The Overnight Test

January 29th, 2026

I have a personal design verification technique I use to check whether a mockup or solution is good enough to move forward.

After designing something, I don't show it to my team or client right away. Instead, I pause. One night, to be precise. I literally sleep on it.

The next morning reaction is the test.

My first feeling decides the direction: either I scrap it and start over, or I keep refining.

Why it works

It's a simple, early-stage check. Not data-driven. Not validated with users. Not demoed to anyone. Entirely gut feeling.

But there's something about that fresh-eyes moment — before Slack pings, before coffee, before the day pulls you in — where you just *know*.

If I open the file and feel "yes, this is it" — I move forward. If I feel even a hint of "eh..." — I know I'm not done.

When I use it

Not for every iteration. But definitely before:

• Sharing with a client for the first time

• Presenting a new direction

• Finalizing something that will get built

It's not a replacement for feedback or testing. It's a filter — a way to avoid wasting other people's time reviewing work I'm not confident in yet.

Sleep on it. Trust the morning gut.