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The Process Police

David Gane
David Gane
— 1 min read

From the 52 Weeks of UX

The “Process Police”, people who go around espousing their preferred process as the right way to do things…as if those who aren’t doing the process are designing complete rubbish. And it gets worse…there are folks who say “Oh yeah you’re doing the process but you’re doing it wrong”…that their version of personas is the One True Way.

I am always fearful that people will think that I believe my class is the “One True Way”.

It is a way but one of many. It is how my writing partner and I get from start to finish. I know there are other ways to build and write a story.

I believe process defines us as writers, just like all the other choices we make as we build our story. Making choices is not a part of the process, it is the process.

I try to say at the same thing at end of the final class: Now forget everything I said and start writing. It was to make sure they didn’t quit writing because they weren’t able to follow the rules. Now, it can be also so they make their own. Story might be better off because of it.

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David Gane

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Co-writer of the Shepherd and Wolfe young adult mysteries, the internationally award-winning series, and teacher of storytelling and screenwriting.

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