Defining “Design”: Discovering the Underlying Human Problem

Why do some digital products fail to gain traction, even after countless redesigns? In this episode of Humans First, Andy Van Fleet and Kurt Vander Wiel break down what design really is—and what it isn’t. They explore the story of a company that spent 20 years refining its digital experience, only to find that users still preferred calling a human. The reason? A fundamental misunderstanding of the real problem. Listen in as they discuss the core differences between art and design, why user resistance is often psychological rather than technical, and how designers must go beyond visuals to build trust, confidence, and usability. Listen now on Humans First and subscribe for more insights into design, strategy, and leadership. To learn more about Visual Logic’s Humans First approach, visit vlgux.com. Since 1988, Visual Logic has been a trusted User Experience partner for leading companies–helping guide product strategy, and designing stand out user interfaces & customer experiences. Our process helps simplify complex products and leads to elegant, easy-to-use solutions that your customers & end-users will love. Getting to simple is hard. We’ll help you build & launch with confidence. For more Humans First, visit: www.visuallogicux.com/podcast Keywords: UX design, user experience, digital adoption, product design, customer psychology, usability, business strategy, design thinking, human-centered design, UX failures, user research