Start at the End to Achieve the Desired Result
When you are working on a creative project, it is sometimes helpful to start working on the last part and work backwards, as Edgar Allen Poe often did with his poetry.
As a creative system add. The magazine notes that the famous author often began writing from the last parts of his poems, using them as a template and as a target for the rest of the poem. When he had purpose in mind, he knew how to deal with some of the problems that came up in the beginning:
On the first I wrote my last stanza. This allowed him to define his structure and progress, and also gave him the ability to gain a degree of importance and wit. He also established the rhythm, meter, length and general arrangement of his stanzas. Defining an initial set of constraints helps set the parameters of the experience. Poe believed that a popular poem should be short, and was limited to about a hundred lines. He developed a tonal trajectory that contributed to his desired beauty effect. In doing so, Poe set limits on both form and feeling. What are the ideal structures, rhythms, durations, themes, and tones of your brand’s key points of contact? It may sound counterintuitive, but working backwards from the desired effect is often the best way to map the purchase path.
This can work in many areas. If you’re trying to write a book, start with a climax. If you are developing an application, start by designing how it should be used. When you start out with a clear definition of the outcome, you can give yourself a filter for whatever you are working on.
Edgar Allen Poe on Design Experience | Miscellanea. Journal for 99u