I’ve taught at design schools, and it is interesting to see what comes out of young minds. I like looking at design blogs, to get ideas, both good and bad, and to be amazed at what some people create. However, just because someone thinks that putting a flashy design on something makes it better, doesn’t make it better.
Consider the traffic light. We see them every where (and I always seem to catch them red, so drive in front of me if you have some place to be). Some feel that they are boring, and should be updated. Hence this design. It is an interesting idea, a “sands of time” metaphor which lets you know how much time you have left before the light changes.
However, the designer looked only at the design, and not at the functionality. For example, the designer didn’t consider how would someone who is color blind know what color the traffic signal was? An estimated 4% of all people have some form of color blindness. The designer also probably didn’t think about how easy it would be to read the signal as a user approached it at speed, while it was half way through. Could they determine the color fast enough? I don’t know.
Sometimes designers get busy thinking about making something look pretty, and not how it is used. Make sure your designer (for your website, product, or anything else) thinks about more than just glossy covers and buttons, but more about how your product will be used in the real world.
About Walter Wimberly