Feed—back

Feedback is essential to our work. The etymology of the term always bugged me: feed and back. Like a force dragging us back. Historically the word comes from the electrical systems lingo to describe machine outputs. Now we use it for human interactions, I prefer to think of it as ‘step back’. A need for a different maybe new angle. When working in teams, you reach out to colleagues or clients, you ask around. Sometimes you’d better lose yourself elsewhere, wander (have a break, go for a walk…) before coming back with a refreshed view on the problem you’re trying to solve. In our process we use the word ‘review’, which I feel more comfortable with as it’s closer to flow and progress. View again and move on. Like in the physical world, where perspective and depth prevail, helping us moving away from flat and shallow decisions.

— Guillaume