Usability vs. Aesthetics

Cagan argues that most websites are hard to use, ugly, or both, and that even companies that invest in design often fall short. He observes that interaction designers tend to produce usable but dull sites, while visual designers produce beautiful but hard-to-navigate ones. He contends that delivering a good user experience requires both skill sets, since they are distinct disciplines, much like product management and product marketing. He rejects the view that visual design is superficial fluff, arguing that emotion drives successful products and that visual design creates it. He concludes that interaction and visual designers should work closely with the product manager to define both functionality and user experience.

01Key takeaways

• Treat interaction design and visual design as distinct skill sets and staff for both.
• Don't assume one person who is called a designer can excel at both disciplines.
• Recognize that visual design drives emotional response, which affects how users perceive a product.
• Have product managers work closely with both designer types when defining the product experience.
• Account for performance, bugs, and advertising, since they also shape the overall user experience.

02Key sections

The state of web design

Many sites, even from major companies, remain difficult to use, unattractive, or both. The author has long seen too little investment in user experience.

Two kinds of designers

Visual design firms produce beautiful but poorly structured sites, while interaction design firms produce usable but boring ones. This pattern points to the two disciplines being distinct.

Who designs the site

Enterprise companies often have neither designer type, leaving product managers or engineers to design the UI. Consumer companies usually have one or the other.

Why visual design matters

Some teams dismiss visual design as unnecessary, but the author argues emotion is central to product success and visual design shapes that emotion. Identical functionality can feel very different with good visuals.

Working together

Good experiences require both interaction and visual skills, plus close collaboration with the product manager, who defines functionality and user experience together.

03From the post

“A partnership dedicated to teaching best practices to product teams and product leaders”

Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.