Whether one see’s it or not, design is everywhere. Some view design as beauty while others may refer to it as aesthetics or looking nice. Whatever you chose to call it, it is based on the ground rules applied from the principles of design.
What makes a design success?
Due to the fact of desktop publishers and so forth, we often see designs, publications, banners, posters, etc that are poorly designed. Just because they know how to use the programs does not make them designers. A designer is one that dissects the task at hand and then goes to work applying the principles of design. Generally, a success is not accomplished in one hour’s time. A good successful design takes time and revision. I have heard it said that a design is never complete. There is always something that can be improved.
What’s the big deal?
When it comes to the business side of the spectrum, the success of the product or function may come from the foundations of the designs. I know for me, being a designer, I will buy products based on their packaging or overall style (typography, color scheme, function, etc). I have been told many times that I have expensive taste. This is something that I have thought a lot about and have come to the conclusion that it is not “expensive taste.” It is an eye for craftsmanship and quality that comes with a higher price.
Quality and Craftsmanship
In the design community, the word “craftsmanship” is used often, but sometimes ignored. Although craftsmanship is not a principle of design, it should be applied to all designs.
Teaching the Client Between Good and Bad
When working for a client, you may often hear phrases like; “Can we make the logo bigger?” “Why is there so much blank space.” Lets fill it with information and graphics.” “I am just not feeling it.” or when the design is completed, “There are a few minor adjustments we would like to make.” As a designer, it is our job to educate the client on why the logo is not the biggest item on the page, or why we chose the colors we did, or why there is positive and negative space. With an educated client, you and the client can work together to pull off a success.
The difference in business and art is the motivation. The business motivation is behind sales and numbers where as the art motivation is aesthetics. With fine-tuning, communication, and education, the motivations of both sides will work very well together to please both parties. As a designer, we must consider the goals of the client; they are the ones paying for it. Now this does not mean that you must forgo the basic principles of design.
A successful design comes from a client the understands the designer and when the designer understands the client.
Applying Design to the Web
The world wide web is a different kind of design. With my limited experience in building a website, there are many constraints when it comes to layout, type, and color scheme. These constraints are not something to fight but something that should be mastered. There are good websites out there that have mastered these skills. Often times, good design comes from the bounds of limits. When working with clients, they may say they don’t want certain colors or certain fonts. Working with the web is like working with a choosy client; some things you just can’t do. It really tests your abilities when you have to push outside your normal ways of design and work in situation that limit your styles. In many situations, a design is more successful when it has limitations and constraints.
Not only must one master the skill of designing for the web, but master the skill of organization. In my own opinion, a website may look good but if it does not function properly and is hard to navigate, it is a waste of space. The purpose of a website is to inform about a certain topic or feature. If one cannot navigate through the pages, the information is lost. I like the phrase, “they come, they puke, they leave.” I often finding myself frustrated while searching for information on the web and I now realize why. That reason is because of navigation. Navigation is so important! It needs to be put in a location that is accessible to the viewer.
The web is always changing and is never standing still. As a web designer, you must always be learning and growing in technology and in the web design industry. If you stand still for more than a month, you may find yourself behind. There is always something that can be learned about the web at all times.
Nitty Gritty
When designing, you are often working for someone rather than your self. Whether it be a brochure, a billboard, a business card, logo, website, or even package design, you must please the client. It is so important as a designer to know the field of design to educate those you are working for. Design should not be compromised to please a client. The designer must have a clear vision of what the clients needs are. The designer does not have to love the design, the client does. However, even if the designer does not love the design, it should still have the principles of design implemented. I know personally I have a style in the way that I work. My style is not always the style that people are looking for, but if I design with basic principles in mind, it can be a success for the client and I.
One of my favorite quotes is by Massimo Vignelli, “The life of a designer is a life of fight. Fight against the ugliness. Just like a doctor fights against disease. For us, the visual disease is what we have around, and what we try to do is cure it somehow with design.” Design surrounds us whether we see it or not. Some is toxic and some is beautiful. It’s all a matter of perspective.
Interesting Website – Check out the videos! I really like “Redesigning the Stop Sign”
