I am no graphic designer. However, as I work with web and interaction design, I know graphic design makes a huge difference when creating user experiences. Functionality is often viewed as one thing that we can separate from the form. When the functionality is in place, then one might consider to add a layer of visual eye candy – if the time and budget allows it. But without the “pretty design” properly integrated with the functionality, how will we even know that there’s a button to push or a link to click?
Let us say that the button feels somewhat clickable even without the “pretty design” applied. Still, will the user even feel like pushing the button if the button is in an visual appalling environment? I know I rather click a button if the user interface as a whole gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.
How I “think” can not be separated from how I “feel”. From “In Defense of Eye Candy”
Humans are not acting as rational as we might like to think. Stephen P. Anderson wrote a great article on this and the importance of “pretty design” called “In Defense of Eye Candy”. The article is inspiring – and gives me several reasons why I should get to know the art of graphic design. Wireframes and flow-charts alone won’t give me the warm fuzzy feeling inside, I’m afraid.