Design is essential. It lies at the heart of even the simplest products, and those products invariably suffer when their designs fall short. What then constitutes good design, and by what metrics may its success be measured? Again, design is essential—both in its indispensability and in the idea that successful design distills its subject down to its very core. It strips away preconceptions and uses that most basic, exposed nature as its point of genesis. Around this point, the designer builds and refines each layer, leaving his own fingerprints in the process. He knows when to stop and does so while his work still embodies that fundamental core, rather than obscures it. His work develops not in a vacuum, but through close collaboration and with the expertise and insight of those around him.
The resulting design—physical or otherwise—speaks directly to the user in a language that he may not fully understand. It evokes a visceral reaction, an immediate desire for interaction and a sense of familiarity in even the most foreign item or interface. The user cannot help but imagine what experiencing the design would be like. Given only an image, he feels the weight of the object in his hand, the texture beneath his fingers, the flow of one interaction into the next. He may develop an affinity or even affection for the design that he finds difficult to explain. This reaction speaks not to predictability, but rather to the intuition and emotion that characterize successful design. While the design may surprise the user, such surprises yield delight and he soon cannot imagine it existing without them. The skillful designer deeply understands the user and remains the right number of steps ahead. Too few and the need is already met; too many and abstraction threatens the design’s relevance and impact.
The best design does not disappoint upon closer inspection, but instead reveals only further attention to detail. Each element has a role and fulfills it precisely. Such precision comes through iteration, diversity of perspective, and a willingness within the design team to observe, adapt, and remove. Design need not be minimal so much as appropriate and defined by a sense of purpose and place. The result must be cohesive—a complete unit—even as it inevitably serves as part of a larger whole.