5 principles of good design

What is 1 view? Designers and authors have at least two things in common—they think they know stuff and they believe other people care what they think. This, of course, could have something to do with the fact that many of us have huge, blimp-like egos. Being both an designer AND an author I have enough opinions for three people (I hear you, but technically I AM an author—a reporter once told me: anyone who writes a couple of books that are published by someone other than his parents can be called an author).

The Graphic Artist’s Guild defines a graphic designer as a “visual problem solver,” a graphic artist as a “visual artist working in a commercial area” and an art director as someone whose responsibilities include supervising the “quality and character of visual work.” Only a creative director, who they define as one “whose responsibilities may include overall supervision of all aspects of the character and quality of the (advertising) agency’s work for its client” even comes close to what I think a designer should be.

To me, design is a communication art and the people who practice it should be held, or hold themselves, to a far higher standard than the terms imply. Following are the standards I aspire to. Someday, I hope to get halfway to achieving them.

Design is more than meets the eye The purpose of design is to communicate an idea. It is as much, if not more, about function as it is about looks. It is as much intellectual and visceral as it is visual. If you don’t have a clear, well designed message, you don’t have a design. Design is marketing, marketing is design.

Design is about communicating benefits Ready to start a new project? Ask yourself this: Why does a prospect look at your brochure, your Web page, or your newsletter? Because they want to know what you want? Because they want to know what you need? Because they want to help you out? Not if you’re living on the same planet I am.

No matter what you’re selling or giving away, if I am your prospect, I want to know what’s in it for me. I have hard-earned money or time to invest and I rarely part with either without the promise of some return. Are you going to entertain me? Educate me? Inspire me? Solve my problems?

If you agree with that, why in the name of heaven, would anyone create a design or marketing message that didn’t focus on clearly communicating those benefits?

Design is not about designers Poof! On your left shoulder appears a miniature version of you with wings and a halo, on the right, a version with a pitchfork and horns. The good designer pleads “Create a design that answers your client’s needs.” The bad designer commands “Don’t be an idiot—design something that’ll look good in your portfolio.” Who you listen to determines whether you’re working to create an image for your client or trying to shoehorn them into yours.

Design is not an ocean it's a fishbowl The design of a piece for a small business is much different than a piece for a Fortune 500 pound guerrilla. Design and marketing ideas are not always interchangeable—be careful about the principles you apply and how you apply them. For example, image advertising for a small business with a tiny budget is silly. Image advertising requires a long term commitment—months or even years to get the exposure necessary to gauge the value. Likewise, advertising your law firm by stuffing fliers under windshield wipers is equally as ridiculous.

Design is creating something you believe in The saying goes something like this: “great advertising will kill a poor product faster than no advertising at all.” The same is true with design—good design will attract an audience faster than poor design. If the product stinks, more people will find out faster and stop buying it. I’ve lost more than one project because it was obvious that the client was on the wrong track or the ethics of the players left something to be desired. Step away rather than compromise your values.