Design: A Balance of Aesthetics and Utility
The limitation of the scope of design to styling, fashion, or the appearance of objects leads to a reductive understanding. The design does emphasize on aesthetics and beauty but also puts equal focus on utility. Good design is supposed to bring aesthetic and functional elements together to create something greater than the individual parts. This holds in the context of designing interiors for houses, technological developments, and even in communication.
An interior designer or a furniture manufacturer understands that they need to make the house or the piece of furniture attractive. However, they also realize the need to make it functional, so that satisfies certain needs and demands of consumers efficiently. Technological device manufacturers have also realized the value of aesthetics in design. If the market performance of two devices with the same price and utility is compared, those products with a higher aesthetic appeal tend to do better. This is why mobile phone manufacturers not only focus on incorporating better technology into their devices but also on how to make them look pretty. From the iPhone 5c to the Samsung Galaxy Edge, companies have attempted to incorporate external aesthetics in technological design, which seemed to be impossible a few years ago.
Design in communication is less explored, yet crucial. Communication is simply designed as the process of transferring information from one entity to another. Design helps make this process of transfer more efficient and engaging. Whilst designing modes of communication- including pamphlets, paintings, and posters the utility of design (the ability to get the message across) is considered to be of prime importance. However, this utility often depends on aesthetics. People tend to focus more on aesthetically appealing pieces in newspapers and magazines. Therefore if any social movement or organization wishes to engage with the market, they must develop aesthetically pleasing designs.
The interrelationship between aesthetics and utility is complex and variable. In the case of communication, aesthetics determine utility. In the case of physical devices, aesthetics probably adds to utility. How beautiful a photo is dictates how many people would want to buy it and for what price. The aesthetic value of a laptop or a mobile phone, on the other hand, is only of the many characteristics that influence buying decisions. It is important for designers of all types to better understand the relationship between aesthetics and utility so that they can balance the both to better understand and serve the covert and overt needs, desires and preferences of consumers.
