How I Learned to Stop Overdesigning and Start Listening

When I look back at my early design work, I honestly have to smile (and sometimes cringe). Like many designers starting out, I was completely hooked on the idea of making beautiful things. I thought the sign of a “real designer” was someone who could layer on visual magic — colours, gradients, shadows, animations — and leave people in awe.

And for a while, I really believed that was the job. The fancier the design, the better the designer, right?

Well, not exactly.

What I’ve learned — through some hard lessons, failed projects, and honest feedback — is that good design isn’t about showing off your skills. Good design is about listening.

Listening to what the project really needs. Listening to what the users actually want. Listening to feedback without getting defensive.

In this article, I want to share my journey: how I went from an over designer who filled every pixel with unnecessary flair to a designer who values simplicity, clarity, and purpose. Maybe my story will save you from some of the stumbles I made along the way.

My Early Designs: All Style, No Soul

When I first got into design, I was obsessed with making things look impressive. My Figma and Sketch files were bursting with:

• Fancy gradients that didn’t really match the brand

• Overly complex typography systems

• Buttons with shadows, glows, and micro-interactions that made no sense

• Layouts that tried to be “different” but ended up confusing users

I wasn’t focused on solving problems. I was focused on impressing clients, other designers, and — let’s be real — myself.

The truth? I was designing for the wrong reasons.

What Overdesigning Looks Like in Real Life

Overdesigning is sneaky because, on the surface, it feels like you’re doing great work. But here’s what was really happening under the hood of my projects:

• Users felt overwhelmed. They didn’t know where to click, what to do, or how to get to their goal.

• Clients kept asking for revisions because the designs looked “cool” but didn’t actually work for their audience.

• Developers dreaded implementing my designs because they were heavy, complicated, and filled with unnecessary elements.

• I wasted time polishing things that didn’t need polishing. Instead of focusing on flows and functionality, I was stuck fine-tuning corner radius or experimenting with the 7th shade of blue in my palette.

And here’s the part that stung the most:
When real users interacted with these overdesigned projects, they didn’t care about the beautiful typography or the fancy gradients. They just wanted things to work. And in many cases, my designs got in their way.

The Wake-Up Call

There was one project that really opened my eyes.

It was a dashboard for a startup. I had poured my heart into it. It had slick charts, trendy dark mode, colourful icons — the works. I thought I’d nailed it.

But then we did user testing.

What I saw was humbling:

• Users struggled to find the most basic functions.

• They missed important links because I’d styled them too subtly.

• The colourful charts were pretty, but no one could figure out what they meant without explanation.

That day, I realized something important:
I wasn’t designing for the user. I was designing for myself.

And it was time to change that.

How I Started Listening

Shifting from an over designer to a more intentional, user-focused designer didn’t happen overnight. It took a lot of practice, reflection, and a willingness to let go of my ego.

Here’s what helped me most.

I started asking better questions

Before, I’d jump straight into designing — picking fonts, setting up grids, choosing colours. Now, I slow down.

I ask:

• What problem are we really solving here?

• What does the user actually want to do on this screen?

• What’s getting in their way right now?

I started spending more time listening to clients, stakeholders, and users. I asked follow-up questions. I took notes. I stopped assuming I knew best.

I embraced messy beginnings

I used to feel like every design had to look polished from the start. Now, I’ve learned to love:

• Wireframes that are ugly but functional

• Sketches that help me think

• Simple prototypes that let us test ideas before we make them pretty

This shift helped me stop falling in love with surface-level visuals too early.

I became okay with “less”

There was a time when stripping down a design felt like failure. Now, I see it as a strength.

I’ve learned to ask myself:

• Does this element help the user?

• If I removed it, would the design still work?

• Am I adding this because the user needs it — or because I want to show off?

What Happened When I Stopped Overdesigning

The change was real — and it felt good.

• Users found my designs easier to use. Instead of being wowed by unnecessary details, they could focus on getting things done.

• Clients trusted me more. They saw that my work was helping their business, not just looking good in presentations.

• Developers stopped sending me long emails about why my designs weren’t practical.

• I started enjoying the process more. Instead of stressing over tiny visual details, I was focused on bigger-picture thinking and problem-solving.

And perhaps the best part:
My designs didn’t look worse. In fact, they looked cleaner, more confident, and more purposeful.

Common Signs You’re Overdesigning

If you’re wondering whether you’re overdesigning (like I was), here are some red flags I’ve learned to spot:

• You feel the need to fill every bit of white space.

• You’re adding visual elements that don’t serve a clear function.

• You’re designing to impress other designers, not the end user.

• You’re spending more time perfecting small visual details than thinking about flow or functionality.

• You keep adding features or styles because you’re afraid of the design feeling “too simple.”

If any of that sounds familiar, take it as a gentle nudge: it might be time to pause and listen more closely.

Practical Ways to Start Listening More

If you want to break the overdesign habit, here are a few things that helped me and might help you too:

Talk to users early and often. Even a short chat can reveal what’s really important — and it’s often not what you expected.

Test low-fidelity designs before you invest in polish. This keeps you from falling in love with visuals that might not actually work.

Seek feedback from non-designers. They’ll tell you if something is confusing or unnecessary, without getting distracted by aesthetics.

Always ask: “Does this help the user?” Let that question guide your decisions.

Remember that clarity beats cleverness. A clear, simple solution is always better than a flashy, confusing one.

My Ongoing Journey

I’m still learning. Every project teaches me something new. But these days, my approach feels calmer, more focused, and more user cantered.

Designing this way has helped me create work I’m proud of — not because it’s fancy, but because it serves its purpose.

If you’re struggling with overdesigning, I get it. I’ve been there. But once you start listening — really listening — you’ll find that design gets a lot more meaningful.

And honestly? It’s a much more rewarding way to work.