Error Magnets

Warning: obsessively nerdy.

Strolling through an exhibition recently (not designed by us, of course) I noticed … an error magnet. 

Argh! My nemesis.

What’s an error magnet?

It’s a minor creative idea likely to cause a major production error. A pointless detail only designers like me would love.

High risk, no reward.

This particular one was a “fussy alignment”. The gallery floor tiles were meant to line up perfectly with the floor tiles in a big display case. But they didn’t. The case had to move slightly, because a power outlet was in the way. All those perfect alignments became dozens of crooked, glaring mistakes.

It was an idea no one would have noticed, if it had gone right. But it became an error everyone could see, when it went wrong. Better to have made the case floor pattern completely different.

That same exhibition had a graphic of a tree spanning several different panels. The graphic didn’t align on any of them. Argh!

See? I warned you.

Here’s the thing: 
Error magnets are minor creative ideas likely to cause major production errors.

Have an experienced eye look over everything — before error magnets become errors.

Warmly,
Jonathan