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It is every person’s dream to come up with the next greatest idea. To this end, resources have been poured into innovation labs, creative thinking seminars, and meditation sessions in hopes of finding the next big thing. Nowadays, the search for the golden idea has led people to falsely believe that a good idea is all you need to succeed. In this article, I will dispel that myth and emphasize the importance of following up your inspiration with quality design and functions.

Transforming this golden idea into a concrete deliverable is a task that requires perseverance and dedication. A poor design process can easily diminish your bright idea (i.e. not maximizing your profit) or lead to serious repercussions (i.e. making it easy for competitors to capitalize on your mistakes or causing irreparable damage to your reputation). Although most design processes are done on a case-by-case basis, the underlying principles should be well represented. Let’s take a look at 4 basic fundamentals behind design and function that often get overlooked. Photo by drhoye

1. Design is an Art
2. Design with Elegance
3. Functions that Don’t Leave One Frustrated
4. Functions that are Tailored

Design is an Art

Photo by gmeurope
A famous industrial design principle states that:

“Form follows function, ornament is crime”

This statement stems from 20th century modernist architects who suggested that practical use is above aesthetics. A simple example of this principle today would be cars that have taken aerodynamic forms based on potential fuel savings and not on appearance. However, this statement can be quite controversial depending on how you interpret the words form, function, and ornament. It is my opinion that this statement cannot serve as a complete design solution.

If I were to coin my own design principle, it would be:

“Form and function in harmony, ornament is a choice”

In finding the perfect balance between form and function, this principle gives developers the chance to realize the myriad ways of showcasing their products. The re-emphasis on form will fully utilize the benefits of formulating identity, portraying functions, and magnetizing the end-user. In addition, it gives designers the liberty to use ornaments to their content. Naysayers may believe that ornaments compromise the intrinsic beauty in plain and simple examples. My belief is that ornaments offer flexibility in stylizing and detailing your products.

I know understanding a principle is easy, but carrying it into implementation can be difficult. Below I have listed an example and questions you should consider for your design.


Photo by quattrovageena

Does the design element/ornament…
• Symbolizes or represents core objectives?
  Shape of a small cube which differentiates from typical towers and demonstrates its space saving.
• Highlights the main functions?
  Same G4 look, representing comparable computation power despite its size. All interactions are easily accessed on top of the cube.
• Creates a specific appeal, context, or mood?
  Sleek looking design. The rainbow apple logo is a thing in the past.
• Provides a unique user experience?
  Most compact desktop machine at the time.
• Provides a creative interaction?
  CD is inserted vertically on the top.
• Leaves a lasting impression?
  Wow, that is small.

Design with Elegance

Photo by re-ality

We are all aware that more is not necessarily better. A natural question to ask then is “What is excessive and what is necessary?” To answer the question one must first evaluate the functional value your design brings and identify the target customers. The latter will be covered in section Functions that are Tailored.

Evaluating the functional value may seem like a very subjective process, which is precisely the fact. The value that each design element brings largely depends on how you weigh each of your objectives. In these seemingly endless possibilities for a design solution, the elegant solution is what developers must strive for.

Designing with elegance is a simple and powerful design solution that

• Simplifies complex features
• Minimizes the cost while maximizing the benefits
• Solves multiple issues and problems simultaneously

The elegant solution may not always be attainable. If that is the case choose the simpler design and have a clear purpose for each your design elements.

Functions that Don’t Leave One Frustrated

Photo by eondxd

Functions that generate frustrations can be categorized in one of the following

• Functions that don’t work
• Functions that you can’t get to work
• Functions that can’t do my work

1) Functions that don’t work
Ever buy a faulty product? Compile code that is rife with errors? Or experience the blue screen of death? Everyone shares these types of experiences, falling victim to poor quality control. Developers must understand that an integral part of a good design process involves making sure that the design actually works as advertised.

2) Functions that you can’t get to work
After staring at an installation manual for 4 hours, you realize your purchased product is still not working properly. As the clock continues to tick, your emotional time bomb is about to explode. Developers must assess the learning curve of their products. Learning curves relates the amount of time spent learning to obtain expected results. We often hear the phrase “steep learning curve.” There are actually two interpretations:

1) Quick initial learning stage, future results have little room for improvement
2) Long initial learning stage, future results have large room for improvement

In general, most products are designed to the first curve. But there is certainly no absolute in what the curve should be. The more important issue is whether or not your documentation and customer support cater to the learning curve.

ExampleTo illustrate this idea, I will use the example of installing Linux. For someone who has never used DOS before, installing Linux can be a total nightmare. Although there are plenty of tutorials on the Internet, the technical jargon is directed to someone who is higher up in the learning curve. The lack of friendly documentation and difficulty of installation really leaves Linux as an option only for geeks. However, with the release of Ubuntu, installing Linux-based operating system has advanced in many respects. Standard installation requires only one CD and takes less than 25 minutes. There is an abundance of pictorial tutorials catered to novices in setting up Ubuntu. A strong community is also present that is ready to help and offer assistance.

3) Functions that can’t do my work
Although most often the fault is on customer who did not completely understand your product, developers should take caution in advertising their functions and stating its design limitations.

Functions that are Tailored

A targeted audience is usually established even before the beginning stage of a new product idea. However, during the design process developers can easily lose sight of who they are developing for. It is imperative that a developer sticks to the game plan, revisit the objectives, and immerse themselves in the customer’s shoes. This is obviously easier said than done. Let’s look at an example.

Photo by timmygunz

Example: Both Sony and Nintendo seek to make the next Generation console. Their obvious target audience are video gamers. However, Sony was too eager to immerse themselves in a race to outperform Microsoft’s Xbox and focused on high computational power, large hard drives, and better graphics. This caused them to lose sight of simply designing to appeal to the video gamers. On the other hand, Nintendo established a new set of dynamics and interactions in video gaming and have successfully expanded their customer base by targeting a general audience.

Some practical ways to determine tailored functions

Identify aspects that has deviated from the game plan
What is missing? What is new?
What values are presented/ not presented?
Compare and contrast with your competitor
Identify what is important to your competitor
Learn your strengths and weaknesses
Customer Feedback
Identify past successes
Listen to customer wishes and complaints

The 4 concepts: Design is an Art, Design with Elegance, Functions that Don’t Leave One Frustrated, and Functions that are Tailored are all very simple on paper, but yet we often see these not being implemented or misinterpreted. Hopefully this article has given you some general guidelines in how to direct your design process for your ingenious idea.