Layers of fidelity.

Crafting Resilient Designs

Imagine you're painting a fence. Each stroke, deliberate; each layer, meaningful. This is how resilient designs are built – not in hurried splashes of brilliance but through thoughtful, incremental layers.

We often look up to the seamless worlds of Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, marveling at their complexity. But behind these polished facades lies a reality – they are the result of years of work by thousands of developers. They remind us that true excellence in design is a journey, not a sprint.

Laying the Groundwork

Every great design begins with the basics. For me, it's about starting with clean HTML and CSS, often using Tailwind for its straightforwardness. This stage is about function – ensuring the design stands firm, reliable, and user-friendly. At this stage, you will learn your product's problem space; the cheaper you can do that, the better.

Usability: The Heart of the Design

The next layer is usability. Here, you start optimizing for individual workflows in the product, experimenting with different flows.

Emotional Resonance: Adding Depth

Then, we infuse emotion. This layer is about creating moments of delight, elements that resonate personally with users. It could be an unexpected animation or a uniquely placed message – small touches that make the experience not just usable but enjoyable.

The Zenith: Persuasive Design

The pinnacle is persuasive design. This is where mastery comes into play, shaping how the design looks or feels and how it influences behavior. It's a rare and powerful layer that takes years to perfect and subtly guides user decisions and actions.

The Art of Patience in Design

Crafting a resilient design is a process of patience and precision. At Thought Merchants, we embrace this layered approach, understanding that each stroke and decision adds to the strength and character of the final design. It's a journey towards mastery, where every layer matters.

Steve Berry
Principal, Thought Merchants