Making Good Trouble

As designers in the trifecta model (your balance of engineering, product management and design might be called something else), it can often feel like we’re in a constant state of reaction, adjusting to new feasibility discussions from engineering or responding to product management around viability or change in scope. More often than not, we champion or create positive change, but we can’t address every issue along the way. We iterate, improve, and adapt, but sometimes that means the problem you’re passionate about doesn’t get tackled in the first sprint.

Designing software is never a perfect process. There are times when compromises happen, and something that affects the user experience slips through. It’s in these moments that we need to rely on the healthy tension within our teams to guide us—the kind of tension that leads to better outcomes and stronger products.

What Is Good Trouble?

Good trouble can happen when you see a predetermined solution that leaves little room for exploration or alternative approaches and you choose to voice your perspective anyway. Even if the team seems to be moving forward without pause, this is when good trouble matters most.

Good trouble isn’t about slowing things down; it’s about applying your expertise to make things better. It’s about challenging assumptions, raising flags, and advocating for the best possible user experience. When handled well, this tension is not an obstacle, it’s a catalyst for exceptional work.

Good trouble doesn’t mean creating roadblocks or conflict for the sake of it. It means holding ourselves accountable and fostering a collaborative, productive tension.

Good trouble is the healthy amount of tension in your team, that tension is what ships the best work. Raising, flagging, advocating that pushes us to deliver the best possible work

Acknowledging the Reality

It’s important to stress that healthy tension stays just that, healthy. It’s not an excuse for toxic behavior, nor does it condone creating an unsafe or uncomfortable working environment.

I recognize that speaking up is easier said than done. Not everyone feels equally comfortable or empowered to apply pressure or challenge decisions. There are privileges, dynamics, and individual circumstances that influence whether someone feels safe to make good trouble.