design? yeah, right!

By: Hidde Griek and Kiara Chin

In 1995, Masaaki Kurosu and Kaori Kashimura of the Hitachi Design Center made a remarkable discovery. They had test subjects evaluate various designs for an ATM in terms of both graphic design and ease of use. What did this reveal? The more attractive the design, the more user-friendly people found the ATM - even when the actual functionality was the same. In other words, an appealing graphic design makes people believe that the design is more fun and easier to use. Kurosu and Kashimura demonstrated that good visual design deeply influences our perception of how we experience functionality and usability.

dangerous colors and threatening angles 

Our brain has evolved over hundreds of millennia, and some preferences seem deeply ingrained - consider the well-known example of our heightened sensitivity to bright colors that signal danger. A 2016 study by Duyan and Ünver illustrates this well. They examined how different color accents in classrooms affected students' attention. The results showed that red walls had a negative effect on students' attention span. Another example is that studies repeatedly show that people tend to prefer rounded shapes over sharp lines and angles - presumably because rounded shapes are perceived as less threatening.

when companies embrace design 

Good design can have a positive impact on our perception, emotions, and cognition. It can improve our ability to perceive and process information, optimize our emotional response to products and services, and facilitate better decision-making. This also translates into business operations. Companies that embrace design experience great benefits. According to McKinsey, companies with a well-developed design process grow twice as fast as their industry peers. On average, they even generate 32% more revenue and 56% higher shareholder returns.

Leading companies like Apple and Google have long recognized the importance of 'user-friendly' design for their success. Apple focuses on intuitive, user-centric interfaces with an emphasis on simplicity and elegance for a smooth user experience. Google, on the other hand, heavily invests in user research and data-driven design to create products that align with cognitive processes and user preferences. For example, Google’s search interface is designed to be visually appealing, organized, and responsive, based on insights from neuroscience: Google's analysis of 41 shades of blue for ad links reportedly resulted in an additional $200 million in ad revenue.

shaping the world 

However, design is a holistic approach that goes deeper than mere aesthetics. Effective design requires careful consideration of user experience, functionality, and purpose - with the ultimate goal of creating meaningful and impactful solutions. It is a discipline that integrates imagery, psychology, and human behavior to design experiences, products, and services that resonate with users on a deeper level. Design engages the brain, shapes perceptions, stimulates interaction, and evokes emotion. Design shapes the world around us and the way we perceive that world. Design deserves, perhaps even more than technology and data analysis, to play a leading role in change management and the world of impact.