Design's Shakespearean Curse: Good UX Should Never Be Noticed

Look around you. Everything - your chair, doorknobs, light switches - was deliberately designed, yet you've probably never thought about most of it.

Why? Because great design fades into invisibility.

A well-crafted door handle never gets praised - it just works. But struggle with a door that needs instructions (why do "Push" signs exist?), and suddenly design screams for attention.

What did you like about the last stairwell handrail you used? Probably... nothing, right?

You've used hundreds without a second thought. But grab one that's too high or wide, and you'll notice immediately.

This is the Shakespearean curse of UX: The better you do your job, the less anyone sees you did it at all.

This same principle defines great digital experiences. Here are three areas where invisible design matters most:

Remember the first time you used ChatGPT? The interface was almost certainly not the thing that stood out - it was the quality of the answers you got. Nonetheless, the interface that surrounds any LLM you use has become a critical part of the experience.

That's the pinnacle of conversational design: total invisibility.

I spent a couple years working on Google Assistant in the pre-LLM times, when product teams would spend countless hours trying to make a conversation with Assistant feel natural. It was a tall order, and it did not get there until Assistant entered a Bard-flavored chrysalis, and emerged a Gemini-powered Butterfly.

Forms are invisible design's ultimate test. Nobody has ever hit "Submit" and felt a rush of joy -- but if you've ever been stuck on a page that won't tell you what's wrong, my god will you notice.

Ever gotten lost trying to find your account and routing numbers on your bank's website? There it is again - someone's design work, begging for attention.

There are cases where putting an obstacle or two between someone and their goal is a good thing.

Your phone's alarm clock is a great example - if it's too easy to dismiss a wake-up alarm, they're far less effective.

Similarly - a confirmation / "are you sure?" dialog is a good thing when doing something destructive, irreversible, or executing a financial transaction.

If good design is invisible, how the heck do you get better at it?

As a designer, this becomes your burden: start paying attention to what you're not noticing. What apps/tools/processes have been so smooth you barely had to think?

Study interfaces that fade away. Analyze forms you completed without cursing. Notice apps you use daily but couldn't describe if asked.

You don't always need to make people say "wow" - and to be perfectly honest, if that's where you're starting from, I'd be worried.

Your best work will never get the praise it deserves because, if done right, no one will know you did anything at all.

That's the beautiful curse of great design.

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Current events got you down? Me too.

Here's your reminder that unseen actions leave visible scars.

🎯 Target execs recently showed off their liquid spines by axing DEI programs, which resulted in a dramatic drop in store traffic.

Meanwhile, 98% of Costco shareholders confidently voted to preserve their DEI initiatives.

There's no gambling required to predict which company's Q1 earnings report will tell the better story.

Often the most powerful design choices are the ones nobody sees happening - until the results become impossible to ignore.

If this resonates with you, here's some resources you'll appreciate:

• The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman is the book on this topic. Can't recommend it enough.

• I rewatch Do the Most Good, a talk from legendary designer Mina Markham about once a year. Mina is an icon, and her wisdom is worth learning from.

Until next time - give 'em hell. Mike