Design vs. Undesign

May 9, 2006

I liked this post from Jason Santa Maria. He adds his voice to a debate I have seen many talking about. The issue is that there are some websites that are successful but not very attractive as far as design. Some have argued that this shows that sites do not need good visual design – a more minimalist approach. I like what Jason has to say because he brings up that good Web design is more than visual design. In the end, you cannot make everyone happy. Some prefer sites just to get things done. Others want more visual appeal. The reality is that if a beautifully designed site does not work well, it is going to be a failure. And if a very functional site is too ugly, it will probably also fail. Jason makes the point that design is communication and that means there are many factors to consider in what makes good design.