That‘s true only for (some) tech-literate people. Everyday users will quickly think something looks ugly/old/cluttered when compared to the other apps/sites they use.
I‘m an outlier on this site because I generally like redesigns and all that comes with modern web stuff (white space, rounded corners, flat, light drop shadow, generally clean and option for dark mode).
I find it‘s easy to test. Take a redesign you didn‘t think was necessary and then look at it 3 years later. Design changes over time. It‘s just life.
HN for some reason did age decently because it‘s very spartan and minimal. I like it. Even mobile is fine for reading. Not so much for contributing though.
Edit: Actually, everyday users might not care much either way. UNTIL some other site with similar functionality comes along but looks much more modern. Or if the site is trying to get new users.
"I like" is precisely the mistake I am addressing.
Design is not about what one likes. It is about what helps one solve a problem.
Web designers and their bosses/clients reduce "design" to the creation of the look-and-feel of websites. For them, design is all about how something looks. This is something which is highly subjective.
The flaw in this is that it's not how users think. Users have a job-to-be-done. A good design is one that helps them accomplish that job. A better design is one that helps them accomplish that job better, faster, or easier. A bad design is one which doesn't help them or makes it worse.
Consider a monolingual English speaker using an ATM in China. You will never hear them say, "Well, I can't get my money because I don't understand Chinese. However, this ATM looks so nice I'm going to try to use it again."
It doesn't matter how great that ATM looks if the user cannot accomplish their task.
Yes, aesthetics have a place, but it's a very diminished place of importance. Aesthetics is much less important than most web designers and bosses/clients think.
It's time they get over themselves and start thinking about users.
I‘m an outlier on this site because I generally like redesigns and all that comes with modern web stuff (white space, rounded corners, flat, light drop shadow, generally clean and option for dark mode).
I find it‘s easy to test. Take a redesign you didn‘t think was necessary and then look at it 3 years later. Design changes over time. It‘s just life.
HN for some reason did age decently because it‘s very spartan and minimal. I like it. Even mobile is fine for reading. Not so much for contributing though.
Edit: Actually, everyday users might not care much either way. UNTIL some other site with similar functionality comes along but looks much more modern. Or if the site is trying to get new users.