Design should be invisible /
Design should be in your face

Which is true? Well, that depends – what are we trying to do? Do we want to engage people and get them to invest emotionally? Or are we trying to help them accomplish a task as quickly and efficiently as possible?

In the course of my career I’ve had the opportunity to engage in both approaches. Both can be elegant and efficient when applied properly. Sometimes a single project needs a dash of excitement in the midst of an invisible, intuitive interface. Oftentimes engaging designs need a backbone of functionality that should be easy and straightforward.

So, which approach is right for you? The first thing I’ll do, on any project, is to find out.

Finding Your Angle

Every business, product, brand, or service has an angle. Apple Computers struggled when they tried to compete with PCs in terms of horsepower and price. It wasn’t until they embraced the idea of design and began speaking to the cult of their brand that they became what they are today.

This is a great story for Apple, but the same solution doesn’t apply to everyone. Most brands aren’t fortunate enough to have an audience of hard-core, design-savvy fans. What does apply is the idea of finding your niche.

When I’m talking to my clients, I use the phrase “key differentiator” a whole lot. It helps me remind myself what is special about what we’re doing – and it helps keep the focus on what needs to get done.