Show the work early and often

Why this rule exists

The instinct to hide a design until it is polished is natural and almost always a mistake. Work kept secret until it is finished has had no chance to be corrected, so it arrives carrying every misunderstanding and wrong assumption it began with, now expensively built. Showing rough work early feels vulnerable precisely because it invites the feedback that improves it, and the sooner that feedback comes, the cheaper the change. A shaky sketch shared on day one can be redirected in minutes; a beautiful comp revealed on day ten may be wrong in ways that now cost days to fix. Frequent, low-stakes sharing also keeps everyone aligned, surfaces constraints you did not know about, and spreads ownership so the final design is not a surprise anyone has to be sold on. The polished reveal is an ego pleasure with a real cost. The habit of showing unfinished work is how designs get better while there is still time.