Flaws could be features

Muse #563 - if they are fit for purpose

Sunday, August 07, 2022

I fill my daily medicines in my pill cases once a week. Pink for the sunrise and blue for the sunset times. It also helps me track if something runs out so that I can call my pharmacist or doctor for refills. It acts as what is called a “Kanban” as they call it in Lean practices. A flag. A signal to do something. To act. Anyway, I digress.

After years of working hard, the lid of one of the pillboxes broke away. But after pondering for a while on whether I should replace it, I actually identified with it as a feature. After all, I fill my medicines each Sunday morning and after filling them I am going to take those pills immediately from the Sunday morning partition. So, I now do not even have to open or close it as an extra step. It was accretive and improved the product to be more fit for my purpose that its initial design. It all depends on our perspectives and how. we value things.

Strange are the ways with things, aren’t they? Now, what would I do if any of the other lids broke? That is for another day to figure it out. But for now, my faithful pill boxes continue their service for me, with me.