How I Learned to Embrace Minimalism in Design (And How You Can Too)
Design isn’t just about making things look cool — trust me, I’ve been there. Early on, I thought that if something looked nice, it was automatically good. But design is so much more than that. It’s about solving problems, guiding users, and communicating the right message.
So, how do you really know if your design is good? This question has haunted me through many projects. Over time, I found a few solid ways to evaluate my work, and I want to share those with you — straight up, no fluff, just practical advice you can use right away.
Understand the Purpose
Before you even start designing, ask yourself: What’s the goal here? Who am I designing for? And what’s the one action I want people to take?
I remember once designing a homepage that looked stunning — sleek fonts, gorgeous images — but when I asked users what they thought the site was about, most had no clue. The design missed the mark because it didn’t clearly support the goal.
Good design does one thing really well: it meets its objective clearly. So always circle back to the purpose. If your design confuses your audience or distracts from the goal, it might be pretty, but it’s not effective.
Evaluate Usability
Design is about people, not pixels. That’s something I learned the hard way when a client’s app looked amazing on my screen but was a nightmare to use on their phones.
Ask yourself:
- Can people easily understand what to do?
- Is the text readable?
- Are buttons obvious?
- Does it work well on mobile?
A great test I use is this: hand your design to someone unfamiliar with the project and give them 30 seconds to navigate it. Watching their first reactions tells you a lot about usability.
If it’s hard to use, it doesn’t matter how good it looks.
Check Your Visual Hierarchy
Good design guides the eye naturally. When I started paying attention to this, I realized that many of my early designs had everything shouting for attention — and guess what? Nothing stood out.
Ask yourself:
- What’s the most important thing here?
- Am I using size, color, and spacing to highlight key elements?
- Can someone scan and understand this quickly?
Try the “squint test”: blur your eyes and see what pops out. If everything screams at you, nothing really does.
Visual hierarchy helps your audience know where to look first, second, and last — and that’s how they digest your message.
Look for Consistency
Consistency builds trust. I’ve been guilty of changing fonts mid-project or mixing color palettes because I got “inspired.” But inconsistent design feels amateur and confuses users.
Check:
- Are fonts and colors consistent throughout?
- Are margins and alignments balanced?
- Do images share a similar style?
If you want your design to feel like it came from one unified source, consistency is key.
Get Feedback from Others
Sometimes you’re too close to your work to see its flaws. Early in my career, I would ask, “Do you like it?” And people would say, “Yeah, it’s nice.” But that’s not helpful.
Instead, ask:
- “What message do you get from this?”
- “What would you click on first?”
- “Is anything confusing?”
Ask a designer for technical feedback, a non-designer for clarity and flow, and someone from your target audience — they matter most.
Feedback helped me realize problems I never spotted on my own, and it always made my work better.
Run User Tests When Possible
Even quick, informal user testing gives you huge insight.
Some simple methods I use:
- Five Second Test: Show your design for just 5 seconds, then ask what they remember.
- Click Tests: Ask users to complete a task and watch where they click.
- A/B Tests: Try two variations and see which performs better.
You don’t need a fancy setup. Just 3–5 people can reveal patterns you might miss otherwise.
Measure Performance (For Digital Designs)
If your design lives online, numbers don’t lie.
Look at:
- Are people clicking where you want?
- Are they completing actions?
- Are bounce rates high?
Tools like Google Analytics, Hotjar, or Figma Analytics became my go-tos for validating what’s working and what’s not.
Data turned my gut feelings into actionable insights, and that made my designs stronger.
Review Core Design Principles
No matter your project, some basics always matter:
- Alignment: Things should line up — even if you can’t see it.
- Contrast: Important stuff needs to stand out.
- Repetition: Reuse styles to create unity.
- Proximity: Group related items close together.
- Whitespace: Let your design breathe.
When I learned to balance these, my designs suddenly felt more intentional and balanced — like everything had its place.
Emotional Connection Matters Too
Design isn’t just logic — it’s feelings. Think about how you want your audience to feel.
Does your color palette, typography, and imagery support that emotion?
For example, once I designed a campaign for a healthcare client using soft pastels and rounded fonts to convey calm and trust. Another time, bold reds and heavy fonts gave urgency for a sales promotion.
When visuals match tone, the design feels right — and that connection is powerful.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
I’ve fallen into these traps more than once:
- Overdesigning: Too many fonts, colors, or effects. Simplicity is powerful.
- Neglecting Mobile: If it doesn’t work on phones, it doesn’t work.
- Ignoring Accessibility: Low contrast text or tiny fonts block users.
- Designing for Yourself: Always design for your audience, not your personal taste.
Watch out for these — they can tank your design’s effectiveness.
Real-World Evaluation Examples
Say you made a landing page.
Ask:
- Can people tell what the product is within 5 seconds?
- Is the main call-to-action (“Get Started”) visible without scrolling?
- Do testimonials or benefits build trust?
Or if you designed a logo:
- Is it recognizable at small sizes?
- Does it reflect the brand’s vibe?
- Does it look good in black and white?
These real-world questions keep your design grounded and practical.
Self-Checklist for Design Quality
Before you hit send or publish, run through this mental checklist:
- ✔️ Does it serve the goal?
- ✔️ Is it clear and usable?
- ✔️ Is it visually balanced?
- ✔️ Are styles consistent?
- ✔️ Does it feel intentional?
- ✔️ Did others understand it easily?
- ✔️ Does it connect emotionally?
- ✔️ Is it accessible?
- ✔️ Has it been tested or validated?
If you tick most of these, you’re definitely on the right track.
Know When to Redesign or Start Fresh
Sometimes small tweaks won’t cut it.
I remember a project where after multiple revisions, user confusion remained high. It was tough, but we decided to redesign from scratch — and it was the best decision.
Redesigning isn’t failure — it’s growth.
If you’re getting poor results, the visuals feel off, or users stay confused, trust yourself and don’t hesitate to start fresh.
Trust Your Gut — and Train It
The more you design, the sharper your instincts get.
Pay attention to what works in other designs. Save inspiration. Break things down. Practice constantly.
Over time, you’ll feel when something’s off — and know how to fix it.
Design isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress.
Final Thoughts: Good Design Tells a Story
Good design isn’t just “pretty.” It’s purposeful, clear, and human.
It solves problems, guides users, and makes people feel something. The more intentionally you evaluate and iterate, the better your work becomes.
So next time you finish a project, don’t just ask, “Does it look good?” Ask, “Is it doing its job?”
Because that’s the mark of a truly good design.
From zero to design hero — keep creating!
by Cris.