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The Differences Between Good Designers and Great Designers
Four years ago Cameron Moll gave a presentation on 9 skills that separate good designers and great designers. It's a great talk and if you have the chance I suggest you at least check out the PDF slidedeck. I think the points he makes in the presentation are still relevant today and go a long way in educating us in how designers should be approaching their interactive designs.
Good Designers
- Decorate
- "Less" is more
- Fix problems
- Inspired by genre
- Everything at once
- Treat text as content
- Use good typefaces
- Code for one instance
- Redesign
Great Designers
- Communicate
- "Less" and "more" co-exist
- Prevent
- Inspired by total environment
- Selective iteration
- Treat text as UI
- Use good typography
- Code for many instances
- Realign
Communicate
We've had this discussion multiple times.
- Artist, designer or hack?
- They do that because you designed it that way
- Web design? Screw aesthetics
- The message of design
- What is design?
Each time the same conclusion is drawn and that is quality design communicates with its audience. It delivers the message it is intended to deliver. Nothing more, nothing less.
"Less" and "more" co-exist
In Minimalism is Mandatory, I talk about designing only what is necessary for your site. Some might take this as removing as much as possible to be left with nothing more than some text, but the point is to remove all the clutter that doesn't enhance the user experience and message in a defined way. Sometimes having an AJAX popup works wonders in making the site better and that is a "more" aspect because you certainly don't need it to make the site functional. However, you do need it to make the site better so use it.
The difference is some designers like to add a ton of widgets all over the place and justify each and every one to the point that they miss the big picture and end up with a cluttered and confusing interface. Striking that perfect balance will always be one of the designer's toughest jobs.
Prevent problems
Admittedly this is something that I need vast improvement in because I am great in designing a solution that fixes one problem, but often times all it does is create another. Nobody will always get the right solution the right time, but great designers have an ability to attain the right solution more times than not, while good designers continuously scramble to fix the problems that they have created.
This point might seem a bit contentious because so often the problems that designers are facing are changing and that situation applies to the final point. However, if you are dealing with a problem that remains constant, finding the solution that prevents future problems from happening is the ideal choice and great designers have a knack for finding it. At the very least they understand the need to search it out.
Inspired by total environment
Last week I talked about inspiration hunting and I wish that I had discussed how you can almost tell when some designers only take their inspiration from other websites versus those that take inspiration from everything they can get their hands on. The majority of my inspiration comes from print design because I deal with so much text. I want people to sit down and get engrossed in Drawar the same way they will curl up on the couch with a good book or magazine. If I were to only look at web designs for inspiration in that regard you wouldn't get the individual article layouts that are presented today.
Total environment isn't only relegated to print design. I've been inspired by street signs, billboards, album covers, coloring books, fashion and food. Find inspiration in your everyday life. Constantly search it out and you will expand your design repertoire immensely.
Selective iteration
This comes down to macrodesign and microdesign. Good designers are only capable of seeing the big picture in a design, while great designers understand that a design is nothing more than a bunch of individual elements working in unison and each of these elements need attention. The ability iterate over an element over and over again until it fits properly into the larger design concept.
A bad example of this can be seen on the homepage for the Drawar Forums. As of this writing there are two buttons: a subscribe button and a post a new topic button. On their own these buttons serve their purpose, but in the overall design they are out of place. While the rest of the design (mostly) flows, these buttons serve to break the flow. There is certainly a better way the action of subscribing and posting can be designed.
Treat text as UI
Copywriting is interface design. Great interfaces are written.
Jason Friend
Stop looking at text simply as content to fill a page. Think of the different ways it can be formatted to produce a visually appealing UI that offers a better user experience. Besides, web design is 95% typography.
Use good typography
As of late this has been my biggest pet peeve on the web. I coming across article after article that is a pain to read because the person behind the site doesn't implement basic principles of typography. Maybe there isn't any sign of leading (line-height for the CSS people) or the kerning (letter-spacing for the CSS people) is completely off, but so many sites lead you to believe that the people behind them don't bother reading the site.
Code for many instances
Can't lie, I've never coded for other languages in my life. Never designed for them either.
Realign
The desire to redesign is aesthetic-driven, while the desire to realign is purpose-driven.
Redesigners ask...
When was our last redesign? Is it just me, or does it look old? Will a redesign bring new traffic?
Realigners ask...
Users' needs have changed. Should we adapt? Do the current aesthetics devalue brand perception?
How often do you redesign?
This article was a bit different than what you usually see right? That is what Drawar is all about. It's not about being different, it's about helping all of us dig deeper into what web design really represents. It thrives off its members contributions so if you like what you see consider becoming a Plus Member or Drawar Friend.
21 Comments
Admittedly I don't know much about that point and going through the presentation all I could find were examples of how people were able to interject different languages into a design without it breaking. I'm sure there are other examples and better explanations out there than the one I provided.
To me coding for various instances can be as simple as coding for accessibility. A good designer will build a site that works wonderfully. A great designer will build one that works wonderfully regardless of browser, hardware (phone, iPad, desktop), or disability (color blind, etc.)
Rockwood has it on the instances point. Good designer's code for "the ideal user", and great designer's code for everyone.
Another good post and I pretty much agree with everything said. Now the challenge to actually follow things principles more often.
I agree with Rockwood's definition, but I also saw coding for many instances as coding to scale.
As for realigning, I like coming to Drawar and seeing how you've tweaked little things here and there. The small changes you've made since the site launched have added up over time, but none have been jarring or frivolous.
Great post. Would also add this for the "many instances" point: maintainability. If the site owner wants to add a feature X down the line, how difficult would it be? Would your code make adding this new feature difficult, or actually help them do it? Did the designer/developer think through potential use cases and make the implementation flexible, or did they lock it down to spec.
Of course, making the implementation *too* flexible may be another problem--you don't want to spend too long on potential "maybes" so as to delay the project--but at the same time you don't want to make any future changes impossible. This can be as simple as using HTML text instead of images, or more complex as scalability for web applications.
AnonymousI'm really loving the Drawar articles lately.
I read Cameron's post when it was originally written, and it's nice to have it readdressed. It's a viewpoint that I think everyone would agree with, but in practice, it's very hard to stick to on all points. As a result, it definitely doesn't hurt to have it pushed to the front of your attention every once in a while.
So, uhm, thanks for that.
One thing I have surely noticed since I came into the Design world is a habit I have to take things I see around town and begin building a Brand around them. I'll be driving down the road and see a bumper sticker, or a odd piece of metal, a old door that's been tossed; and I'll begin building around it. Now if I could get those ideas to transfer I'd be getting somewhere.
Scrivs, you mention Typography a lot, and I agree that it's a very large part of our design process, but I haven't found to much in the way of resources that really help one to develop a foundation for good typographic skills. (Holycowrunonsentence) Would it be possible for you to provide us with a good introduction, as well as some further reading resources? I am currently going over the resources on the "Web Design is 95% Typography" link you provided.
Another great article!
AnonymousVery inspirational and right to the point !!! Great articles you have got in the links as well 1 Thank you.
I always say it should not be possible to spill a glass of orange juice. People think I am crazy.
The Less and More labelling always annoys me. Designers should aim for neither; they should aim for what is necessary.
I think the multiple instances comment should have to do with your intended audience and who actually views your site. For example, in coding for many instances, let's assume that means multi-browsers and multi-devices. What if your audience only views your site through FireFox and maybe on an iPhone? Should you still invest your time to support other browsers and the Droid phone?
If you say yes, then where do we draw the line? Should we also code for IE3? Netscape? For an Xbox?
Sorry, just ranting from a coder's point of view, but yes it is important to make your site work in more than just the browser. :)
AnonymousGood tips and detailed explanation. But somehow i feel these points is a project related. Maybe being a "Good Designer" in a project will help it more than being a "Great Designer" just a thought :)
AnonymousI am reminded of a quote by Joe Sparano... "Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent."
@Devon - check out the chapter on typography in the 5 simple steps book. It's a great introduction. http://designingfortheweb.co.uk/book/part3/part3_intro.php
AnonymousThis article has some very good truths in it, and are things I will now take into account when designing. *Goes to revisit portfolio design that is underway*
And normally I hate minimal designs, but I love this one! Nice work!
I understand the over-simplification of "less is more" but when bombarded with too much content from people, I have found it to be an effective phrase to relay to individuals.
The most important difference seems to be having a design that communicates rather than decorates.
As someone who's graduating in a week, I definitely have to say that this - in general, and also looking back at 'Artist, Designer, or Hack' is the kind of thing that just isn't taught- at least, in my school.
A ton of theory is missing, and I think that it's both what's turning out a lot good (not great) designers, as well as a lot of people who will end up stuck because they hit the ceiling of what skills they have. A couple of teachers tried to get inspiration via total environment through, but it's really sobering to realise that in a standard curriculum things like how to solve problems in an overarching manner isn't even addressed.
Honestly, even something so simple as communication is really difficult for a lot of people - I'm really blessed because I've been working far and away from school as the full-time designer for the last two years for a small corporation, and I've had to pick up a lot of those skills - and I'm always surprised when people who are at my class level (no matter the school, it seems like) aren't able to discuss projects or their work, or worse, design theory.
I sort of wish I could print this article out, and thumbtack it to all the bulletin boards around the art school -- maybe I will!
AnonymousAllthough I kind of liked this article I don't really understand the purpose of it. Yes, I understand your point but there are alot of articles on this site regarding the subject of novices and so-called experts.. Isn't one enough? I really like these kind of posts, just to see how I would be categorised by profesional designers, but when there are so many I get the feeling the authors are trying to convince themselves that they are better.. And right you are, great designers are indeed better then good designers unless you are a superduperultragood-designer.
But my clients don't really care for super-calculated typography and grids and that one pixel in the upper right corner that was though of in many useless hours.. They just want a design that stands out, is easy to use and most of the time.. is simple. I think most designers don't have million dollar clients but they do have ordinary people as clients.
I'm just trying to say that it doesnt matter how good or great you or other designers think you are. We just need clients to know how good we are and not all clients care for the techniques/approaches used by great designers.
AnonymousIt's clear to say that what really makes us great designers is the way we persuade our clients on how the design is going to be appealing, balanced and easy to the eye, no matter if the client or the audience care about detail or color, but as long as they feel comfortable and inspired when they see it, I think that is what makes us great; indeed, our main goal is to appeal to the audience and specially ourselves. Great article!
AnonymousEdit:
The quote, "Copywriting is interface design. Great interfaces are written," is by Jason Fried, not Jason Friend.
AnonymousPlease correct me if I'm wrong, but there is no concept of kerning in CSS; letter-spacing is akin to tracking in the print world.
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Nice explanations of the points Cameron Moll gave us. I agree with you on the majority of the points. Some of them made me smile but there's one I don't really understand which is "Code for many instances". What has languages to do with instances? Thanks for the useful links!