I've started my career as a graphic designer, embedded in marketing and sales understanding how important branding and visual appeal is. Like many graphic designers turning to user experience, I've learned that appearance can be one thing, but how something really works is an aspect that gets forgotten in many cases. But in other cases, even when functionality gets left by the road side, a product can be widely successful if the need is there.

As I've moved on to focusing on the experience of a product, working with the people who influence the products most or hear all complaints from the users. Sitting with the product managers, conversing with customer service rep teams, right up to working closely with UX Researchers and the engineers. Each team carries valuable insight in different flavors, but also limitations and requirements. I found out quickly the importance of how something actually needs to work... or that success is just merely a clearly labeled link away.

Would form need to follow function all the way into oblivion? What really is function without form? I had to learn through difficult lessons that both can exist without one another and a product can still be successful.

The beauty in the struggle is finding harmony in both, pushing and pulling the two as close together as possible.