Invisible Design
Driving Deliberate
Dilution
Volume 1
/Design, Business, Gyges
Writer: Bret Janak
/Art Direction: Christian Garavito
Thankfully, the days when agencies and consultancies reinforced a caste system of creativity have largely passed. No longer do mere mortals have to pay homage to capital-C Creatives to complete their client projects. The democratization of design has been one trend that led to the toppling of that last ivory tower. Readily available design tools, affordable 3D printing, online learning opportunities, open-source software, and other advancements in technology and organizational design have, across industries, made design more accessible.
That said, the role of the designer has changed over the past decade. Historically, designers are denoted by their specialization (e.g. visual designer, UX designer, etc.) according to where and what they studied as well as their natural aptitudes. As designers advance in their careers and the breadth and depth of their experience grows, the secondary descriptor falls away and design leaders are expected to demonstrate proficiency across the various disciplines within their group. Having said that, this needn't be how all design career development transpires. Many designers nowadays approach their work with an experiential lens where every moment is valued and considered — moreover, such individuals are often the most sought after.
Now You See Me
However, design is not a miracle drug, and it isn't administered by designers alone. Instead, design is (and arguably, has always been) a way of solving problems. Positioning design as a team sport does not cheapen the work of experts— rather, it liberates designers to keep their eyes on the big picture and add value across many moments of interaction. Savvy leaders recognize that design is inherent in every aspect of problem-solving and, when it is done right, it fades into the background to exist seamlessly and without ornamentation. Several companies take this approach: ease or eliminate the pain by reimagining the process and obfuscating complications. Lyft and Uber shifted the ride hailing service model by offloading user operational burdens to the back end. Warby Parker forced a minor revolution in eyewear retail through virtual and physical try-on opportunities. Both examples focused on the core need.
Everyone on the team— regardless of role— serves as an advocate for change.
In user-centric design, it is often said that designers advocate for the user. In the new model, everyone on the team — regardless of role — serves as an advocate for change. This empowers the entire team to be creative — as well as outcome-driven and value-oriented. This new structure, in which design permeates the entire business horizontally, gives rise to invisible wins: efforts done in the background, unseen and largely unremarked upon. We mustn't shower accolades on the flashy and the ornamental exclusively.
Now You Don't
So, how can we make design invisible? Consider design as a force or philosophy that brings people together. Every aspect of a solution is informed by and, in turn, informs design. In this new model, a designer can bring intentionality to the core experience. The broadening and blurring of the borders of design is a net positive because design done well is all but invisible.
For a designer, the win might be the obviating of something the user has to do in the current model. Understanding that, for every discrete thing you ask a user to do, you lose a sizable share of those users and building an experience that is joyful, elegant, and sticky is a win. Design can be output, but it is more powerful when oriented towards outcome. Sometimes, "the lack of needing to make something is the victory." Working with a system to ensure desirable outcomes whilst mitigating the possibility that negative outcomes arise — that's design.
For every discrete thing you ask a user to do, you lose a sizable share of those users.
At the end of the day, the democratization of design and the shift from specialized, siloed creativity to design as a team sport marks a significant transformation in the industry. As design becomes more embedded in every aspect of problem-solving, its successful implementation often rests in its invisibility. We're replacing the old monuments to individual creativity with a new infrastructure that values collaborative, outcome-driven design.
Now, design is a holistic approach to problem-solving that values the user experience and embraces every team member's creative potential. Profitable design often lies not in obtrusive, ornamental displays but in the thoughtful elimination of unnecessary steps, focusing on the end goal, which is a seamless user experience. In this new era, we must recognize, celebrate, and strive for these 'invisible wins' as we continue to advance our shared understanding and application of design. Therefore, the victory of design doesn't always involve creating something; sometimes, it lies in the strategic absence of elements, enhancing overall user experience and efficiency.