> the modern 'hamburger' menu, absence of menu bar, unnecessarily dynamic UI elements, hidden swipeable menus, etc all serve their role as annoyances These iss

> the modern 'hamburger' menu, absence of menu bar, unnecessarily dynamic UI elements, hidden swipeable menus, etc all serve their role as annoyances These issues you pointed out are fads, trends, and attempts to appeal to the modern design hive mind. They are not "design". They too will die and new fads will emerge. What stays constant throughout is quality aesthetics, a devotion to user centric study, homage to form, and an unrelenting passion for standing out. > I think many designers are in their own world, and more often than not design interfaces that harm usability when they go about "disrupting" things... This is a very strange statement. Are you insinuating that most designers harm usability with their attempt to make it better? So basically all designers are failing? I would be inclined to disagree, although the current state of design is in great peril [1](I will give you that). > It seems like they're trying to merge aesthetic with functional Aesthetics are vitally important to the functionality of a product. I've voiced my opinions on functionality vs. aesthetics many times and it's often the case that people view them as two entirely separate entities to focus on and study. They are not. A poorly designed product is a poorly designed product is a poorly designed product. 1. http://www.elischiff.com/blog/2015/4/7/fall-of-the-designer-part-i-fashionable-nonsense http://www.elischiff.com/blog/2015/4/7/fall-of-the-designer-...