Many people may be familiar with these sayings:
“The best is the enemy of the good.” (Voltaire)
“Politics is the art of the possible, the attainable—the art of the next best.” (Bismarck)
“Perfection is the enemy of progress.” (Churchill)
These statements capture our attention because they seem counterintuitive. Many people instinctively associate better performance with greater perfection. But are these sayings true? The answer lies in physics, not opinion. Through the lens of natural evolution, the impact of adding more freedom to a design becomes evident. This applies to all designs, whether natural or man-made. In this process, diversity emerges naturally, and it persists over time. The discovery reveals that diversity is a natural phenomenon, distinct from man-made design. Like all natural phenomena, diversity emerges and endures over time whereas artificial or imposed diversity is inherently unsustainable and tends to fade.
Freedom and access to movement
The answer lies in physics, not opinion. Through the lens of natural evolution, the impact of adding more freedom to a design becomes evident. This applies to all designs, whether natural or man-made. In this process, diversity emerges naturally, and it persists over time. The discovery reveals that diversity is a natural phenomenon, distinct from man-made design.
Like all natural phenomena, diversity emerges and endures over time whereas artificial or imposed diversity is inherently unsustainable and tends to disappear. This article briefly illustrates how imperfect design leads to freedom and adaptability. Many similar examples are discussed in the author’s recent books for the public.
Movement across areas
The design (configuration) of an inhabited area influences people’s access within it. In such spaces, movement occurs in two primary ways: slower movement across open areas (e.g., walking), and faster movement along designated paths (e.g. driving). Examples of this universal design principle include airports, city blocks, floor plans in buildings and airplanes, as well as aisles and shelves in libraries, stores, and data centers (Figure 1).
Credit. Author
The simplest model is a rectangular area wherein movement occurs in two ways: slowly (across open spaces) and quickly (along defined paths). As the shape of this area changes, the time required to traverse it changes as well. At a certain point, the design reaches a configuration that minimises travel time and maximises performance. This configuration can be considered ‘perfect.’ However, slightly imperfect designs—those that deviate from this theoretical perfection—allow for greater flexibility. They give us freedom to adapt, move, and change, while still performing at a nearly optimal level. This concept explains why imperfect designs often work better in real-world settings.
The advantage of imperfection: More freedom to change
What happens when we aim for a ‘near-perfect’ design instead of absolute precision? The answer lies in the freedom to adapt. Even a small imperfection creates room for diverse choices that maintain high performance. For example, when a design misses perfection by a small margin, the range of acceptable alternatives widens. This freedom allows us to choose slightly different shapes or configurations while still achieving excellent results (Figure 2).
Credit. Author
Movement along a path
The same principle applies to movement along linear paths, such as animal locomotion. Consider the way birds fly. Their movement follows a zig-zag pattern because of the periodic motion of their wings. Birds must overcome resistance as they move forward (horizontally) and lift their bodies (vertically). At a certain speed, which is predictable the combined effort required to fly is minimised. Even small deviations from this ‘ideal’ flying speed allow for flexibility in movement while maintaining efficiency. This imperfection provides birds with a range of speeds to adapt to changing conditions.
Important is the direction of the design change. No matter how small, imperfection translates into considerably greater freedom to choose an accessible design that performs at nearly the best level. More degrees of freedom in changing the design of movement (flow) translate into greater performance. A small degree of imperfection comes with a wide band of diverse choices.
Lessons from target shooting
The principle of flexibility through imperfection can also be seen in target shooting. The ultimate score is awarded to shots that hit a finite area—a disc—rather than a single point. The disc represents the freedom to adapt. By aiming for this broader target, shooters can move quickly to the next target without fixating on absolute precision.
This lesson extends to all evolving designs. Increased access allows decision-makers and users to recognise useful configurations more quickly. While the absolute ‘best’ may be unattainable, the ‘near best’ is both achievable and effective.
In nature, evolution favours what works. Rivers, for example, do not waste time perfecting their pathways. They flow around obstacles and adapt to the landscape. Similarly, all living and non-living systems evolve by embracing flexibility and change. To fixate on a single, perfect design is to forfeit the opportunity for growth and progress.
Final thoughts
Evolution is a never-ending process. The freedom to explore slightly imperfect designs leads to greater adaptability, faster progress, and sustained life. To evolve is to renew, adapt, and embrace what works. True progress lies not in perfection, but in the ability to move forward with flexibility and freedom.
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Journal reference
Bejan, A. (2023). Perfection is the enemy of evolution. Biosystems, 229, 104917. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystems.2023.104917
