De•sign [dəzajn] is a
method of problem solving.
The simplest definition. Design is so many things, executed in many different ways, but the function is always the same. Whether it’s blueprints, a clever UI, a brochure, or a chair – design can help solve a visual or physical problem. 1
So what is
“good design”?
This definition is not so simple. The best designs are notorious for seeming not designed at all – or ‘undesigned’.
It’s easier if we break things down a bit. If you know what to look for, it’s easier to identify good design when you see it; or perhaps when you can’t see it at all.