It’s never been so easy to create prototypes and churn out interesting approaches. When Claude or ChatGPT can create 50 different API designs in minutes — all you have to do is ask for it! — the essential skill is no longer generating work. It’s about managing the vast number of options available, recognizing what aligns with your goals, and saying no to the ones that don’t meet the bar.

Creatives have long known that trying to solve a problem without constraints can be paralyzing. Too many options can lead to analysis paralysis and decision fatigue. Sometimes the most important thing to do is define some guardrails just so that you can limit the possibility space and move forward. Otherwise, you can find yourself drowning in possibilities, shipping kitchen sink features, or constantly pivoting between half-explored ideas.

As I learn (and re-learn) how to use LLMs in my work, I keep having a flashback to 2013 and Apple’s WWDC opening video about product design that I return to time and time again. Its message seems more relevant than ever:

The first thing we ask is what do we want people to feel? Delight. Surprise. Love. Connection. Then we begin to craft around our intention. It takes time. There are a thousand no’s for every yes. We simplify. We perfect.

Now that AI can turbocharge your creativity and generate nearly infinite variations of solutions in seconds, thousands of no’s probably aren’t enough. Every decision, even the smallest ones, can shape increasingly large outputs. As generation cost drops exponentially, the ability to curate becomes even more essential to creating things now.

When I had Claude review this post, it came up with an interesting related thought:

Your piece reminds me of the paradox of choice research - how people are actually less satisfied when choosing jam from 30 options versus 6. But now we're not choosing between 30 jams, we're choosing between infinite jams that can be instantly reformulated. The cognitive load is unprecedented, which makes your point about guardrails and saying no even more critical.

Thanks Claude! You got that exactly right.