Designing and Design thinking are two different things.
And it’s about time more people understood that.

Because lately, I see a lot of people confusing fancy design with good design.

Beautiful gradients, perfect typography, sexy visuals…
but when you actually use the product, it feels like solving a Rubik’s Cube.

That’s not design. That’s decoration.

See, designing is about how something looks.
Design thinking is about how something works.

Designing asks, “Is this pretty?”
Design thinking asks, “Does this help the user do what they came here to do?”

One feeds your ego, the other feeds your retention.

I’ve worked on products that looked stunning but failed to convert. Worked for a company that raised $100 million in its 2nd round and burned all of it within a year.

And I’ve also worked on ugly dashboards that printed money $$$.

That’s when I realized - users don’t always care about your art direction. They mostly care about how fast they can finish the task and move on with their life.

Good design feels invisible. It doesn’t scream for attention. It simply works. Take Notion for example.

So here’s my take: If your design looks great but creates friction, it’s BAD design.

If it looks average but flows effortlessly, it’s a GREAT design.