--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If designers and researchers do not…" description: "\"“If designers and researchers do not sometimes fail, it is a sign that they are not trying hard enough—they are not thinking the great creative thought..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c9/donald-a-norman-6862_creativity_if-designers-and-researchers-do-not-some_225316.jpg" --- # If designers and researchers do not sometimes fail, it is… ![“If designers and researchers do not sometimes fail, it is a sign that they are not trying hard enough—they are not thinking the great creative thoughts that will provide breakthroughs in how we do things. It is possible to avoid failure, to always be safe. But that is also the route to a dull…” quote by Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c9/donald-a-norman-6862_creativity_if-designers-and-researchers-do-not-some_225316.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c9/donald-a-norman-6862_creativity_if-designers-and-researchers-do-not-some_225316.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c9/donald-a-norman-6862_creativity_if-designers-and-researchers-do-not-some_225316.jpg) > ““If designers and researchers do not sometimes fail, it is a sign that they are not trying hard enough—they are not thinking the great creative thoughts that will provide breakthroughs in how we do things. It is possible to avoid failure, to always be safe. But that is also the route to a dull, uninteresting life.”” [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Failure is essential for creative breakthroughs; avoiding it leads to mediocrity. **In simple terms:** Failing fuels innovation. Key Takeaway Embrace risk for breakthrough ideas. Themes creativity risk innovation Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - product development - research projects - entrepreneurial ventures Key Concepts design thinking creative failure Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance risk and safety? - What safeguards help when experimenting? A Different Perspective Failure can cause wasted resources if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [If you don't fail now and again, it's a sign you're playing it safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/if-you-don-t-fail-now-and-again-it-s-a-sign-you-re-playing-it-safe/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [“At some point, most of us reach a place where we’re afraid to fail, where we instinctively avoid failure and stick only to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/at-some-point-most-of-us-reach-a-place-where-we-re-afraid-to-fail-2/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [He who hopes to avoid all failure and misfortune is trying to live in a fairyland; the wise man realistically accepts failures as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilferd-peterson/he-who-hopes-to-avoid-all-failure-and-misfortune-is-trying-to-live-in/) [Wilferd Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilferd-peterson/) > [“Miss Rook,” he said, “the greatest figures in history are never the ones who avoid failure, but those who march chin-up through countless failures,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/miss-rook-he-said-the-greatest-figures-in-history-are-never-the-ones/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [Those who hope to avoid all failure and misfortune are trying to live in a fairyland; wise people realistically accept failures as a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilferd-peterson/those-who-hope-to-avoid-all-failure-and-misfortune-are-trying-to-live/) [Wilferd Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilferd-peterson/) > [“At some point, most of us reach a place where we’re afraid to fail, where we instinctively avoid failure and stick only to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/at-some-point-most-of-us-reach-a-place-where-we-re-afraid-to-fail/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“The only way to avoid failure is to sit in a corner and do nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/the-only-way-to-avoid-failure-is-to-sit-in-a-corner-and-do-nothing/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [While entrepreneurs spend a lot of effort trying to avoid failure, sometimes the lessons one learns from those missteps can be invaluable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-howes/while-entrepreneurs-spend-a-lot-of-effort-trying-to-avoid-failure/) [Lewis Howes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-howes/) > [“Failure is part of the process of success. People who avoid failure also avoid success. —ROBERT T. KIYOSAKI Susan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/failure-is-part-of-the-process-of-success-people-who-avoid-failure/) [Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/) > [I think in life the key thing is just to fight really hard to make sure something survives. If it looks like you've done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-think-in-life-the-key-thing-is-just-to-fight-really-hard-to-make/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“People who avoid failure also avoid success.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-t-kiyosaki/people-who-avoid-failure-also-avoid-success/) [Robert T. Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-t-kiyosaki/) > [“The attempt to avoid failure, in other words, makes failure more likely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/the-attempt-to-avoid-failure-in-other-words-makes-failure-more-likely/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [If you avoid failure, you also avoid success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/if-you-avoid-failure-you-also-avoid-success/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [If you're remarkable, then it's likely that some people won't like you. That's part of the definition of remarkable. Nobody gets unanimous praise -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/if-you-re-remarkable-then-it-s-likely-that-some-people-won-t-like-you/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I will work day and night to avoid failure, but if I can't, I'll pick myself up the next day. The most important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-will-work-day-and-night-to-avoid-failure-but-if-i-can-t-i-ll-pick/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) ## More by Donald A. Norman > [“key to winning the race is not to compete against machines but to compete with machines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/key-to-winning-the-race-is-not-to-compete-against-machines-but-to/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [ Hypertext makes a virtue out of lack of organization, allowing ideas and thoughts to be juxtaposed at will. \[...\] The advent of hypertext is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/hypertext-makes-a-virtue-out-of-lack-of-organization-allowing-ideas/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [We delude ourselves if we believe that skilled behavior is easy, that it can come about without effort. We forget the years of tuning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/we-delude-ourselves-if-we-believe-that-skilled-behavior-is-easy-that/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [“Could we ever switch to this or any of the many other rational systems? Unlikely: tradition is difficult to overcome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/could-we-ever-switch-to-this-or-any-of-the-many-other-rational/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [People Propose, Science Studies, Technology Conforms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/people-propose-science-studies-technology-conforms/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [What makes something simple or complex? It's not the number of dials or controls or how many features it has: It is whether the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/what-makes-something-simple-or-complex-it-s-not-the-number-of-dials/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Only the most sophisticated of beings can lie and cheat, and get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/only-the-most-sophisticated-of-beings-can-lie-and-cheat-and-get-away/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Any time you see signs or labels added to a device, it is an indication of bad design: a simple lock should not require…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/any-time-you-see-signs-or-labels-added-to-a-device-it-is-an/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Good design is also an act of communication between the designer and the user, except that all the communication has to come about by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/good-design-is-also-an-act-of-communication-between-the-designer-and/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [“We need to remove the word failure from our vocabulary, replacing it instead with learning experience. To fail is to learn: we learn more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/we-need-to-remove-the-word-failure-from-our-vocabulary-replacing-it/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [When I use a direct manipulation system whether for text editing, drawing pictures, or creating and playing games I do think of myself not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/when-i-use-a-direct-manipulation-system-whether-for-text-editing/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [“Radical innovation is what many people seek, for it is the big, spectacular form of change. But most radical ideas fail, and even those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/radical-innovation-is-what-many-people-seek-for-it-is-the-big/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Technology usually provides a series of tradeoffs. Each asset is offset by a deficit...A major problem occurs when those who suffer from technology's defecits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/technology-usually-provides-a-series-of-tradeoffs-each-asset-is/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Simplification is as much in the mind as it is in the device.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/simplification-is-as-much-in-the-mind-as-it-is-in-the-device/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [I think a successful company is one where everybody owns the same mission. Out of necessity, we divide ourselves up into discipline groups. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/i-think-a-successful-company-is-one-where-everybody-owns-the-same/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) [Explore all 97 Donald A. Norman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) ## More Creativity quotes > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“The Soviet “creative intelligentsia” - that is, people accustomed to thinking one thing, saying another and doing a third - is as a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-amalrik/the-soviet-creative-intelligentsia-that-is-people-accustomed-to/) Andrei Amalrik > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/a-rock-pile-ceases-to-be-a-rock-pile-the-moment-a-single-man/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [You don't get lucky. You create lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/you-don-t-get-lucky-you-create-lucky/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“You are the end of beauty and creativity one must have created so far.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/you-are-the-end-of-beauty-and-creativity-one-must-have-created-so-far/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Jonah Lehrer is one of the most talented explainers of science that we’ve got. What a pleasure it is to follow his investigation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/jonah-lehrer-is-one-of-the-most-talented-explainers-of-science-that/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [If you've got creativity, imagination, and intelligence, and you want to be hypnotised, then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/if-you-ve-got-creativity-imagination-and-intelligence-and-you-want-to/) [Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/) > [“I believe in magic. As a writer, I create them on blank paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonnia-kemmer/i-believe-in-magic-as-a-writer-i-create-them-on-blank-paper/) [Sonnia Kemmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonnia-kemmer/) > [Creativity is like chasing chickens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-niemann/creativity-is-like-chasing-chickens/) Christoph Niemann > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [Create an environment for people to fail, to learn, and to grow. Their creativity and productivity will increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/create-an-environment-for-people-to-fail-to-learn-and-to-grow-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 13,625 Creativity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If designers and researchers do not sometimes fail, it is a sign that they are not trying hard enough—they are not thinking the great creative thoughts that will provide breakthroughs in how we do things. It is possible to avoid failure, to always be safe. 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