beIncomplete

BeIncomplete is a coined term used to describe a state of ongoing formation, partial completion, or openness to revision. It treats being as a process rather than a finalized condition, emphasizing temporal development and transformative potential.

Origin and usage: The term combines the auxiliary verb be with the adjective incomplete to signal that completion is not a fixed endpoint. It has appeared in discussions within digital culture, process philosophy, and design discourse to characterize projects, ideas, or experiences that intentionally remain open or unfinished.

Applications: In philosophy, beIncomplete resonates with process ontology and the idea that entities are constituted by becoming rather than static essences. In software and product development, the term is used to describe features or systems that are deliberately iterative, in beta, or subject to ongoing revision. In arts and criticism, it is used to frame works that invite ongoing interpretation or interaction and resist definitive closure.

Reception and critique: Some scholars and practitioners view beIncomplete as a productive reminder of impermanence and potential, while others criticize it as a rhetorical device that may obscure accountability or impede planning if misunderstood.

See also: Process philosophy; Becoming; Potentiality; Agile development; Iterative design; Beta.