From Fog to Form: How Design Turns Uncertainty Into Progress

Embracing Uncertainty

I’ve been reflecting on uncertainty lately. As someone who likely spends too much time online reading news about politics, the economy, and emerging technologies, and just generally living in the world, who can blame me?

That same sense of unpredictability shows up in our work. The most challenging yet rewarding aspect of working in a design practice is the constant feeling of unease and how we work through it. Emerging tools can change our workflow overnight, and clients expect expertise in areas that were barely jobs a few years ago. It feels nearly impossible to keep up with constantly evolving trends and ways of working. It took me years to understand that this isn’t an unfortunate side effect of the work, it’s the point. Learning to navigate the fog of uncertainty is part of the job, and the rewards lie in gradually understanding and mastering it, for ourselves and the people we work with.

From Questions to First Sketches

We’re not alone in dealing with uncertainty. Increasingly, our clients come to us with challenges that are more complex and ambiguous than ever. Often, they aren’t even sure what problem they’re trying to solve, let alone how to begin solving it. There’s no clear plan, no fixed destination: just a desire to make progress, and a lot of questions.

On large projects involving multiple teams, complex goals, and a wealth of interconnected information, everyone tends to stall at the outset. Writers don’t know what to write. Developers don’t have specs. Project managers want timelines but don’t yet know what’s being built. And leadership can’t picture what success will look like. There’s a lot of talking but not much action.

So, how do we move forward when no one is quite sure where “forward” is? For us, it starts with building something—anything. The first thing might be rough or wrong, but it gets you to the second, better thing. And then the third. That’s the real power of design: making ideas tangible before anyone’s sure they’re ready.

In discovery, we ask questions, run workshops, gather input, and listen closely. The goal isn’t to extract a fully formed plan, but to uncover patterns, priorities, and possibilities. These early conversations build trust and alignment, but potential solutions remain abstract and unclear. That’s why we take the initiative to sketch based on our best-informed guess.

Initial sketches can range from a rough thumbnail on a whiteboard to a more polished representation using tools like Figma. While these sketches may appear messy, they contain just enough information to move the project forward. Sometimes, a simple box or two with arrows and a few words can ignite a meaningful discussion and build momentum. Ideally, this process occurs in real time with the client and other stakeholders involved.

Turning Uncertainty Into Momentum

This jumpstart in the process helps people begin to see the possibilities. Writers begin to imagine their content approach. Developers can start sizing up the scope and structure. Clients begin to see their ideas reflected and expanded before them. We all move forward together.

These artifacts act as a foundation for further input and refinement. They are not answers; they are catalysts. These first outputs are precisely what’s needed when no one knows where to begin.
As designers, we’re trained to unpack the mess and make sense of it. We rarely know the final destination when we begin, but we trust the process entirely. When we continue to sketch, build, and share, the path always becomes clearer.