UX for Beginners

Chapter 61. What Is a Design Pattern?

When many designers have the same challenge and someone solves it in an elegant way, and many designers use that solution, it is called a design pattern.

A design is not necessarily good just because it’s common. To be a “good” design pattern, a solution must be common and usable.

Some design ideas become popular because they allow lazy UI designers to ignore a challenging feature. It’s like putting a bag over someone’s head because they are ugly.

For example: Facebook’s “hamburger” button—which represents the hidden menu in many mobile apps—has started appearing on full-size websites that have plenty of space for a menu. It’s common because hiding the menu is easier than designing a nice one, not because the results are better.

In real life, many users don’t notice the hidden “hamburger” menu button at all, and they leave the site or get lost.

That’s bad.

And lazy.

“Don’t do it, bitch.”—Jesse Pinkman.

Now, there are hundreds of design patterns, and they are changing all the time as devices and technologies evolve, so I can’t really make you a full list. But if you google “UI design patterns,” you will find many sites that collect common solutions (whether they are good or not).