How To Design Your Logo, Website, and Product
Eben Pagan reveals why design is the critical interface between your company and customers, using Apple's approach as the gold standard. He explains how design encompasses everything from logos to packaging, and introduces the principle that form should follow function in business design.
Teachings 4
Design is the interface where your company, products, and marketing meet the customer - it's the critical touchpoint that determines customer experience
Eben Pagan defines design as 'that space where your customers meet your marketing your products and your services' and uses Apple's packaging as an example where customers keep the packaging because it's designed as 'a work of art'
Apple views itself as a software company that makes hardware, treating the iPod as 'wonderful piece of software wrapped in beautiful hardware'
Steve Jobs personally told Eben Pagan at a conference that 'we think of Apple as a software company' and quoted another executive saying 'if you love software you make your own hardware'
Usability means how easy and intuitive something is to use, and most design everywhere is treated as an afterthought rather than a priority
Eben Pagan explains that 'usability has been mentioned a lot on the web' and defines it as 'how easy and intuitive is it to use something' while noting that 'most design just about everywhere is kind of an afterthought'
The design principle 'form follows function' is remembered because of alliteration, but it's also a great concept where function should lead design decisions
Eben Pagan explains that 'form follows function' is 'the most popular saying in design' because 'it has alliteration at the beginning' making it 'memorable' and teaches that 'you start with the function and then you design the thing to facilitate the function'
Quotable Moments 3
“design is that it's almost like that that place where your company and your products and your marketing interface with the customer that's where design lives”
— Eben Pagan“if you love software you make your own Hardware”
— Eben Pagan“you start with the function and then you design the thing to facilitate the function”
— Eben Pagan
How to Apply Form Follows Function in Design
A method for creating functional design by starting with purpose rather than aesthetics
- 1
Identify the Function
Start by clearly defining what the design needs to accomplish functionally
- 2
Design to Facilitate
Create the form and appearance to best facilitate that identified function
- 3
Test Usability
Ensure the design is easy and intuitive to use for the intended function
Questions Answered
What is the most important aspect of business design according to experts
“design is that it's almost like that that place where your company and your products and your marketing interface with the customer that's where design lives”
— Eben Pagan▶ 2:30
Design is the interface where customers meet your marketing, products, and services. It's the critical touchpoint that determines the entire customer experience, not just how things look.
How does Apple approach product design differently
“he said we think of Apple as a soft W company and I said whoa like I got to readjust my brain and then he quoted some other guy and he said this other guy says if you love software you make your own Hardware”
— Eben Pagan▶ 1:03
Apple views itself as a software company that makes hardware. They treat products like the iPod as 'wonderful software wrapped in beautiful hardware' rather than hardware companies that add software.
What does form follows function mean in design
“you start with the function and then you design the thing to facilitate the function”
— Eben Pagan▶ 3:39
Form follows function means you should start with the purpose or function first, then design the form to facilitate that function. The function leads and determines how something should be designed.
What is usability in product design
“usability has been mentioned a lot on the web and what does usability mean means how easy and intuitive is it to use something”
— Eben Pagan▶ 2:37
Usability refers to how easy and intuitive something is to use. It's become an important focus on the web, though most design everywhere still treats usability as an afterthought.
Summary
Design as the Customer Interface
Eben Pagan introduces design as the critical interface where customers experience your business. He uses Apple's packaging as an example of design so effective that customers keep it as art, demonstrating how design encompasses logos, websites, products, and packaging.
Steve Jobs' Software-First Design Philosophy
Drawing from a personal conversation with Steve Jobs, Eben reveals how Apple views itself as a software company making hardware. This reframe treats products like the iPod as software wrapped in beautiful hardware, revolutionizing how to approach product design.
Usability and Form Follows Function
Eben defines usability as how easy and intuitive something is to use, noting most design treats this as an afterthought. He explains the principle 'form follows function,' teaching that effective design starts with function and creates form to facilitate that purpose.
Counterpoint
Claim: “Design is just about making things look pretty or is an afterthought in business”
Reframe: Design is the critical interface where customers experience your entire business - from logo to packaging to website
Eben Pagan demonstrates this with Apple's packaging being so well-designed that customers keep it in closets as 'a work of art' and defines design as the space 'where your customers meet your marketing your products and your services'
Key Points 4
Design is the interface where your company, products, and marketing meet the customer - it's the critical touchpoint that determines customer experience
▶ 2:30Apple views itself as a software company that makes hardware, treating the iPod as 'wonderful piece of software wrapped in beautiful hardware'
▶ 1:03Usability means how easy and intuitive something is to use, and most design everywhere is treated as an afterthought rather than a priority
▶ 2:37The design principle 'form follows function' is remembered because of alliteration, but it's also a great concept where function should lead design decisions
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Topics
Business Frameworks
Common Mistakes