Friction
Overview
Friction refers to structural resistance that slows interaction or delays resolution. It appears in systems that obscure next steps, repeat steps before progression, or force hesitation through ambiguity or constraint.
Rather than blocking progress, friction alters the shape of engagement. It introduces complexity, delays interpretation, and shifts attention from outcome to structure.
Friction slows automation. It resists efficiency in favor of sustained focus, interpretive effort, or recursive awareness. In some cases, it also marks the point where abstraction or redesign becomes necessary. This often prompts patterns like constructive laziness.
In systems that evolve over time, friction preserves complexity.
Iterative Systems may use friction intentionally to slow progress rather than halt it. Repetition, delay, or re-encountered ambiguity can deepen understanding across passes.
Related Concepts
- Iterative Systems — iteration may introduce friction through repeated or delayed passes
- Weirdness — both introduce resistance, but weirdness acts more symbolically or semantically
- Constructive Laziness — often triggered when friction exposes a pattern that no longer justifies repetition
- Constraint — friction often arises when structural limits slow or redirect interaction