The debate over so-called “ugly design” on the web continues. And the CEO of a new web business, “GoJobby,” chimes in:

GoJobby Blog GoJobby Blog: Ugly Design Works; Most Web Designers Miss the Point:
I guess my point is that all of you web designers who … feel that good design is effective communication need to put your money where your mouth is… And make your sites a little bit more usable and, yes, a little bit uglier.

I could spend the time coming up with a different set of words to say what most of the 60+ other comments left on his blog entry said, but instead, I’ll let “George” speak for me:

As a designer, you seem pretty confused about what you mean when you say “design”. Design is the compromise between art and engineering where you try and maximize both the aethestic (sic) and functional qualities of an object at the same time. Yet at various points, you keep referring to design as if it is merely the art of making things look pretty. Usability isn’t a separate expertise. If a designer doesn’t understand usability, he/she is merely an artist.

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