What is Aesthetic Design?
the power of beauty in design.
What is aesthetic design?
There is a whole branch of philosophy exploring aesthetics. Let’s scratch the surface of the Aesthetics field and learn how it relates to our design work.There is a phenomenon that social psychologists call “the halo effect”. It means humans tend to assume that good-looking people have other positive qualities aside from their looks.
The same is valid for product design. Good looking products and user interface are perceived as more valuable and having more qualities
Why aesthetic design matters?
Not long ago user were expecting only functional and usable products when they were buying. Today, users expectations have evolved together with the design field.
People expect usability by default and are seeking products that are more than functional and usable. We want to experience pleasure, to stimulate our senses. We want the products we use to evoke positive emotion in us. Aesthetic design is crucial to satisfy these needs.
We all judge the book by its cover. The better the book cover the more we believe the content is better. This is phenomenon called “Aesthetic-usability”. Beautiful products/objects are perceived as easier to use and more valuable than ugly ones. Even if it is not true!
This phenomenon is especially valid when the products compared are equal in functionality and ease of use. The better looking product will win over the users swiftly.Aesthetically pleasing designs are bringing up positive attitude in the users. It makes them care more about the product. Aesthetic design makes people more loyal of the brand and tolerant toward mistakes or failures. Imagine all the apple fans.Early impressions of a product design matter! Aesthetic design is influencing how people think and feel. It influences how much pleasure we feel from the product. Aesthetic design affects our long-term attitude about products and even people.
Aesthetic design matters not only to make the first impression, but also to keep strengthening the bond with the user. The design of our products needs to be aesthetically pleasing consistently across the whole product and user journey.