Overdesign
Note: This was an entry I wrote two years ago so some of the items mentioned no longer apply. I really don’t do any of the designs anymore for our company (Rundle handles that), but I felt that this applied today as much as it did two years ago. There is some new stuff added and some stuff taken out.
When I started to become serious about design a couple of years ago I always wanted to create the coolest websites out there. I wanted a site that would get listed at all of those “coolest website of the day” type sites. I tried for months and years to reach that level of design that I could show everyone and have them say “WOW!”. Usually these attempts merely ended in frustration (now I am extremely lucky to have a design team that can do all the WOW stuff).
As a designer nothing is more frustating than being frustrated. It is very easy on the web to see a site that you could only dream of creating. That is part of the problem with web design. There is always envy because someone is doing something better than you. I figured I might as well give up on this whole web design thing because I just couldn’t cut it.
There was one small problem. Actually two. One I love creating websites. I love taking an idea and putting it on the screen. I also have the world’s biggest ego that does not allow me to walk away from anything. Well put those two together and I had to figure a solution to my problems.
Some of the most wonderful sites on the web only consist of a logo and text, yet they look beautiful. Looking at these sites I realized that these were the sites I could create. I admit to not being the greatest graphic designer or even a semi-good one (as this site shows), but not every site needs someone like that. I wondered why I had never come across this revelation before. Then it hit me. I was overdesigning. I was trying to go beyond my means.
Maybe you think being a web designer means you have to understand every type of design there is. I disagree. There are too many websites now that need to be built in the future to even try to understand all the different types of design let alone becoming good at all of them (and honestly with the exception of Bowman I am unaware of any designer that is able to take any brand and match it with any design without letting his/her style creep into play). Some people excel in almost all areas of design. Others are great at creating graphic collages. And still others are like me, people who really did not take an interest in design when they were growing up and maybe are more technical than creative. The point is with the web it is possible to learn great design because there are so many different kinds. You just have to make sure you do not try to reach beyond your means.
I believe what frustrated many folks about the ALA redesign is that they wanted something spectacular due to the talent behind the redesign. They wanted an overdesigned site. However, I think the site fits perfectly the goals it’s trying to achieve. In contrast, Whitespace servers its purpose as being a content site first, however it could use a bit of a refresher due to the audience it serves. In my opinion it is underdesigned (or really not designed at all).
Overdesigning something involves added more when less is needed. Tomorrow in my Being the Hype series I am going to examine Craigslist. A site many of you probably feel is greatly underdesigned, but I feel it serves its purpose perfectly. If you were going to create a Craigslist do you think you would try to overdesign it?
Scrivs: You should mention eBay in your post about Craigslist. I think it is underdesigned somewhat especially in its use of fonts. I think there’s a purpose in all of it and so I can’t wait to see what you have to say about Craigslist.
By Chris Tingom on August 31, 2005 1:02 pm
Yeah, they definitely have a lot in common and their design initially I don’t think was done on purpose since they were created by non-designers, but I do think the fact that they haven’t redesigned is very strategic.
By Scrivs on August 31, 2005 1:19 pm
Interesting Revelation. I learned a couple months ago that I *had* to pass off all of my major design work to an actual designer. I got too frustrated trying to overdesign, and spent too much time on the design aspect of the site, when I should have been working on the functionality of the site… which is where my talents are. I still wish I could crank out stellar designs, but I am satisfied at the moment with my level of design.
By Kyle Posey on August 31, 2005 1:20 pm
You are very right, and it’s something I’ve been trying to convey over and over again for the last week.
Though, Doug most certainly does have a style :D
By Jason Santa Maria on August 31, 2005 1:34 pm
Doug uses Trebuchet and rounded corners. I’ve outed him, at last!!!
By Mike on August 31, 2005 2:08 pm
So, in short, great design can be attributed to restraint.
There’s a time and place for all things, and the biggest folly any professional can have is to forget that.
By Lea on August 31, 2005 2:36 pm
Brilliant point. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head in terms of my design and redesign problems. Well, that and I can never get finished with something before I decide it’s crap and I have to start all over again.
By peroty on August 31, 2005 2:49 pm
So this is what I have been doing wrong all this time.
By Yannick on August 31, 2005 3:04 pm
Actually, what I don’t like about the new ALA is that it DOES look overdesigned.
It seems like they tried too hard for it to look really cool and nice and, honestly, I’m far less interested in the site now then I was before.
By Jesse J. Anderson on August 31, 2005 3:25 pm
“Overdesigning something involves added more when less is needed.”
No question. It all comes back to the first step in the design process: identify the problem that is to be solved. Sometimes, a logo and some text is all that is needed to create a a “great site”.
In the context of web design, the goal of wanting to be a “great site” might be to create something that will be a community-oriented blog, like Metafilter. The text-and-logo format seems to solve the problem of designing a reading/commenting-intensive site.
By Jason on August 31, 2005 3:55 pm
I didn’t think this at the time when you originally wrote this post some time ago, but right now, at this moment I really think simpleydone is by far your best designed “non-design” (to use your words) site you’ve got going.
All the other sites that are attributed to you - whether designed by you or BL - I feel is overdesigned.
Even this site, as minimal as it is, is overdesigned in my opinion.
Simpleydone’s design, layout, and tone captures “you” and seems to be the most honest to representing you.
Again, just my perception of reality.
By Mark on August 31, 2005 3:57 pm
Great philosophical post there! I really enjoyed it. I think it ties into being a perfectionist. This is a mimmick of the same problem I am facing as a designer.
I have almost never until my most recent designs been satisfied with my creations. I would create a site and always feel something is missing.
Now I ddesign with a philosophy that whatever I put up I can always improve later. That way I am not spending months and months on one design trying to make it “perfect” and eventually hating it.
By Amir on August 31, 2005 4:10 pm
I couldn’t agree more. It is unfortunate that more people don’t realize when they are over-designing things. An extra drop shadow here, some texture there, a little bit of wicked worn here.
Of course, there’s also those morons that under-design as well. ;)
Good stuff.
By Garrett on August 31, 2005 7:11 pm
Quite often these conversations make the point that sites like Google are great because the are free from the evils of “design”. But what most people fail to realize is that the success of Google has everything to do with design. It was designed to be what it is: a simple functional site.
I think this topic has much more to do with decoration than design. Being “crap at design” isn’t a blessing, it just means you’re probably good at something else.
By Geoffrey on September 1, 2005 1:22 am
I hope so! I’m reading more about what the website should acheive and trying to ‘pull’ people into the site.
I’ve lost the page I read this on now :(
I guess if you want to show off your creative graphic design side then an ‘overstyled’ site would be an advantage.
By Steven Hambleton on September 1, 2005 11:33 am
Oh, overdesigning. When I was in university, my (book designer) lecturer instilled perhaps the most useful quote, something which I keep in my head whenever I design something.
Genius.
By Mark Boulton on September 5, 2005 5:28 am