Purpose of Designing

What is the purpose of designing? Why is it so important that a design leaves an impression on its consumers? Here I discuss these aspects and the importance of them on consumers.

Good design isn’t only about being visually appealing. For a design to be truly effective it has to not only capture our attention, but in the same turn it has to have purpose and meaning. Purpose-driven designs achieve the ultimate balance between form, function and aesthetic. Our designs don't only look good, but deliver an intended message both effectively and clearly. Every type of design exists to solve real world problems. To see the problem and find a solution, designers rely on data. So the toolset of the designer is based on research, not decoration.

Design adds value

"Design adds value faster than it adds costs." Joel Spolsky

So then as a designer where does the process start and what are the factors that have to be considered in order to achieve an effective product for our consumers. We as designers have to start off by realising that we are not the same as our consumers. We generate meaning through our designs and sometimes this can be detrimental to our consumers. Yes we can use our designs to appeal to a certain market but we must be aware that it is not damaging. As a designer you and your client have more knowledge than your consumer does, this is known as the curse of knowledge. This is when you are unable to view your designs from the same light as someone who has less information than you do and in turn your goals are different from those of your consumer.

We are here to tell a story through our designs and here is how we do that:

Colours are our key to opening doors

Colours are very important to design as they create a long lasting first impression on our consumers. People respond to colours subconsciously and they can spark immediate emotions. We as human beings associate colour to certain things and most colours have a shared meaning sometimes they are polar opposites. Let's take red as an example, when you consider red two main meanings come to mind and these are love/passion and danger. So, when choosing a colour, it first needs to be visually appealing, relate well to your client, and portray the underlying feeling you want a business or product to evoke in their consumer.

Using the right typography for your brand

Typography and fonts are often overlooked by clients and sometimes even the less experienced designer. But with experience comes the realisation of how important good use of typography is on a design and the role that it plays. We may like these creative more decorative fonts but are they the best for your design. Often this is not the case as we need to remember that text needs to be legible and easy to read by the consumer. But also the incorrect font can throw off the balance of the design at hand very easily and therefore the design has become less effective at achieving it's objectives. Generally a more sophisticated corporate client requires an elegant, legible font to be used whereas you can get away with using the more stylistic, creative fonts with a creative brand. In both cases though it is of paramount importance that it is legible and easy to read.

Logos need to last the test of time

A logo lasting the test of time doesn't mean that the logo never changes. Instead what it tends to refer to is that over time a logo still speaks to the brand and goes through minimal change over the years. An effective logo doesn't just fill a space on a letterhead, email or advertisement but rather it speaks to the brands values, its purpose and the vision of the client. Once these aspects have been identified it makes it easier for the designer to create a logo that encapsulates the company.

Icons contain meaning.

Icons can serve two purposes. A signifier and the signified. An icon that is a signifier stands to give meaning to a related item and further aspects that relate to it. In this case what an icon seeks to do is give reference to items such as lists but instead of placing the list we place a signifier/icon where when we scroll over it a list would then appear. This allows for a better use of space and allows the designer to free up space. Lets consider this, as a consumer would you rather want to see long lists of items or would it be more appealing to see an icon that when selected shows a list and therefore this is how icons become significant. The next use of icons is the signified, this is when for instance a client has tiers in their business structure or even with social media icons. The icons represent something and are interpreted as such.

Remember

"Make it simple, but significant." Don Draper

Design is used in our daily lives whether we are aware that it is there or not. It is one of the most important factors in our daily lives as without it we wont recognise and associate some items with there intended dimensions.

Get Inspired

Design is fun and now that we know how it is used and how it can be applied lets all put these skills to use for good!