining hypothetical 'what ifs', and conducting thought experiments should all be part of the creative arsenal when seeking inspiration for a new design. The initial step of designing products is akin to taking the red pill in The Matrix or venturing down the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland. The creative process begins by immersing oneself in the maze of ideas that leads to understanding. This involves researching competitors, personally trying out workaround products, creating mock-up solutions in timed settings, and any other method that allows you to fully immerse yourself in the world of what you are creating.