Trusting your intuition as a designer

I’ve been thinking a lot about how much we, as designers, should focus on data versus intuition.

One of our most important responsibilities is to understand how users interact with the products we create. That deep understanding of user behavior, needs, and frustrations is crucial.

But just as important is our intuition, that internal compass that guides our creative decisions. Many of us became designers because we have a unique way of seeing the world, a refined sense of what feels right, and the ability to translate that into form, flow, and experience. That’s something that can’t always be quantified.

Lately, there’s been a lot of talk online about how design has become boring - that everything looks the same, that everything is flat and soulless. I don’t think it’s just about aesthetics or trends. I think it’s because we’ve become too data-driven. We measure, A/B test, and optimize, but sometimes at the expense of magic.

Tobias van Schneider, someone I look up to, once wrote an article titled “Metrics are killing the magic” I couldn’t agree more.

”Metrics are killing the magic”

Data is an incredible tool for understanding and validation, but it shouldn’t dictate every decision. We should use data as a compass, not as a map. It can guide us, but it’s our creative intuition and taste that truly lead the way.

In the end, it’s that sense of magic, that human spark, that makes design memorable and meaningful.