New technologies can be amazing. They can help people solve their problems, or simplify their lives. Despite all this, they can look difficult and incomprehensible. The goal here is not just to make a beautiful presentation of the project. It is more about using DESIGN to show investors and potential users the true value of your innovation.
Design is at the heart of many startups such as GitHub, Airbnb, Square, and Fitbit. But what is “design”? Look at your current product. Does your design make it innovative? Useful? Understandable? Aesthetic? Will it be long lasting or will it be outdated in a couple of years?
Great design has its roots in startup culture itself. Many entrepreneurs, developers, and engineers don't just recognize that design can improve their products. Moreover, they include designers as part of the product founding team.
3 Reasons Why You Should Pay Closer Attention to Design
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It doesn't matter what kind of innovation we are talking about. Whether it is software or a physical object, remember that the people you want to present it to may not be such qualified as you are. Good design could make easier the perception of your project.
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If we are talking about software or mobile app, a good design here is crucial. No matter what problem you're solving, a flawless user experience could do half of the job.
On the other hand, a bad design could ruin the best idea in the world. There're a lot of various problems hiding. Starting from the onboarding and ending with the use of main features. The onboarding process is needed to teach the user the proper use of a new application for him. If it will be messy, it might confuse people. If your application involves buying mechanism, the checkout process should be as clear and short as possible.
If your main functions are new and unique, then all the necessary explanations and UI elements should be self-explanatory, so the user does not have to spend time looking for solutions himself. Talking about the hardware, we can highlight similar issues. The appearance of your invention should tell people, what it is, and it can be used.
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Of course, we will not leave aside the presentation of the product itself. The overall impression is formed using a combination of colors, smoothness or sharpness of lines, geometric shapes, typography. Storytelling is a powerful selling tool, but make sure that design supports your story.
To sum up
What distinguishes design from art is the presence of functionality. So in pitching a project to investors design solve several problems. Good design without superfluous words can explain what your product is about. Secondly, the design of the presentation overall should convince potential investors to invest in your idea. In other words, it should sell itself.
It's getting harder and harder today to stand out due to the tech alone. Designers from modern giants like Apple, Dropbox, Airbnb, and others have changed the world. It has happened not just because their companies have better technology, but because they make their products more comfortable, aesthetic, and human.