Why Design Matters in Software

Beautiful, thoughtful design is vital for any digital project.

This means it’s important for ERPs and other software, as it is for websites and mobile apps.

Good design means more than aesthetics that please the eye—it means designing for people, with interfaces that are logical and efficient.

Most people who have worked with software have horror stories of systems that had a black and green screen from the 80s, or systems that are so convoluted that it takes dozens of clicks to find frequently used links or menu items.

These are design failures, and the frustration that users like you feel when encountering them is a reminder that design is important in every system—internal or external, small or large, new or legacy, MVP or full-service.

At Worthwhile, we focus on building custom web and mobile apps. And we’ve seen time and time again how design improves software, benefits users, and provides value to companies.

Here are some reasons design matters, along with ideas on ways you can bring effective design to your system.

Design Creates Clarity

Good design creates clarity, helping users intuitively know what to do next. This kind of clarity can eliminate user errors and add efficiency and conversions to the system.

It’s easy to see how this kind of clarity makes a company’s internal systems more valuable. If the design of your ERP saves your employees time and makes their work more accurate, then it helps your bottom line.

Easy on the Eyes is part of Ease of Use

Good design makes software easier to look at it. It also leads to better user focus, because an intuitive and appealing interface keeps users inside the system.

Making an ERP system or other operational software more organized and more appealing makes your employees’ lives better on a daily basis. By removing obstacles to work, you increase employee satisfaction and create better productivity.

Obviously, this is also crucial for any public-facing app. You don’t want to give potential customers a reason to leave your system.

Users now expect good design, and if you don’t provide it, they’ll be disappointed. Don’t drive customers away—or drive your employees crazy.

Design Future-Proofs Your Software

When building any piece of software, it’s vital to think through both present-day solutions and ways to plan for the future. Design helps to do this.

Because design creates clarity, it also creates flexibility for the future—so expanded features and functionality feel natural, not tacked on.

Design can even help you future-proof legacy systems. We often work with clients with older systems to create web applications that provide portals into the system. These portals provide a more attractive, more functional place for employees to work, and can add to the lifespan of a legacy ERP.

Design Helps Develop Brand Consistency

Any business that pays attention to its brand knows the importance of consistency. This consistency is important externally with customers, vendors, and friends, but it’s just as important internally among employees.

Reflecting your brand through the design of your internal software reinforces your brand to your employees. It helps them remember what makes you different from your competitors and what you promise your customers. The quality of your design also shows an attention to detail that should inspire your employees to the same standard.

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About Worthwhile Storyteller

We'll never tell you a lie, but we might tell you a success story that protects the intellectual property of our clients and partners. Our Worthwhile Storyteller is an amalgamation of all of our thoughts, experience, and expertise brought together to give you the facts about our relentless improvement in the software development space.