Call it "pretty" to signify the idea that the only things designers care about is aesthetics. But I think designers care about building an emotional connection

Call it "pretty" to signify the idea that the only things designers care about is aesthetics. But I think designers care about building an emotional connection to the customer and ensuring that only the right functionality appears in a given context. I feel like using the word "pretty" is code word for demeaning the value and thought that people put into creating an app/website beyond the functionality. Oh it's only a thin veneer who cares. All too often, people want to cater everything to everyone so they just throw all the options on the page and expect you to know where to find what. Or they don't think you're a human and should just be happy with whatever you're given because hey, the functionality is there. But as consumers get used to a level of design through the apps/websites they use on a day-to-day basis, the ones who do care are going to want that sense of quality in their other tools. I don't love the F16 analogy. Some things do require highly specialized training. The vast majority of websites and applications don't. Furthermore, there's an additional layer of difference since physical buttons/gauges have an advantage of easy access as compared to layering functionality in digital interfaces.