Research collective
advancing niches amongst others
We hear the saying “niches create riches,” but many can sometimes feel unsure what is that skill or attribute that makes us stand out. A step zero in the process is first mapping out what niches already exist.
3% Rule
In reality, everyone is copying or mimicking someone else but to stand out you just need to apply a nifty rule the designer and architect, Virgil Abloh developed. He tells us that in order sufficiently design you must alter an existing “thing” by only 3%. After researching what already exists, picking something you like and changing it just a little bit is all you need.
Feedback loops
After the realization that there are no new ideas but minor alterations, the concept of competition quickly fades away. In a research collective the goal is to help one another refine the 3% on our designs so they take their own life form. Within that space, it’s more plausible to discover niche.
Intentional community
A collective needs regulation in order to preserve the tenets of the whole. While not every aspect needs to be controlled, there must be broad agreements that enable people with some sort of methodology to maneuver the complexity of creative environments.
Photos from my good friend Mo.