The D.I.S.S. Method
Many people have heard the acronym K.I.S.S., which is short for “Keep It Simple, Stupid.” For our purposes, though, a D.I.S.S. is much more meaningful than a K.I.S.S. The principle is the same, except we always want to remember that “Design Is Simple, Stupid.”
“You cannot understand good design if you do not understand people.”
We’re not talking about the actual work that goes into design. That work is gratifying, but it’s not our focus here. D.I.S.S. is about outcomes.
We’d be wise to listen to Mr. Dieter Rams. He nailed it (see quote).
Think about the person who will see it, read it, click it, drive by it on the highway, pull it out of their mailbox, or scroll past it at breakneck speed on their phone. Remember that their first instinct will be to hit the back button or send your work to the dreaded recycle bin. Helping them accomplish their goal is how we accomplish business goals.
Here’s the thing about good design...it’s almost invisible. How the message is conveyed and how you display it should make the next action a no-brainer.
Data can be a helpful tool to guide design decisions and to optimize the use of available resources. However, it is important to keep in mind that design should be tailored to meet the needs and preferences of your target audience or ideal customer avatar. Keeping the design simple and user-friendly can enhance the user experience and make it easier for them to take the desired action to achieve their goals.
