What is a bad design? Yes, you are reading correctly, Before getting into the battle between a good and great design let's ask ourselves do we know how to spot a bad design? The principles of design might seem like common knowledge—after all, everyone knows them, right? But here's the catch: even bad designs teach us valuable lessons. They show us what does not work and guide us towards a better design.
Now, let me ask you another question, what do you think makes a designer great? Do you think great designers do a little more than design? Is Multitasking the answer? Well, if you are thinking any of these then you are mistaken and the answer is quite simple: a great designer does only one thing but puts 100% of his capabilities into it. Take the example of Japan where people take pride in doing mundane tasks, contrary to most societies where people are fed with the concept of doing more and more everyday. No offense to hardworking individuals, but the crucial focus lies in enhancing our approach towards the methods, research, and the clarity of concepts. There's room for improvement in these areas to achieve greater effectiveness.
An example of a successful brand:
Oatly's journey began with the discovery of the problem that a significant portion of the global population struggles with lactose intolerance, as an alternative they came up with the idea of oat milk, After two decades of dedication and perseverance, they successfully gained traction in Europe. In 2017, they made some very significant changes to the brand while they also decided to put their foot in the U.S. market. They revamped the logo and packaging to make it more quirky and attractive. To make sure the packaging has an identifiable voice globally they converted it to English. They did not enter the market through distributors or large grocery chains, so being introduced to people in person at high-end coffee shops. This further helped them enhance the experience of people tasting the product for the first time. Lastly, they also published a study stating how oat milk is better for the environment than dairy. All these efforts led their revenue to US $421.4 million in the year 2020 making them the market leader. Oatly teaches us that success isn't attributed to a single factor, but rather to the adept approach and methods in addressing the challenges. (Check out their website to learn more- https://www.oatly.com/ )
Moving forward, Can you solve a problem for me? I don't know what it is but I just need it solved. No no, I'm not crazy, but don't you think a lot of designers do this, hesitate before asking questions to the client or audience, you cannot solve a problem without knowing the problem, even if it involves asking questions to the extent where the client gets annoyed. (Annoyance is better than an unfulfilled design). Clients usually can't articulate the solutions they just know they have a problem, Sometimes they don't even know they have a problem. It's the designer's job to solve the problem in unexpected ways and sometimes introduce new ones.
A great example of not asking questions.
Back in 2008 Gap went through a down period of sales. As a solution, Gap decided to redesign their logo but it didn't really go as planned. Apart from having a generic font, the new logo barely had any resemblance with the old one, due to improper announcement of the rebranding people were unsure whether it was the same brand. The company didn't even mention any reason behind the new branding. Overall because of improper execution and planning it turned out to be a disaster costing $100m to the brand. Gap teaches us how crucial it is to analyze the problem effectively and have clear communication with the audience.
You must be thinking you have learned a lot but understanding "the what" of a problem was just the starting point. So let's move forward to “ the why” and “the how”. As human beings we rely on common knowledge and intuition to find the solutions for our problems and that exactly is the problem. While trying to know ‘ why is the problem? Designers must engage in deliberate thinking and figure out the undeniable reason behind the problem. Consider Gap's scenario: they figured that the sales were down but they didn't know why. Attempting solutions based solely on trends proved counterproductive. On the contrary, Oatly excelled by leveraging their understanding of "why." They made sure they knew exactly why they made the changes, from packaging to the logo, Their intentional approach led to significant successes.
Coming to “the how'' is where the technical skills come into place. A diverse skill set helps us in tackling different types of problems. Taking the example of Canva, It has some limitations that make it lag behind in the competitive design industry. It lacks certain specialized functionalities and advanced features required by professional designers. However, it still remains an excellent choice for quick and simpler design tasks, especially for individuals or small businesses.
This tells us how software is like a toolbox with different tools for different tasks. While many solutions might exist, the optimal one stands out.
Finally, I would like to talk about another very important aspect that differentiates a good designer from a great designer. It is not a difference of quality – it is a difference of kind. Great designers are opinionated, they have strong opinions about what the world should look like. Even when those opinions go directly against common wisdom and what is expected. A contemporary example would be the introduction of Apple's iPhone back in 2007, which looked very different from other smartphones. Their debut redefined the smartphone landscape. Apple had all the reasons to do this, a touch-centric design, intuitive software and versatile functionality. This opinionated thinking led to setting them apart as an aspirational and revolutionary product in the smartphone market.
As we navigate through the debut of our creative journeys, let us remember that the pursuit of greatness isn’t solely about the end result; it’s about the transformative process that challenges norms, inspires minds, and leaves an indelible mark on the world we shape and inhabit."
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