Form Vs. Function - Finding The Balance.

Form vs. function is a classic debate in design. Some people believe that function is more important, while others believe that aesthetics is more important. After giving the topic quite a bit of? thought, I've come to appreciate the need to find a balance between function and design aesthetics.

Design ≠ Art

“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is very sound reasoning, especially when you consider all the downsides to reading a book that has no inherent value just because the cover looks good. Of course from a marketing POV, that would be a success in the short run, but in the end the readers just end up dumping said book where it really belongs: said book where it really belongs: with other trash that looks good. But I digress, while we cannot rule out the existence of artistic pieces whose value lies in their aesthetics and eye-catching qualities, we have to admit that when it comes to design, function takes precedence. And so, when it comes to designing products of utility, that serve a given purpose, we must be sure that first and foremost, they achieve said purpose.

This fact is the reason why logo designers are told to design in black and white, and digital product designers are advised to focus on user research and prototyping. Logo designers are told to design in black and white because it helps them focus on the essential elements of the logo, such as its shape and simplicity. Digital product designers are advised to focus on user research and prototyping because it helps them to create products that are easy to use and meet the needs of their users. These processes force the designer to focus more on the problem they seek to solve and how they can solve it rather than on how good the solution looks. Design isn’t Art, and while it can definitely borrow elements from the world of art, ultimately, the goal is to solve a problem. If that goal isn’t reached, then we can’t consider the project a success.

Why Aesthetics Matter

Call me superficial, but 8 out of 10 times, I’d rather go for the better looking book. ( Props to authors and publishers who actually prioritize these things.) The fact is, when it comes down to it, humans would always judge a book by its cover (after all, we do process 90% of information via sight). If your product looks poorly designed or sloppily made, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone willing to use it.?

When it comes to design in marketing, production, and communication in general, while visual aesthetics might be written off as “not a necessity”, it does make it easier to motivate your consumers to make use of what you’ve developed. Take design in marketing for example, say your team crafted a great, super convincing ad copy that hits all the pain points of your target audience and is constructed to motivate them to buy, without a well-designed, aesthetically pleasing creative, be it a video or poster, you’re not getting eyes on that copy and in the end, no one buys.

Truth is, at the end of the road, rather than picking aesthetics over function or vice versa, a better route would simply be to find the balance. Focus on solving the problem you’re tasked with, but be damn well sure to make it look good. In the end, that's what design really comes down to, solving problems in creative, often aesthetically pleasing ways.