As a designer, you’ve probably run into design guidelines in your work. They’re everywhere, from brand guidelines to interface design guidelines, and are often seen as essential instructions for making consistent and cohesive designs. However, blindly following design guidelines may not always be the best way to go. In this article, I’ll talk about why you shouldn’t blindly follow design guidelines such as; Material Design & HCI, and how breaking them can lead to better designs, as well as some tips on how to make use of design guidelines correctly.

Are Design Guidelines Helpful or Harmful?

Let’s start by acknowledging that design guidelines can be very helpful. They provide a framework for design decisions, making sure that everything is consistent and clear. They can also save time and work, especially when designing for a large organization or product with many stakeholders.

However, there are some problems with the design guidelines. One of the main problems is that they can make people less creative and lead to boring, unoriginal designs. Following design guidelines too closely can also make a design less flexible and adaptable. For instance, if a guideline says to use a certain color palette or font, it might not be the best choice for a certain design problem, because you might be using a different color or font for the project you are designing.

Why do companies require you to learn popular design guidelines?

Learning popular design guidelines like Material Design and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) can be helpful, but these guidelines are seen as industry standards and are therefore expected knowledge for any designer. It’s important to understand these guidelines well, but it’s just as important to be able to break them when you need to.

First, let’s talk about how to follow design guidelines and make use of it correctly.

Design guidelines can be a useful resource for designers, but it’s important to use them correctly. Here are some tips on how to use design guidelines to your advantage:

1. Understand the reasoning behind the guidelines: Take the time to understand why a design guideline is there before you blindly follow it. Knowing the goal and intended use of the guideline can help you use it in a way that improves your design.

2. Change the guidelines to fit your needs: Guidelines can be a good place to start, but they may not always be the best way to solve your design problem. Make the guideline fit your needs and the needs of the user. For example, the Material Design guideline suggests using a floating action button for primary actions, but this may not work for all interfaces.

3. Use guidelines to make sure everything is the same: One of the biggest benefits of design guidelines is that they make sure all designs and products are the same. Consistent branding, user experience, and visual design can be achieved by following guidelines. For example, the Coca-Cola brand guideline makes it clear how to use their famous red and white colour scheme. This helps all of their products look the same.

4. Combining guidelines with creativity is a good idea: Guidelines should be used as a place to start when designing, not as a barrier to entry. Use the guidelines as a base, and then add your own unique touch to make something new. For example, the Slack messaging app uses the Material Design guidelines along with a unique colour scheme and fun illustrations to create a unique brand identity.

5. Follow the latest design guidelines: Design guidelines are always changing and getting new versions. To make sure that your designs are relevant and useful, stay up to date on the latest guidelines and best practices. For example, the most recent update to Apple’s iOS Human Interface Guidelines includes advice on how to design the new iPhone models with Face ID technology and Dynamic Island.

Now let’s talk about how to break design guidelines, what are the benefits, and some examples as well.

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The Benefits of Breaking Design Guidelines

Several advantages can result from deviating from design guidelines. First, it encourages creativity and innovation. When designers are free to explore new ideas, they are more likely to come up with something truly unique and effective.

Second, breaking design guidelines can increase flexibility and adaptability. By breaking the guidelines, designers can come up with designs that fit the needs of a project or product better.

Lastly, breaking design guidelines can help you be more successful and get more attention. Unique and innovative designs are more likely to stand out in a crowded marketplace and attract the attention of customers and stakeholders.

“Your curiosity is your growth point always.” — Danielle LaPorte

How to Break Design Guidelines Effectively

Of course, breaking design guidelines isn’t always the right approach. It’s important to understand when and how to break guidelines effectively. Here are a few tips:

1. Understand the guidelines: To break design guidelines effectively, it’s important to first understand them. This means reading the guidelines, but also understanding why they are there. By understanding the ideas behind the rule, you can better decide when and how to break it. For example, if a guideline suggests a certain layout for a website, you might decide that breaking that guideline could result in a more user-friendly experience.
2. Experiment: Don’t be afraid to experiment by breaking design guidelines. This could mean experimenting with different colour schemes, layouts, or typography. One way to experiment is to make multiple versions of a design and test them with users or stakeholders to see which one works best. That’s something I always do!
3. Find inspiration outside of guidelines: Guidelines can be limiting, look for ideas for your designs elsewhere. This could involve getting ideas from art, nature, or culture. You can break free of the guidelines and limitations and make designs that are truly one-of-a-kind by looking beyond them. This can also help you set your work apart from the work of other designers who may be adhering to the same guidelines. Read my other article to know 20+ websites where you can find real inspiration.
4. Balance adherence with individuality: It’s important to strike a balance between following the guidelines and being unique, even though breaking them can result in more creative designs. This means that you need to know how important consistency is in design and how to balance that with the need to make something different. Use your creativity to find ways to break guidelines without sacrificing consistency or usability.
5. Keep the user in mind: In the end, design is about making things better for the user. Make sure the design still meets the user’s needs and expectations when breaking guidelines. To make sure that your design still offers a good user experience, this might entail conducting user research or testing.
6. Have a reason: It is counterproductive to break guidelines just for the sake of it. Have a clear reason for why you are breaking the rule and how it will help the user or the design as a whole. This could mean making a design that fits better with the values of a brand or that is better for a certain group of users.
7. Get feedback: Lastly, it’s important to get feedback on your designs. Get feedback on your design by showing it to others. This can help you find any potential problems and improve the design. Additionally, it can assist you in determining whether or not your design differs from the guidelines.

By using these tips, designers can break rules well and make designs that are truly innovative and stand out. A balance between creativity, adherence, and user-centered design is necessary for breaking guidelines. It’s important to remember that when you break guidelines, you should always have a reason and think about the user. With practice and experience, breaking guidelines can help a designer create something truly unique and powerful.

Examples of Successful Designs That Broke Design Guidelines

Following guidelines isn’t enough to create an impressive design. It’s about coming up with new and effective ways to solve problems. Individuality and creativity are important parts of good design. When designers stick too closely to the guidelines, they might miss out on chances to make something really unique or stand out from the crowd.

1. Let’s look at some examples of design changes that worked well. When Apple released the iPhone X in 2017, it didn’t look like any other iPhone. Instead, it had a screen with no borders and a notch at the top for the front-facing camera. At the time, this design choice was controversial, but in the end, it set a new standard for how smartphones should look.

2. Another example is that Google is known for having clean & consistent designs, but they have also been known to break traditional design guidelines when they want to try something new. One example is their “Google Doodles,” which are fun, interactive designs that replace the normal Google logo on special days. These designs have become a popular part of the Google brand, and they help Google stand out from other search engines.

3. The last example is Airbnb’s rebranding in 2014. The company’s design guidelines had previously emphasized a friendly, approachable aesthetic. The rebranding, on the other hand, was more sophisticated. It used a refined color palette and a unique, geometric logo. This deviation from the guidelines helped the brand stand out in a crowded market.

“We continuously need to question the rules to evolve ourselves.”

Conclusion

Design guidelines can be helpful, but they shouldn’t be followed blindly. Breaking guidelines can lead to more creative and effective designs. While learning popular design guidelines like Material Design and HCI can be useful, it’s important to have the freedom to deviate from them. By understanding the guidelines, experimenting, balancing adherence with individuality, and keeping the user in mind, designers can break guidelines effectively and create successful designs, when necessary. So, the next time you encounter a design guideline, keep in mind that it is just another guideline, they do not set it in stone, and it is definitely not necessary to follow it blindly. Do what is best for your users.

Do you agree with the points I have made above? Either way, let me know in the comments!

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