Designing any product or service requires careful thought and planning. However, we can also learn a great deal from past design failures and mistakes. Taking note of the worst advice and problematic approaches allows us to avoid common pitfalls. By analyzing poor design choices, we gain wisdom and perspective.
Below are 10 insightful design tips learned from notably bad advice and poor decisions. Heeding these lessons will help lead to better outcomes.
Simplicity and Clarity Should Be Prioritized
Overly complex and confusing designs frustrate users. Unfortunately, some common advice promotes visual clutter and tangled interfaces. The best interfaces feature clarity, cleanliness, and simplicity. They are intuitive and easy to navigate. If a design requires too many steps or leaves users puzzled, it has failed. Keeping things simple should always be the priority.
Form Should Follow Function
Form following function means the design’s appearance stems directly from its intended purpose. But occasionally, form is emphasized over function. An example is overly fancy websites with intricate graphics that hinder usability. The aesthetics are prioritized over the site’s purpose. But function should dictate form. A website’s visual design must aid the user experience. Form following function ensures excellent utility.
Consistency Matters
Inconsistent interfaces bewilder users. But some poor advice suggests creativity should trump consistency. While visual interest is good, consistency in core elements is vital. Users should not have to re-learn basic navigation and layouts every time. Familiar patterns breed effortless interactions. Consistent layouts, buttons, menus and more boost usability. Stick to conventions and maintain harmony.
Don’t Neglect Accessibility
Accessible design considers diverse users and disabilities. But ableist attitudes have led some to ignore accessibility. All users deserve accommodation. Whether designing apps, websites or physical products, accessibility must be a priority. Consider those with vision, hearing, motor and cognitive impairments. Follow standards and guidelines to ensure usability for all. Accessibility should never be an afterthought.
User Testing Is Crucial
Some consider user testing unnecessary. But without direct user feedback, you risk creating something ineffective. User testing reveals weaknesses in design assumptions. Watching target audiences interact with prototypes provides invaluable insights. Small-scale testing early on saves headaches later. User testing improves usability and provides peace of mind. Make user testing an integral part of the design process.
Iterative Design Enables Improvement
Some designers believe you must “get it right” on the first try. But an iterative approach is smarter. Each version should improve upon the last through an ongoing cycle. Embrace making revisions over time to refine the design. With an iterative mindset, you can respond to user feedback and fix issues. Iteration allows designs to evolve organically. Avoid a rigid mindset and be flexible.
Understand the Core Purpose
To create effective designs, you must grasp its core purpose and user goals. But some advice glosses over this key step. Never design aimlessly based on assumptions. Research the context and objectives first. Interviews, surveys and observation help uncover user needs. Empathize with those impacted to guide your decisions. A deep understanding of purpose leads to appropriate solutions.
Design is Holistic
Some view design as merely making things look aesthetically pleasing. But design is much broader. It encompasses the full user experience. All aspects of form and function must align towards the same goals. Consider the ecosystem surrounding a product. Design should enhance utility through a holistic lens. Keep the big picture in mind, not just isolated visual details.
Problems are Opportunities
Design inevitably involves challenges and problems. Some see this negatively, but problems provide creative opportunities. The right mindset turns obstacles into innovative solutions. Instead of avoiding issues, view them as openings for improvement. Let challenges spur you towards better ideas. Turn your problems into original approaches that enhance user experiences.
Details Matter
Some discount details as insignificant. However, well-executed details separate good from great. Tiny touches provide delight and convey care. Consider visual flourishes, transitions, micro-interactions and enhanced feedback. Details turn a standard experience into an exceptional one. Sweat these small elements to surprise and satisfy users in subtle ways. Great design comes down to crafting remarkable details.
By learning from poor advice and past missteps, we can pave an easier path forward. Avoiding known pitfalls allows for better design thinking. Hindsight provides the perspective needed to create solutions that truly work. These tips will help you craft interfaces and products that are useful, usable and delightful.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some examples of bad design advice?
Some famously bad design advice includes: prioritizing visuals over usability, designing solely based on personal taste and assumptions, neglecting accessibility, avoiding user testing, disregarding consistency and conventions, ignoring small details, not understanding user goals and needs, and rigidly sticking to first drafts rather than iterating.
How can learning from bad examples help us?
Analyzing poor design choices helps reveal common pitfalls to avoid. By identifying problematic advice and approaches, we gain wisdom to guide better decisions. Learning from past mistakes provides perspective and insight.
Should you always keep user interfaces simple?
In most cases, simplicity in user interfaces is ideal. Eliminating complexity and confusion enhances usability. Users should not have to puzzle through tangled interfaces or deal with overly complicated interactions. Prioritizing clarity and streamlining processes improves experience.
How can designers balance aesthetics and functionality?
Design solutions should seamlessly blend aesthetics and functionality. Form follows function means interface appearance directly stems from and enhances usability. Aesthetics still matter but should never undermine core utility. Well-executed style and substance are not mutually exclusive.
Why is an iterative approach useful in design?
Iteration allows designers to incrementally improve and refine concepts over time. Through ongoing cycles of testing and refinement, flaws can be identified and eliminated. An iterative process enables adapting to feedback rather than rigidly sticking to initial ideas. The result is polished design.
Conclusion
Learning from design failures and poorly conceived advice provides us with valued perspective. By understanding problematic approaches that hinder usability and access, we can take a more enlightened path. Leveraging hard-won insights from the past allows us to avoid common mistakes. With inspiration from the worst advice, we can craft interfaces and products that are inclusive, functional, and delightful. Examining missteps guides us toward better solutions.
