Watch Irene Au of Khosla Ventures explain the crucial role of design in startups and how it shapes product success:
The Growing Importance of Design in Modern Technology
Design's rise to equal footing with technology didn’t happen overnight. To understand it, think about the evolution of cars. When the Model T first appeared, the main goal was simple: get the technology right so cars could reliably transport people. Consumers had little choice, mainly black cars in a single model. As technology improved, design became a way to stand out — cars had to look fast, powerful, or luxurious. Design turned into a key differentiator.
This history mirrors the internet's growth. Early internet efforts focused on moving data from point A to point B, overcoming technical hurdles. For many years, getting technology to work was expensive and complicated. Now, technology is abundant. We have sensors, chips, cloud computing, massive storage, and lightning-fast bandwidth. The technology piece is largely figured out, but the challenge of creating useful and emotional user experiences remains.
Another major shift driving the importance of design is the consumerization of IT. Consumers today expect enterprise tools to be as simple and powerful as apps like Google Docs or Gmail. Younger generations have grown up living online and expect intuitive, fast, and enjoyable digital experiences at work, not just at home.
Factors driving design’s rise include:
- Technology abundance enabling richer experiences
- Consumer expectations shaping enterprise product design
- Increasing demand for simplicity and emotional connection
- Younger users accustomed to high-quality consumer apps
Technology now supports a vast range of possibilities, but how users feel and interact with products ultimately decides success.
Design as a Core Component of Brand Identity
Many confuse brand with logos or identities, but a brand is actually the user's perception of a company created through experiences and interactions over time. When users interact with a product, they are building the company’s brand in real time.
Take cars again as an example. When logos are removed from familiar vehicles, many people can still recognize brands like BMW or Porsche based on consistent design elements passed from generation to generation. This consistency creates mental models that help users instantly identify products. In contrast, brands that frequently change design styles, such as Lexus, lose this stable recognition.
A brand built through design hinges on:
- Consistency: Repeated design cues across products build recognition.
- User Experience: Products shape how customers feel about a company.
- Emotional Connection: Strong design fosters loyalty and trust.
Design is a powerful way to express brand identity because products are often the primary channel through which consumers interact with a company.
Simplicity as a Guiding Principle in Design
Simplicity is often talked about, but it’s difficult to achieve. Japanese company Muji perfectly captures this with its design philosophy called ken ketsu, which means simplicity. Muji’s products bring calm and clarity into busy lives through minimalistic design, quality materials, and understated packaging. These are affordable items that don't feel disposable—they feel intentional and lasting.
Google’s homepage evolution is another lesson in striving for simplicity. Starting in 1999, the page was very basic: a search box and a couple of buttons. Over the years, Google added new products, features, and personalization, which made the page cluttered and confusing. Users didn’t know where to focus—the search box or navigation links?
It was only by 2014, after a 15-year journey navigating competing priorities and growing complexity, that Google achieved a truly simple homepage with the focus back on just search. This journey shows that simplicity requires continuous effort and a willingness to make tough trade-offs.
Key takeaways about simplicity:
- It's harder to maintain simplicity as products grow
- Achieving minimalism requires balancing features and user focus
- Simplicity fosters calm, clear user experiences that stand the test of time
Timeless Design: Learning from Braun’s Legacy
Few companies embody timeless design like Braun. Under designer Dieter Rams, Braun adopted the idea of “less but better”, focusing on stripping products down to essentials and improving those essentials with care.
Braun’s products from the mid-20th century still look modern and elegant today. This shows that great design isn’t about trends or decoration—it’s about clarity, function, and refinement.
What makes design iconic:
- Minimalist and purposeful
- Free from fads and showiness
- Durable and relevant decades later
- Focused on meaningful essentials
This philosophy influenced many other brands, including Apple, proving that timeless design starts with strong principles.
The Detailing That Defines Great Design
Design isn't just about the big picture—attention to small details makes a huge difference in how users feel and trust a product. Too often, details get overlooked due to time or budget.
Consider everyday objects: in Japan, manhole covers are decorated with unique, beautiful designs, unlike in the US, where covers are plain and purely functional. Even things like railings or ticket counters show greater empathy for users' needs when designed thoughtfully, such as with dedicated umbrella rests at subway ticket counters.
Why details matter:
- They create emotional delight or frustration
- They improve usability and trust
- They affect user engagement, conversion, and retention
Great design demands empathy—understanding users’ needs and making thoughtful choices that show care.
Intentional Design and Company Values
Design reflects more than just user needs: it mirrors a company’s strategy, culture, and values. When design falls short, it often reveals deeper issues inside the company, like unclear strategy or competing agendas.
Google’s design focus on speed is a classic example of being intentional. Research showed just a 1-second delay could reduce conversions by 7% and customer satisfaction by 16%. Google made fast search a company-wide mission, from infrastructure investments to design choices like a clean layout and black text on white for fastest readability.
This shows that effective design requires:
- Alignment with company values and strategy
- Support from leadership across all teams
- Investment beyond just the design group
Design comes from the inside out. CEOs play a crucial role—they are designers too, shaping culture and priorities. Without CEO engagement, great design is hard to achieve.
The Inevitable Nature of Design: Choose Thoughtfulness
There is no such thing as no design. Every product or experience has design, whether careless or thoughtful. Ignoring design means defaulting to careless design, which often disappoints users.
A song lyric from Love and Rockets puts it well: "When you cannot go against nature, because when you do, that's part of nature too." Applied to design, it means design happens no matter what, so it’s vital to be deliberate and intentional.
Choosing thoughtful design creates better products and happier users.
Practical Advice on Hiring and Managing Designers for Startups
For startups especially outside of consumer tech, recognizing design’s value is the first step. Next comes the challenge of finding and supporting good designers.
How to find good designers:
- Write clear, inspiring job descriptions that focus on impact, not jargon
- Show how designers will contribute to people’s lives
- Create environments that support design thinking and give time for the process
Supporting and managing designers:
- CEOs must care deeply and prioritize design, even delay product releases if needed
- Build trust and close working relationships between CEOs and design leads
- Understand that designers are creative, emotional people needing support different from engineering
Designers often feel frustrated if they lack time, space, or leadership commitment. Supporting them properly improves product quality and team morale.
Enterprise Design Trends and Consumer Influence
Consumer apps have reset user expectations, pushing enterprise software to improve. Tools like Gmail and Google Docs set the bar for simple, enjoyable digital workplaces. Companies like Salesforce show how enterprise design is adapting with clear style guides and familiar interfaces.
Design matters deeply in enterprise—not just for looks, but for productivity, satisfaction, and employee happiness. Founders coming from non-consumer backgrounds can learn from consumer design successes and apply those lessons to professional tools.
Design is an essential part of startup success. It shapes brand, drives user engagement, and reflects company values. Good design requires focus, empathy, leadership, and commitment—but it is worth every effort.
For more insights on startup innovation and product best practices, explore related articles like The Role of Design in Product Development and Product Design: The Essential Guide.
You can also discover how startups build innovative software solutions in the Top 10 Indian AI Startups October 2021 post from BuxOne.
Embrace thoughtful design from the start to create products that people love and trust.
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