On Form, Function, and UX/UI Design.

There’s a famous saying, which you might have heard before, that goes like: “Form follows function”.

But does that always apply?

To answer this, let’s consider a simple analogy:

Imagine you’ve started working out.

By consistently lifting heavy weights, your physical form will change and develop to better withstand the applied pressure. And as your form evolves, your body becomes capable of functioning in new and optimized ways, which proves how function is also affected by form.

Form follows function, and function also follows form.

So what can we learn from the interplay between form and function as UX/UI designers?

In real-world scenarios, you may have encountered several enterprise-level softwares where the aesthetics (or form) is completely ignored. While the product is expected to convey a formal and conventional personality, ignoring aesthetics can burden the user experience, especially as users are likely to use these products on a daily basis.

On the other hand, some designers prioritize aesthetics (or form) at the expense of function to impress their clients, employers, or colleagues. While this might initially generate positive impressions, it can significantly impact critical aspects such as CRO, ROI, usability, accessibility, and development costs. This approach could also lead to the engineering team altering your design, resulting in a final product that significantly differs from the designs which you handed over.

Therefore, for our designs to be efficient and scalable we must consider approaching our products from both perspectives. This often entails making sacrifices in the favor of form or function. Nonetheless, these sacrifices are necessary to achieve balance and harmony in our final product.

Thank you for reading !