Interesting read, Mustafa. In my career I’ve worked across the spectrum of roles from developer to visual/interaction designer to UX researcher and back again.

The tension between conforming to native platform guidelines and grid systems vs being “creative” and innovating is, in my view, a sign that the digital designer doesn’t fully understand their role.

Ultimately, a digital designer should be finding the nexus between form, function and utility. We can make UIs that are beautiful, usable and useful. However it requires designers & developers working within the bounds of established UI patterns and principles 95% of the time.

Working within such constraints may be stifling to an artist – but therein lies my point. The role of a digital designer is not just to create beauty, or anarchy or to interpret society’s views on Obama – within a web or native app UI. Focusing on the “art” may win applause from one part of the community, but will it meet your company’s objectives around revenue and user stickiness? Probably not.

The role of the designer is to expose functionality/content in a usable and beautiful way.

Apple has focussed so much on beauty to the point where functionality is hidden and UIs are not as usable as they used to be. Material design has a better balance between function, form and utility, but arguably loses on the beauty facet.

Great designers find the balance between all three facets.

The above opinions are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of my employer, digio.com.au .