What is design?

The essence of a good design is one that is both beautiful and practical. Good design is beautiful—it has visual appeal. But even though design is very visual, it isn’t only so. Good design should have a purpose—a reason for being.

Think about design this way. Let’s say that you’re in the checkout line at a store and decide to buy a Snickers bar. You pick one up, pay for it, unwrap it and eat it. Yummy, huh! You probably didn’t think much about the wrapper covering the bar, did you? But what if it wasn’t there? I know I wouldn’t buy an unwrapped candy bar! What exactly is my point here? Well, even though you may not have thought about it, design is an integral part of that Snickers bar. The wrapper is not only beautiful (in the visual sense), but it is practical as well (it tells you what is inside, it informs you with nutritional information and it protects and preserves the product inside it).

At this point, you might be wondering, “But what about creativity? Isn’t that a vital part of design as well?” Yes, of course it is. Personally, that’s one of my favorite parts of designing something! In fact, I often tend to get carried away with exciting, new ideas and forget that the design must also serve a practical purpose. As a result, the important thing to keep in mind is this—a design is a good, effective design when it displays both creative beauty and practical purpose. As Stokefire branding agency president Tate Linden said,

“Design is an opportunity to continue telling the story, not just to sum everything up.”

Ultimately, design is about telling a story—both visually and inherently. As you read this blog, please join me on an adventure to learn more about the stories behind good designs!