It is easy to forget that much of the stuff we interact with in our daily lives was first conceptualized by a designer.

It is nearly impossible to go throughout the day without interacting with a designer’s work in some shape or form.

Even commonplace devices such as tissue boxes, pencils and mugs were first just ideas in a designer’s mind.

Despite the many thanks we owe designers, one of the most frustrating things can be interacting with a poor design every day.

In our capitalist drive to design in a way that is cheap, fast and wasteful, poor design is plentiful.

Poor design fails to progress past designs by trading quality and artisanship for profit.

It remains ignorant of inclusivity and ceases to reflect realistic human behavior.

Living in the American South, one of the most evident and populous examples of poor design would be the steel building pandemic.

Popular because of how quickly and cheaply they are to build, they are the greatest eyesore known to man and the bane of my existence, although vinyl siding is a close second. 

The steel building undermines any of the traditional architectural styles an area may offer and disgraces it with a rectangular prism of beige metal. 

It reflects the capitalistic mentality that trades culture and artisanship for cheap artifice.

Instead of taking the time to design something that pleases the local environment and existing culture, builders who opt for steel buildings ignore these values completely.

Therefore, a poor design is cheap and looks the part, but a good design is cost-effective, mindful of local culture and not driven only by profit.

More examples of poor design include those that are not inclusive. 

Equality does not mean building identical designs for everyone; it means recognizing that different people will benefit from different designs and planning accordingly.

All left-handed people know the pain of writing on a whiteboard without erasing what they have already written. 

Even using scissors can be difficult for a left-handed person. 

Similarly, all individuals using a female restroom likely know the pain of waiting in a long bathroom queue at an event.

These are both examples of designs that fail to be inclusive. 

Despite these examples being more light-hearted, the problem of non-inclusive design is a stark one and can limit entire groups, such as the disabled, from enjoying equitable access. 

Instead of designing to adapt to the diverse array of users, these designs cater to only the demographic of people the creator chose. 

While these examples may appear harmless, this trend on a large scale prevents equal opportunity and oppresses communities of people whose voices are not being taken into account.

In some cases, poor designs disregard human behavior completely.

Sidewalks are a common example, as they often fail to offer direct routes or appear in places where they are needed; therefore, individuals often choose to walk through parking lots or cut through the grass.

Poor design fails to improve past designs, remains ignorant of inclusivity and ceases to reflect realistic human behavior; however, we do not have to let poor design continue to thrive.

Instead, we can go back to designing in a way that celebrates craftsmanship, tradition and toughness while also celebrating progression and inclusion by being mindful of all humans. 

Having something you feel was built for you and that you are proud to use or interact with should not have to be a luxury. 

Rather, it is a right everyone should get to have.