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Constructive Laziness

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Overview

Constructive laziness is a design instinct that treats repetition as a signal. Instead of solving the same problem repeatedly, it seeks to alter the structure that makes the repetition necessary.

It manifests in patterns that invite simplification: a reused approach, a refactored structure, or an initial pass generated by a tool. These early forms may lack clarity, but repetition marks them as candidates for refinement.

Constructive laziness operates through deferral and feedback. It doesn’t reject the task; it questions the structure around it. Patterned effort indicates where abstraction should occur.

  • Friction — constructive laziness often arises where friction signals a pattern not worth repeating.