PwC customer
experience research says 73% of consumers say that ‘customer
experience’ is a key factor in purchasing decisions, reinforcing that
design must perform, not just impress.
There is a version of design that is very
easy to like and very hard to defend.
It photographs well. It looks impressive in
a portfolio. In a client presentation, it generates immediate approval. And
then it goes live, and nothing really changes. Conversion rates remain the
same. Users continue to drop off at familiar points. Support teams still
receive the same questions. The surface improves, but the outcome does not.
At Hashtag Designs, this kind of output is
described in one word: decorative. And according to founder Madhushree
Kulkarni, it is one of the most common and least acknowledged problems in the
design industry today.
“Pretty design is not bad design,” says
Madhushree, who leads the Pune-based studio. “Aesthetics matter. Visual quality
signals professionalism, and that signal influences how users perceive a brand.
But when visual appeal becomes the end goal rather than a means to an end,
design stops solving problems and starts creating the illusion of solving
them.”
The distinction may sound subtle, even
philosophical, until it is observed in real-world applications. A visually
refined onboarding flow that asks for too much information too early. A
homepage with striking visuals but no clear primary action. A brand identity
that feels cohesive and premium, yet fails to communicate what the business
actually does.
In each of these cases, the design succeeds
aesthetically but fails functionally.
At its core, the issue is not about design
quality, but about design intent. Hashtag Designs traces this pattern back to
how design is typically evaluated within organizations. Visual outputs are
immediate and easy to react to. They invite quick feedback preferences about
colours, typography, layout. Functional outcomes, on the other hand, take time.
They depend on user behaviour, interaction patterns, and performance over time.
As a result, the feedback loop that shapes
most design decisions tends to prioritize appearance over effectiveness.
To address this imbalance, Hashtag Designs
introduces a different question early in its process: what does success look
like for the user not just for the design? If that question is not clearly
defined, the studio believes the design is likely to be measured against the
wrong outcomes.
Madhushree emphasizes that this is not a
rejection of aesthetics, but a reframing of its role. “We’re not against
beautiful design,” she explains. “The goal is not to remove aesthetics, but to
make sure they are doing meaningful work. When a design is clear and
purposeful, it often looks right not because it’s styled to impress, but
because it fits what it is trying to do.”
This perspective challenges a common
assumption that functionality and beauty exist in opposition. In practice, the
studio finds that the most effective work is where both converge where clarity
informs aesthetics, and aesthetics reinforce clarity.
Based in Pune, a city with a rapidly
growing ecosystem of startups and digital businesses, Hashtag Designs works
closely with companies navigating scale and complexity. In these environments,
the limitations of surface-level design become more visible. As products evolve
and user expectations increase, design decisions that prioritise appearance
over usability often lead to friction.
“The problem with pretty design is not that
it exists,” Madhushree adds. “It’s that it can end the conversation too early.
Once something looks good, people assume it works. But that’s exactly when the
more important questions should begin.”
In a landscape where user experience
increasingly defines brand perception, this distinction is becoming more
relevant. Businesses are beginning to recognize that effective design is not
just about visual appeal, but about how clearly and consistently it performs
across interactions.
Through its approach, Hashtag Designs is contributing to a
broader shift in how design is understood not as decoration, but as a tool for
clarity and decision-making.
Because in the end, good design does not
lead with beauty.
It earns it.
If your business is ready to move beyond surface-level design and
build systems that drive real outcomes, visit Hashtag Designs and
discover how strategic design can elevate both perception and performance.
