http://www.threadless.com/ Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:10:28 -0500 Thu, 19 Apr 2007 08:48:55 -0500 Here it is!
The Psychological Analysis of a Bad Design
By Travis
Ever wonder what goes on inside the head of a person whose design gets dropped early?

The following is a sequential list showing the range of emotions that one goes through with a submission that is dropped early. I have made 9 submissions that have been dropped early so I think that I have developed a good idea of the chronology of these different psychological syndromes.

They go in order of severity.

1) Anticipation

Usually occurs minutes after the design is up for scoring. At this stage the subject is typically unable to see the crappyness of his design and is self-deluded into believing that it is the most cleaver idea ever thought of. This stage is usually accompanied by the obsessive clicking of the ‘refresh’ button (5-6 times a minute) to read the first comment.

2) First Comment Stage

This stage is what builds the false hope of the designer. It has been proven (through billion dollar research studies) that 73% of all bad submissions are first found by unusually nice bloggers. Leaving comments that focus on whatever possible ounce of good there is in the design such as “I really liked the thumbnail!” or “I like the shirt color!” or “I love how the guy is breaking into a bunch of crows!”

3) First Bad Comment Stage (Also known as the Emperor’s Wardrobe stage)

Just as the first villager spoke out to the fact that the king was in fact wearing nothing, the first negative commenter speaks out to the fact that the design is not very good. This usually evokes rage in the designer towards the first negative commenter, as all of the comments after his are realistic and negative. The designer at this stage is still holding on to the thought that his design is the greatest ever and all of these people are just idiots.

4) “Don’t talk if you haven’t designed anything!” Syndrome

Usually near the dropping of his design, the designer has started to see the flaws in it and has become defensive. He turns to the classic resort of searching the profile of every negative commenter and convincing himself that the people without designs of their own do not have the right to express how they feel. (This ironically doesn’t apply to those who left the good comments, who often also don’t have any designs of their own.)

5) Masking Syndrome

This is where the designer trys to play the horrible design off as a joke or as something not seriously meant to win. This is usually too late as the designer has probably left comments by now from syndrome #4.

6) Dropped stage.

The designer goes to the score designs page to check and see how it is doing. He goes to the page that it was located. Something is wrong. He clicks the refresh button thinking that it must be a glitch. He closes the browser and opens a new window searching the site page again for his design. He then attempts to restart his computer, re boot the motum, and call the cable company. When all of that doesn’t work, he takes the shameful journey into his profile to directly check on his design. It has been dropped and the designer reiterates this by making a profound statement like “Dropped early. :(” or “Dropped early. :((" depending on his level of sadness.


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