The Duality of Design #3

In this series, we will explore the duality of design and examine various aspects. Today, we will delve into the realm of logic and intuition.

How the image of designers changes with time

What kind of person do you imagine when you think of a designer? Perhaps a fashion designer debuting a new collection, a creative director behind an ad campaign, or an architect hailed as a master. These individuals often give the impression of having exceptional sensibilities and the ability to generate original ideas.

While there are indeed roles where such creative talents shine, they represent only a small fraction of designers in the workforce. Most designers I interact with daily are more focused on the meticulous logic of their work—explaining why a design is good, fine-tuning details to ensure usability, and engaging in what might seem like painstaking efforts.

In the past, design education emphasized intuition and artistic sense. Students would come up with 100 ideas, refine their skills through repeated sketching, and strive to create original forms that set them apart from others.

Nowadays, such scenes are rare in schools and workplaces. More often than not, the focus is on constructing a rationale for why a particular idea is suitable, rather than generating numerous concepts. Many designers thriving in digital production fields today rely on logic and reasoning, even if they have yet to undergo extensive training in the artistic sense during their schooling.

The logic of designers

So, what exactly is the logic expected of designers?

The more functional the service or product, the stronger the demand for logical design becomes. For a SaaS product aimed at improving business efficiency, ease of use is paramount. For industrial machinery, the priority is minimizing errors and reducing physical strain, rather than having an attractive appearance.

When working on designs where usability is prioritized over aesthetic appeal, presenting numerous spontaneous ideas can overwhelm clients. What clients expect from designers is an explanation of the practical benefits of the proposal and the criteria for evaluating the design. They are not looking to make decisions based on personal preferences.

Designers use logic in their presentations and explanations to clients. They provide reasoning behind their proposals, using phrases like “because of this” and sometimes have users test prototypes to demonstrate effectiveness through research results. Professions like UX designers and UX researchers are deeply involved in the logic of design.

It seems that users are less likely to buy or use services and products based solely on preference compared to around the year 2000. There is a growing demand for practical aspects, such as cars that prioritize safety and comfort, sustainable furniture, and stress-free websites, which increases their relative value. From a personal perspective, the turning point appears to be when digital services started becoming more prevalent, leading to a decreased value on owning physical items and an increased emphasis on having good experiences through the web.

The changes in societal and business demands are contributing to the trend of designers placing more emphasis on logic.

The intuition of designers

So, does this mean designers no longer need intuition? Not quite.

If we focus solely on logic, all designs would end up looking the same. Logic is rational and devoid of subjectivity. If the result is the same regardless of who designs it, then the need to rely on a specific designer diminishes. With the advancements in AI technology, the future where design logic is entrusted to tools may not be too far off. (Though, one could argue that AI itself embodies a unique intuition.)

Now, let’s consider what is being designed. How many services or products can exist purely on logic? Household appliances, clothing, smartphone apps, shops, and restaurants all possess some form of appeal beyond just efficiency and convenience. There are plenty of aspects that cater to personal preferences and sometimes embrace irrationality—things that are good precisely because they are not strictly logical.

I always look forward to the annual hit product rankings, and the items users choose are often quite irrational. For example, in the “Nikkei Trendy 2023 Hit Products Best 30,” Suntory’s “Kodawari Sakaba no Tako-Hi” ranked seventh, with the following reason given:

“The long-standing plain sour became a hot topic with its ‘unimaginable taste’ approach. It is selling at a pace of 5 million cases annually.”

From Nikkei Trendy “2023 Hit Products” Best 30

A product marketed with an abstract concept like “unimaginable taste” cannot be created with logic alone. Designers must utilize their unique ideas and perspectives, employing their intuition to avoid becoming mere executors of requirements.

Logic and intuition in business

We often hear that “designers should be involved from the early stages of business planning and project development.” In such business settings, what is required of designers is not just logic or intuition, but both.

Most business decisions are made based on logical examination and reasoning. Designers are no exception and must be able to engage in discussions following these logical protocols.

However, if only logic were needed, there would be no reason to involve designers, as many business professionals already excel in logical thinking. What the business side expects from designers is their ability to understand logic and, at the same time, use their intuition to identify problems that logic alone cannot solve and to generate unique ideas.

For instance, understanding users deeply often requires more than just market data. To grasp what users seek and feel, empathy and social observation, elements of intuition, are necessary.

I have been fortunate enough to work with clients from the early stages of business planning and strategy as an equal partner. Reflecting on my past work, I have been navigating between logic and intuition in my discussions and proposals. Rather than relying on just one, placing logic and intuition on either end of a seesaw and tilting it according to the situation allows designers to increase their opportunities to thrive in business contexts.

Skill development in logic and intuition

What is required of designers varies greatly depending on the industry and their specific field, so it’s not always universally applicable. However, I would like to share my practical methods for enhancing both logic and intuition.

Strengthening logic: Incorporate other perspectives

The logic of design can often seem like an enigmatic world to those outside the field. To convince others, it’s effective to listen to questions and critiques from different perspectives and view your work objectively. Understanding how others see things allows you to present your logic within the business protocols effectively.

It can be daunting to ask people from different fields for their opinions, and opportunities to do so might be scarce. In such cases, reading books from various industries is recommended. While business books are useful, even novels can help you understand other people’s and organizations’ thought processes, providing good training in building logical arguments.

Enhancing intuition: Immerse yourself

There’s a significant difference between using the knowledge you vaguely know and incorporating deeply experienced insights into your design. To truly immerse yourself, some try generating 100 ideas for a single topic, thoroughly role-play as a user, or create something from start to finish alone. The methods vary for everyone.

If working alone isn’t your strength, look for like-minded individuals in schools or communities. Places like schools, where short-term results aren’t pressured, and where you can immerse yourself comfortably, are suitable environments for fostering intuition.

So, when asked, “Which is more important for a designer: intuition or logic?” I would say, “Both.”