Why Web Design Matters

Why is design needed? What purpose does it serve? Why does it matter?

I will be answering these questions as I go along but they are a bit more complicated than just a one word answer.

Feeling/Looks

If you really think about it, designers have existed since the dawn of man. Take a look at the thought, architecture, and construction that went into building the ancient pyramids. The world of design is very different from other professions because it will always lead to the creation of unique objects. Every object or shape can give people vibes, feelings, and thoughts. Because the work as a designer can be critiqued and it is very important to be open to that.

Brands need to relate their image to display who they are and more importantly express what they do. The more a brand is straight forward with what they are about, the more likely it is for a consumer to understand. If a consumer understands what type of product/service you are selling, the easier it is for the target audience to respond.

Design is needed because its portrayal of the brand pulls the target audience in and allows the target to be taken to the next step. Once the target audience has been pulled the design must also use that compelling notion that your target audience has felt and allow the sales process to be as smooth as possible. The process should be like a fish hooking on to your line and coming up to the surface without a fight and looking you in the eye and saying thank you.

Usability

It is often forgotten that design isn’t just the way something looks but it is very much about function, or what something does. What is the point of having a Ferrari without that nice V12 engine? Well to be honest, I guess you can still turn it into a bed frame like the miniature twin one you once had as a child or a twin XL if you were a bigger child.

In all seriousness though, usability is a big aspect of design. User experience design is what needs to take your consumer from point A to point B in the easiest fashion with as little as possible redundancies. The faster the sales, the less work the consumer has to do in order to purchase your product/service, the more revenue that comes in yada yada yada…

If you do not have the thought of usability in your design, you can be putting the consumer under some serious stress. If your website’s call to action is unclear it can be like having a line out of the door in a coffee shop and no one has a clue how to get to the register to pay for their item. Usability of design is needed because it allows the target audience to act upon their feelings.

A good design includes emphasizing, systems thinking, and storytelling of brands. The main reason of why design is needed is so that consumers and target audiences (people) understand easily the world you put them in.

My final note is that one must never ever sacrifice good looks for functionality.

P.S. I think my last statement there can also apply to marriage too.