Point of View
18 Sep 2026
Designing for Productive Friction
Why the most memorable brands leave a little resistance in the system.
Smooth is not always memorable.
The instinct to remove every moment of effort can flatten a brand into perfect anonymity. Productive friction is the deliberate pause, contrast, or surprise that makes an experience feel authored.
Design the pause.
A slightly unexpected crop, a decisive transition, or an editorial shift in scale can turn navigation into narrative without sacrificing clarity.
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