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Good Design is Invisible: Understanding Designโ€™s Impact

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February 17, 2020

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Branding

Good Design is Invisible

This article was updated on 10/04/2024

One of the most memorable Steve Jobs quotes that exemplifies the idea of invisible design.

Thoughtful product design is necessary for a business to grow to the next level.

So why is it that good design is invisible? Thereโ€™s an ever-present lack of awareness on designโ€™s impact on businesses. The perception of design is frequently that it is either too expensive or simple enough for a non-designer to complete in-house. The digital tools and advertisements of the twentieth century have provided a false sense of design ability. Behemoth companies with huge budgets like Coca Cola spend about 4 billion dollars on design per year. ย One billion of that sum is spent in the United States. So, if all the corporate giants are in on the secret โ€” why doesnโ€™t it seem as valuable to everyone else?

Good Design is Invisible

If youโ€™re involved in the creative industry, youโ€™ve probably heard of the phrase โ€œgood design is invisible.โ€ย  If it doesnโ€™t ring familiar, no worries, weโ€™ll explain. It means that when something is well-designed, you donโ€™t notice itโ€™s there or how easy it is to use.

Take a look at the user interface of a smartphone as an example. Because we use it on a daily basis, we fail to appreciate its well-designed simplicity. Brilliant, uncluttered, and user-friendly.

An example of a smartphone user interface: Something that we often forget is how simple it is to use these devices, which is by design. Often, we refer to ease of use as UX or User Experience.

Another excellent example of invisible design and great UX is the Nest Thermostat. When it first appeared, it transformed how we engage with our home’s climate. The device learns your routine and preferences, and adjusts the temperature automatically. Its design is simple and subtle, slipping into the background of everyday life.

The Power of Invisible Design

Invisible design is a powerful force that can shape our daily lives in profound ways. When design is done well, it becomes invisible, allowing users to focus on the task at hand without being distracted by unnecessary elements. This subtle yet profound impact of design can have a significant effect on our productivity, efficiency, and overall user experience with the world around us.

Good designers understand the importance of creating an invisible design that delivers maximum output with simplicity for the end user. They strive to create a seamless user interface that is intuitive, easy to use, and free from clutter. By doing so, they enable users to achieve their goals quickly and efficiently, without being bogged down by unnecessary design elements.

The power of invisible design can be seen in various aspects of our daily lives, from the products we use to the websites we visit. A well-designed product, for instance, can make our lives easier and more enjoyable, while a poorly designed one can lead to frustration and disappointment. Similarly, a well-designed website can provide a seamless user experience, while a poorly designed one can lead to confusion and abandonment.

Exploring the subtle yet profound impact of design that goes unnoticed.

The Consequences of Poor Design

Poor design can have serious consequences, from decreased productivity and efficiency that can lead to frustration. When design principles are neglected, the result can be a product or website that is difficult to use, cluttered, and confusing.

Bad design can lead to a range of negative impacts, including decreased user engagement, increased bounce rates, and a loss of credibility. It can also lead to a negative user experience, which can have long-term consequences for a brand or business. Consequences you won’t know until someone speaks up and by that time you might have lost a whale of a client.

Furthermore, poor design can also have a negative impact on the design industry as a whole. When designers neglect design principles, they can create a culture of mediocrity, where design is seen as an afterthought rather than a key aspect of product development.

AI is beginning to accelerate this. We are now seeing a glut of of AI design because it’s easy to use. However, if it’s not used judiciously, you will be lost in a sea of sameness.

Understanding the pitfalls and negative impacts of neglecting design principles.

Design should be easy to understand.

The saying refers to two things: the experience of interacting with a design and the process of designing it. Let’s take websites as an example. Users will take notice if the design is disjointed or if the navigation is confusing. This will leave someone with a bad experience, which will lead them to bounce and find a website that has a design that’s easy to visualize so they can quickly conceptualize what they are looking at.

The messaging, graphics, and navigation are all in sync. While some might think a good layout looks easy to make, as a designer, I can tell you it takes many iterations for all of the stars to align.

Effective product design requires a deep understanding of users, where designers must edit out unnecessary features to achieve simplicity and functionality.

Using the website as an example, when was the last time you were on a website that took a long time to load or appear? We live in a hyperreality, and we need websites to load quickly; otherwise, it is poor UX and, by implication, poor design.

A good design process strikes the perfect balance between aesthetics and functionality. Because people mostly interact with the end product, it’s hard to understand the complexities of what goes into a good design.

Simple design is easy to understand but hard to come up with.

Consider the font on highway signs (or the typeface, if you’re a stickler for terminology). A boring concept but a major part of our lives. Imagine all the signs had skinny font and somewhat disorienting font choice.

Obviously, this would be not very good for legibility when driving at 60 miles per hour. Its thin, distressed letterforms do no justice for reading at a distance or while moving at fast speeds.

You probably can see the font regularly used in your mind’s eye. The signs are clean and comfortable to read.

This is precisely what they are designed to do. The United States Federal Highway Administration developed all the signs you see on the roads, and the font is called Highway Gothic. Since it was first released in 1948, it has gone through years of edits and updates backed up by research. Each letter and number was meticulously designed and tested for maximum readability at high speeds and distances. Good design is invisible through years of tweaking.

Simply put, the goal wasnโ€™t to make something purely visually beautiful; it was about something that would enhance our overall quality of life and safety. Good design doesn’t necessarily mean a work of art. Sometimes it is just delivering a good user experience using sound design principles.ย ย 

Design with excellence. 

Like any other field of expertise, experience and talent matter. Thatโ€™s why we rely on plumbers to help us out when things when things go south. We leave that to the experts because they know what theyโ€™re doing. But fundamentally, designers are no different.

Businesses should think of good designs like plumbing. You have to have it!

Design touches most aspects of a business โ€” from branding to web design and beyond. When a creative agency works with a business to establish a brand identity there is an extensive amount of research that goes into the entire process. We do everything from a deep dive into our clientโ€™s company and culture to competitor analysis. And that’s before the pencil hits the paper.

According to McKinsey & Company, organizations that prioritize design generate 32% more revenue and 56% more overall return to shareholders. This underscores the practical advantages of investing in high-quality design.

Design should be intuitive.

Google had 92.18% market share in June 2023 (Statista), making its search engine interface an excellent example of invisible design. The design consists of a logo, search bar, and “Google Search” and “I’m Feeling Lucky” buttons. This sparse style follows the Law of Prรคgnanz, which argues: Even when faced with intricate details, our brains like to see order and simplicity, therefore when faced with complicated or confusing visual information, people have a natural tendency to simplify it to the most basic and easily accessible form possible.

The basic style, few customization choices, and intuitive element arrangement let users focus on searching. Users’ search experiences will be more targeted, efficient, and satisfying.

Having good design gives you a proven competitive edge. For instance, Stanford studies show that 75% of consumers will judge a companyโ€™s credibility based on its website’s design.ย 

You can read more here if you’re interested in what makes a good website.

What Makes Good Design Effective

Good design is effective because it is based on a deep understanding of the userโ€™s needs and goals. Professional graphic designers take the time to research and understand how people interact with things, creating a design that is tailored to their needs and preferences.

Effective design is also characterized by a holistic approach, where all elements of the design work together to create a seamless user experience. This includes the user interface, typography, color scheme, and imagery, all of which must work together to create a cohesive and intuitive design.

Good designers also understand the importance of minimalism, using as little design as possible to achieve maximum output. This means stripping away unnecessary elements and focusing on the essential features and functions that are necessary to achieve the userโ€™s goals.

Finally, effective design is also characterized by a focus on the end user, rather than the designerโ€™s own ego or creative vision. Good designers put the users first. By doing so, they create a design that is truly invisible, allowing us to focus on the task at hand.

So why is it that good design is invisible? Thereโ€™s an ever-present lack of awareness on designโ€™s impact on businesses. The perception of design is frequently that it is either too expensive or simple enough for a non-designer to complete in-house. The digital tools and advertisements of the twentieth century have provided a false sense of design ability. Behemoth companies with huge budgets like Coca Cola spend about 4 billion dollars on design per year. ย One billion of that sum is spent in the United States. So, if all the corporate giants are in on the secret โ€” why doesnโ€™t it seem as valuable to everyone else?

Businesses that invest in design thrive.

Every company should care about the details, regardless of whether their customers do. Businesses that understand the importance of good design will always be ahead of the competition that neglects it. Making a lasting impression is crucial since there is a short window to capture someone’s attention.

Furthermore, this is always supplemented with brand consistency identity. Another function of any design process is consistency. Consistency relates to familiarity.

Half-hearted measures and incoherent design assets for business can make your brand unrelatable. Therefore, it’s essential to take a holistic approach. Also, it lets your audience know you care about what you are presenting to them and their time.

The main takeaway is that the saying “good design is invisible” is certainly fine regarding user experience. However, designs may be as over-the-top or covert as the consumer desires, depending on their needs.

The concepts of excellent design are dynamic, ever-changing in response to the lightning-fast pace of technological development. You may differentiate yourself in a competitive market by staying updated on these trends and incorporating them into your business plan.

Gaining your client’s trust and confidence is extremely valuable. Feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions about the design process. It’s what we love to do.

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Author

John, the lead designer at Mighty Fine, has over a decade of experience crafting visually compelling and strategically sound designs. He thrives in collaborative environments, drawing inspiration from diverse creative pursuits and always pushing the boundaries of creativity.

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