Necessary Friction

Consider trying to open a jar. Perhaps its lid is screwed tight and you are struggling to open it. Friction is working against you, perhaps painfully so, as you might injure your hand in the process. On the other hand, without friction, you would not be able to get a grip at all, failing to open the jar as well. Friction can get in the way, but is essential, too. It poses challenge, but also enables possibility. You may reach for a towel to get a better grip, essentially affording yourself more friction (while protecting your hand) than what is holding the lid in place. Friction here is largely something you see as a problem to solve. It is what is in your way to get the result you want. In knowledge work, we often strive to remove friction as much as possible. Per my previous post, Software Sludge, this can be quite positive, when it is about the removal of unsightly sludge. We use the term to mean this: any aspect of choice architecture consisting of friction that makes it harder…