Design is, above all else, an extremely subjective topic. To say what is a good or bad design is not for us to decide. However, there are certain elements that will make a design much more likeable when compared to another. Again, while all these elements are subjective, the design needs to make sense to the average audience member.
So the best way to identify good design elements is to identify and respect the fact that every single target audience member will have different tastes and, therefore, a very different opinion, in all likelihood.
By keeping things simple, not only do you ensure that your design doesn’t confuse or overwhelm your audience, it also ensures that your message goes through unabated.
Clarity of thought, a strong sense of direction and conviction – the key elements to make any design simple and effective
The fact is, designers tend to over-complicate matters in a bid to show off their prowess. In a bid to win awards, gain prominence and get noticed, they start designing based on what they understand and not what will sell. The moment you stop selling through your designs, that’s when the audience stops relating to you, your product, your brand and your overall image. The moment that happens, you know you are heading down the wrong path.
Google is the perfect example of this entire policy of simplifying design.
Creating one of the world’s biggest companies and merely putting a logo above their search box, on a blank white page, is as simple as it gets.
Another example is the use of graphical depictions in your design.
Using a German Shepherd or Rottweiler to depict security is commonly understood and accepted. How about Clown Fish and Sea Anemones? That, too, is a relationship that depicts security in a complex and beating-around-the-bush way. However, since this isn’t common knowledge and the average person may not be aware of it, a mere graphical depiction may miss its target.
Yes, you can always have accompanying text to get the message across, but that’s like explaining a joke. It’s not funny anymore!
The moment you have to explain your design to anyone, your entire objective of creating that design, no matter how world-class, is lost.
It is one thing to create designs for your portfolio and a completely different thing, at times, to get your design to hit the target audience. There is plenty of advertising clutter out there and if you’re trying to stand out in amidst all those colours, flashy images and more, then you need to do something different.
At a time when everyone’s trying to be path-breaking, they are overlooking the primary reason for all those designs and creativity – selling! If your product doesn’t sell, an award-winning design will get you nothing! You can have the coolest business cards and the craziest letterheads, but if they don’t match your company’s image, then you might just be walking over thin ice.
The consumer’s perception of your brand is important and to guarantee that this perception remains consistent, you need to spend more time reinforcing your beliefs and ideals through your designs. You don’t need a multi-million dollar budget or the best graphic designers from across the globe.
All you need is clarity of thought, a strong sense of direction and conviction – the key elements to make any design simple and effective!