Sat
May 31
2008
Minimalism can’t always be applied as a style. It can, however, always be applied as an ethos.
Some people have described my design aesthetic as minimalist. Although I understand how my designs can come off this way, I suggest that minimalism should be an ethos rather than an aesthetic.
For the sake of this paragraph, let’s accept minimalism as an aesthetic. As an aesthetic, it is a visual style, and we have a responsibility to make sure that the style fits the project. This is part of the responsibility of direction. Therefore, we must carefully consider that the minimalist theme is appropriate to the purpose of the website, the audience, and the client. This attitude applies not only to minimalist styles, but to any other genre, including—but not limited to—grunge, dark, Web-2.0, illustration, etc. From this, it follows that the grunge look probably isn’t appropriate for a leading software company, and cartoons probably aren’t appropriate for a big law firm.
Sat
May 3
2008
Good design alone can’t guarantee success. It needs to be built on top of a cohesive concept that surrounds the brand.
Design is about communication. Its aim is to present information in a way that makes it easily consumable. A skilled designer would create a proposal that meets the objectives of a project brief, while applying a keen eye to layout, typography, imagery, semantics, and usability. He or she would work with developers for implementation, and presto! Successful project, right?
Wrong.
Unfortunately, judging by a lot of the stuff I see on the web, it’s a common misconception. I see plenty of good design, but that’s all it is—good design. It’s nothing if executed without a cohesive concept.
This is why projects need proper direction.