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Contemporary design has lost its soul
As technology and efficiency improve, our products have become less beautiful and unique
Design influences the world in many ways, from user experience and branding to architecture and engineering. A practical and elegant method of implementing design is by utilizing the well-known principle that form follows function. This notion implies that design decisions are quantified with purpose and grounded in efficiency and practicality — nothing more and nothing less. However, this utopian methodology can result in designs that come across as sterile and predictable.
Simply Bland
The continued growth of the user experience industry has impacted the design field indefinitely. Much of contemporary design gets driven by UX information such as accessibility standards, research, and data. Overall, these objective methods and determinations yield more usable products and services. But more importantly, it produces satisfied users, thus leading to a more holistic and profitable business model.
If we examine websites from tech industry giants such as Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, and Google, aesthetically speaking, we can see their designs are neutral, simple, and clean — plenty of white space and contrast for accessibility, hierarchy, and navigation. However, they have substituted clinical and quantitative for what could have been unique and authentic. They do not take any creative risks by exploring colors, bold graphics, or typography. Their designs are safe, sterile, and impersonal.
The logic behind the requirement for specific digital applications and websites to be void of anything other than their intended purpose is self-evident. However, I believe large-scale companies such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft influence the design community considerably. And if you have been designing for as long as I have, their impact on compositions produced by the general design population is evident. Even the direction given by stakeholders starts to evolve into whatever visual identity these big tech companies have taken over — regardless if it is…
