Pixel Perfect

Does a 1-pixel mistake in a design really matter?

A lot of designers have been posting screenshots of other's designs (mostly Apple UI) pointing out minor imperfections. Finding other people's mistakes is a fun game to play, especially when there is no name associated with the design. But it's not challenging. And it's not designing.

Seeing 1-pixel mistakes without zooming in is actually a pretty useful skill if you're a designer. But it's only useful if you're using it on your own designs or designs you have a chance to work on.

If you want to point out minor mistakes made by Apple's designers, send them to Apple's designers. Don't post them to a Twitter feed with the implication you'd do better. Especially when I can visit your website and see you don't do better.

Every designer defines design differently but I think almost everyone agrees that design is about solving problems.

As designers we should strive for perfection, even down to the last pixel. But in the real world there are constraints, deadlines, and plenty of other pressures that impact a design. Sometimes we even make "design typos" and mess things up by a pixel or two. So we do the best we can within the constraints. Sometimes that means our work is less than perfect.

That's okay.

I don't know of any designer who does perfect work all the time. Before attacking others for their minor mistakes, people should focus on making their own designs pixel perfect.

Images from Brandon Walkin and Mac Tyler, repsectively (who are both crazy talented and humble—this post was not meant to attack them).