Design is not only about aesthetics, but also about functionality, usability, and sustainability. How can you create designs that are both practical and beautiful? In this article, you will learn some tips and techniques to balance form and function, and to adapt your designs to different contexts and needs.
Before you start sketching or prototyping, you need to define the problem you are trying to solve with your design. Who are your users? What are their goals, pain points, and preferences? What are the constraints and opportunities of the project? Conducting user research, such as interviews, surveys, or observations, can help you gain insights and empathy for your target audience. You can also use tools like personas, user stories, or scenarios to summarize and visualize your findings.
Understanding problems can be challenging when there are many to consider, each with their merit.? Whilst working with Sky on their MySky app, I challenged the team to start by listing out all the different scenarios that a customer might face. What about a customer who hasn't paid their bill? What emotions might they be experiencing? Confusion, anxiety, or even frustration? When designing, especially for complex services, it's essential to move beyond obvious use cases and explore a wide range of scenarios, both positive and negative. Involving stakeholders in this early phase allows the team to acknowledge the complexity of the problem, and prevents individuals from focusing on more simple, exciting or convenient use cases.
To achieve a harmonious blend of practicality and beauty in my designs, I focus on a clear understanding of project objectives. Employing user-centered simplicity, I distill complex ideas for enhanced usability and ensure a visually appealing yet straightforward design. Consistent branding and a balanced composition contribute to a cohesive aesthetic and functional experience across platforms. Typography considerations prioritize readability, while an emphasis on adaptability guarantees effectiveness across diverse mediums. One of the most important things: Iterative refinement through feedback ensures the final design surpasses expectations and staying updated on design trends adds a touch of innovation while maintaining practicality.
Problem definition is the trickiest and also the most contentious process you will undergo as a designer. Most software designers (hopefully) understand that it's important to do external research, but fewer recognize the criticality of co-developing a problem definition with internal stakeholders. Aligning the business to a problem to be solved is the hardest, messiest, and most valuable process a designer can drive forward. This means having many conversations both external and internal and developing a narrative that unifies those perspectives into something you can design against.
This can be very challenging, especially if you are trying to narrow down your conclusions to get to the heart of the problem. To assess the problem effectively, you sometimes need to be in the environment where that problem (if identified) exists, which sometimes requires you to play the role or interview those who play the role and have those problems. At @askset one of the things I did in discovering the real challenge was to become an actor facing those problems, so I was in the gym watching how trainers were training their clients, I often asked questions as a certain curiosity posses a good way to learn, also I had a series of interviews from both the clients and the trainers themselves. Research is key
Do not try too hard and don't overthink. That's based on personal experience. Often, the solution to the problem is the simplest solution but our minds love complicating it. When it doubt always simplify it. Simply the solution and the design.
Once you have a clear understanding of the problem, you can start generating ideas for possible solutions. Don't limit yourself to one or two options, but explore a wide range of alternatives. You can use techniques like brainstorming, mind mapping, or sketching to stimulate your creativity and divergent thinking. You can also look for inspiration from other sources, such as nature, art, or culture. The goal is to come up with as many ideas as possible, without judging or filtering them at this stage.
Great ideas won't find you sitting in front of a screen. Step away from your laptop and look beyond your field; different perspectives on a problem often spark unique solutions. Switch between physical tools. The best ideas find you when you literally have to rip things up and start again. Cut things out, rearrange them. Pens are great—they force you to be intentional. Pencils tempt you to be self-edit before you've even started. The size of the nib on your pen should represent the breadth of your thinking. Marker pens are great for big, messy ideas – embrace it. Fine lines are for refinement – so save those for later when you're onto something great. Whatever you do, don't stop after your first great idea – it's only the start.
In generating ideas, embracing a broad perspective is key. Techniques like brainstorming, mind mapping, and sketching help in unleashing creativity. Also, drawing inspiration from diverse sources like nature or culture can lead to unique solutions. Importantly, integrating AI in this stage offers immense value. AI can propose unconventional ideas, analyze data for trends, and even create novel design elements. This synergy of human creativity and AI's analytical prowess can elevate the ideation process, ensuring more innovative and user-centric designs.
After you have generated a large number of ideas, you need to evaluate and select the ones that best meet the criteria of practicality and beauty. You can use tools like matrices, checklists, or rating scales to compare and rank your ideas based on factors such as feasibility, desirability, and viability. You can also get feedback from your users, peers, or experts to validate and refine your ideas. The goal is to narrow down your options to a few promising concepts that you can further develop and test.
This is another area where I see designers make the mistake of keeping the process a secret. When it's time to narrow the set of ideas you've generated, engaging people both inside and outside the business—not that a designer should ask others to make the decision for them, but rather that designers should not miss the opportunity to show their work. In the game of design, attention is the currency of perceived value, and the attention you draw to your design work throughout the process drives the perceived value of the work upwards. If you only start drawing attention to the work at the end of the process, you will already be behind.
Na cria??o de designs práticos e bonitos, foque na simplicidade, escolha uma paleta de cores harmoniosa, utilize fontes legíveis e mantendo uma hierarquia visual clara. Considere a experiência do usuário ao projetar interfaces e garanta o alinhamento dos elementos com o propósito do design. Testar e obter feedback também s?o passos importantes no processo de aprimoramento.
The next step is to turn your selected ideas into tangible prototypes that you can test with your users. Prototypes can range from low-fidelity to high-fidelity, depending on the level of detail and functionality you want to achieve. You can use materials like paper, cardboard, or wireframes to create simple mockups, or tools like software, 3D printing, or electronics to create more realistic models. The goal is to test your prototypes with real users in real contexts, and to collect data and feedback on their performance, usability, and appeal.
Based on the results of your testing, you can identify the strengths and weaknesses of your prototypes, and make improvements accordingly. You can also revisit your previous steps and modify your problem definition, ideas, or evaluation criteria if needed. The goal is to iterate and improve your designs until you reach a satisfactory level of practicality and beauty. You can also consider how your designs can evolve and adapt to future scenarios and trends, and how they can contribute to social and environmental goals.
Iterating designs involves refining strengths and addressing weaknesses. Re-evaluating earlier stages can lead to improved iterations, focusing not just on practicality and aesthetics, but also on future adaptability and trends. It's crucial to consider how designs contribute to social and environmental goals. This holistic approach ensures designs are not only effective and visually appealing but also sustainable and socially responsible. Embracing this mindset in design iterations fosters products that are relevant, impactful, and future-ready.
The final step is to communicate and present your designs to your stakeholders, such as clients, investors, or users. You need to explain the rationale behind your design decisions, and how they address the problem and the needs of your audience. You also need to showcase the aesthetic and functional aspects of your designs, and how they create a positive user experience. You can use tools like slides, videos, or portfolios to illustrate your design process and outcomes. The goal is to persuade and impress your stakeholders, and to demonstrate the value and impact of your designs.