"Apply the 80 Percent Solution

During the design process, if you discover problems with your product design, you might consider applying the 80 percent solution—that is, designing your software to meet the needs of at least 80 percent of your users. This type of design typically favors simpler, more elegant approaches to problems.

If you try to design for the 20 percent of your target audience who are power users, your design may not be usable by the other 80 percent of users. Even though that smaller group of power users is likely to have good ideas for features, the majority of your user base may not think in the same way. Involving a broad range of users in your design process can help you find the 80 percent solution."

This was taken from Apple Human Interface Guidelines (pdf), some great guidelines for developers and designers working for the Apple platform.

But the "80 Percent Solution" can be applied to other various fields of design, because all must communicate to a target group, to deliver a message.

So my fellow designers, don't forget to design for the average Joe first and then think about the rest of your target group.

Your design work must be very accessible and always keep in mind your target group, even if your boss or the client thinks otherwise.

Unfortunately, many of us designers face this situation almost everyday but you must be determined and keep your head up. Explain as many times as needed that the end-user will benefit from your work the most and not just your direct client (and maybe his family or cousins...).

I encounter all too often "designs" that don't communicate to the average person who was the main target and I ask myself "...why bother then?". Why even bother to design if the results fail to make a difference.

Of course, there are still many designers who think that if they get it and it's beautiful and all their friends like it (also designers), then it will be a hit. All too often this type of thinking will send their "great" solutions down the line of failure. Thus, we will be seing on the streets, in stores, all around, more bad design. Bad because it is not easily understood by everyone, because it is not transmitting the right message or worse, not communicating it at all.

Apple understands good design and maybe because of this, their products are a class above the competition, right?

I must admit that from time to time I like some of my works more than I should and I do think I constantly provide the right design solutions. I don't know if this is always true, but for now, all my clients are happy and from what I've seen, their clients are happy too.

Sure, I'm not a designer working for Apple, but I think their approach can be understood and used by all of us.

So, keep in mind that you really work for other people, maybe for your cab driver, your teacher, most of your friends (designers or not)...

You work even for you. Think about it.