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Hey there, Arjun here

This week's topic: The best designs are simple. But why are they?

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It's always been told that the best designs are simple and people don't notice them.

Is it true and why is it that way?  You'll find out why in this email.



The best performing designs by brands like Adidas and Nike are always the simplest.



Here are some of the best performing designs by Adidas and Nike ↓





What's in common between these 2 designs? They are simple. Easy to understand.

They are also visually stunning but not complex.



Before I reveal to you why the best designs are simple (and why you should craft simple designs), I'll break down how Nike designed this particular ad.



Firstly, Nike utilised the Gestalt Theories.

Gestalt Theories are a set of principles to help you craft designs with well placed elements.



There are many Gestalt Theories. But this Nike ad used the Gestalt Principle - Continuity Principle.



What's that?



The Continuity principle states that once our eyes begin to follow something, they will continue to travel in that direction until it encounters another item or object.



Can you guess how Nike used this principle in their ad? Take a look at this ↓



The first element that catches your attention is the athlete but the powder is angled at such a way that your eyes follow it until your eyes reaches and sees the Adidas logo and the text "get explosive"



Although Adidas shoes are barely noticed in this ad, this ad was supposedly one of their best performing ads.



Which once again proves the point that simplicity beats complexity.



Now that I have broken down and analysed the Nike ad, let's take a look at why the best designs are simple ↓



1) Cognitive Fluency

Cognitive fluency means that people will prefer websites where they instinctively know where things are and what actions they need to take.



If your website were to deviate from the norm, it would not be as easy to navigate. This lack of ease could result in your users leaving your website.

While we used website design as an example, this applies app design and generally any design.



The number one rule in design is to make it easy for the user to understand and use your app/website. Thus, resulting in conversions/sales.

This follows the same principle, do not design too differently because it will cause confusion. One example is bathroom signs, if it is too different, people will misinterpret it and obviously, you should avoid this.



Simplicity wins.



2) Working Memory

Your working memory is the part of your brain that temporarily stores and processes pieces of information.



It can only effectively store 5-9 pieces of information at a time.



That’s why the less information your design has, the better.



This also applies in copywriting, using lists of 5 to 7 pieces of key benefits is best for landing pages. This helps people to easily scan your landing page.

So, when you design a landing page for yourself or a client, make sure to design with this concept in mind.



3) Timeless Designs

There isn't too much to say about this point.

Good, clean designs can stand the test of time and beat the rush of trendy designs that enter and exit the market so quickly without lasting that long.

The simpler the design, the more timeless it tends to be.



But, does simplicity cause a loss of character?

Not necessarily. The idea of simple designs is to be minimal and effective not boring.



Whats the difference?



Simplicity can still be unique, and unique is memorable. But, boring is generic and forgettable which good design never is or was.



That's the end of this week's email.

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Cheers,

Arjun, DisplayZen

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