Like I said on the previous page: beauty matters and science can back me up with that statement. Products that are both functional and good looking, are hitting the sweet spot. To use the words of the researchers in this field: beautiful products are more likely to create trust, we are more likely to become loyal brand ambassadors and are more likely to engage with the brand through, for example, a purchase.

You're probably thinking: beauty and the definition of 'good looking' is in the eye of the beholder. Well, yes and no. Researchers have been curious about this question and concluded that many common factors define if we consider something beautiful or not.

The most important of them is complexity. Things that are visually less complex are considered more beautiful.

I'm extremely happy with this outcome because I also believe in designs that give your brain a break. With so much information passing through our brains these days (social media, news, and so on), design in any shape and form should be simple, calming, easy to use, and easy on the mind.

Does that mean all designs should look the same, following the minimalistic simplistic trend we're currently seeing in 2023? No! This brings me to my second belief about good design: it should be creative!

Why is good design creative? For two reasons. Ten years ago it used to be hard to create good design. And for many companies, it was enough to have a professional look to stand out from the crowd and differentiate themselves. Nowadays we have better access to knowledge than ever and becoming a reasonably good UI designer is easier than ever, especially with the rise of AI. So, how can we help brands stand out from the crowd? Creative design that surprises, lets you smile, laugh, amazes you, and so on. Challenge the status quo, surprise your users, and let them remember you.

The second reason for a need for creativity: every brand is unique. So how can two designs be alike!? It's up to a creative to come up with something that matches a brand. Simple, right?

Last but not least, design should be fun. Why? Because the internet has not become a great place last years. Do you remember the excitement we all felt when the internet just arrived? The possibilities seemed endless and we felt no downside.

Nowadays every website requires acceptance of cookies and throws countless advertisement overlays and newsletter sign-ins at you. Some web pages are 50% ads and 50% actual content. On top of that many websites are still too hard to use, by using difficult language or straight-up stupid UX decisions.

I wonder.... can we make the internet fun again? Let websites make users smile, surprise them, make things extremely easy, or add some humor to the mix. Add some emotions, and make sure browsing the internet will be fun & pretty again.

24.07.2023