Research
We began this project by diving into what constitutes a “good” or “bad” design and what that means to us. The conversations in class sparked agreement, disagreement, and most importantly a good look into the minds of the peers I’ll be working side by side with over the next year. To define what I personally consider a good or bad design I gathered information from articles and videos on the topic. Ultimately, I found that a good design is useful, efficient, and always pulls from a variety of design principles. I discovered that often times less is more and to always hold your target audience at the highest level of importance.
Good vs. Bad Design Comparison:
A design you feel is “good”
I think this is a good design because it takes two products that are used extremely often and combines them to be that much more functional. It is extremely practical because it eliminates the use of multiple dishes and even shortens the process of draining and returning the food back to the pot. I have one of these personally and it has come in handy. Overall, a great design improvement. The designers definitely had user efficiency in mind.
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A design you feel is “bad” design
The symbols on this washer are far too vague to the point where it is a hassle for the user to depict. Too many of them are very similar and could easily be confused with another function which could result in ruining articles of clothing. Any design that is making a task more difficult is automatically “bad” in my opinion.
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A design you do not like but are reticent to admit you do not like it
I think the design of this can isn’t cohesive enough. It clearly appeals to some and sells the product well enough, but it isn’t as aesthetically pleasing as it could be designed in order to get to their target audience. This drink has become popular amongst teens and young adults who typically find satisfaction in things having a certain aesthetic. I think these cans could be re-imagined and could become a more visually appealing product.
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A design you like but are embarrassed to admit you like it
I wouldn’t by any means consider this a bad design but if each piece were individually represented it would get the point across better. It is cluttered and is distracting from the main advertisement. You must look extra hard to find the key information. However, what I like about it is the playful mix of fonts and the color palette. It is very visually appealing to my eye, and I like it as a whole, even though it may not serve the best purpose as an informational poster.
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Reading notes:
- Aesthetics change so frequently but can still fall into categories that appeal to different eyes and succeed in certain instances and not in others
- Do not innovate for the sake of innovation
- User enjoyment through user enablement
- Your design should reflect the character and the purpose of the design
- Keep designs adaptable
- Bad design can be visually appealing but fail to serve a purpose or can mislead or completely miss the target audience
- Experience is the best way to become “a good designer” like anything else
- An open mind for building knowledge and the willingness to learn new techniques and style is extremely important
- Usability and communication are key
Sources
https://www.manypixels.co/blog/post/bad-design
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYZwBDlK8Sg
Iterations
In order to develop my bio page, I created a few sketches to brainstorm layout, hierarchy, and overall rhythm. I also took some notes during our class discussion regarding what makes this first impression of ourselves successful. Many of my initial sketches I now see were a bit too over the top and distract from the main purpose of the about me page.
Notes on a successful bio page for designers:
- A professional bio matters a lot when it comes to winning jobs, assignments or client support
- Promotes your own attributes and why you’re the most useful and why it should be you they pick for a job
- Displays key skills and experience
- A humble introduction is a better way to have people remember you and your name rather than diving right into your creative visions or ideas