Yiyun Qiu (Cloud) explains:
Rephrased, this adage means: Design’s deepest power lies not in what it shows, but in what it awakens. It’s not about the interface, the form, or the screen—it’s about the sensation, emotion, and memory that quietly move through the user when interacting with something well-designed.In a world saturated with visuals, we often mistake design for decoration. But true design goes beyond surface—it resonates. You may forget what a button looked like, but remember how intuitively it responded. You might not recall the exact visuals of a sound installation, but remember the feeling of connection it sparked. Good design aligns with our instincts, bodies, emotions, and environments—it disappears in the moment of clarity, like a good conversation or a familiar rhythm.This principle applies across disciplines: a wearable interface that makes someone feel supported without thinking, a web platform that guides complex decisions with graceful simplicity, or even a spatial installation that evokes awe through light and silence. In each case, the power of design is not in what the user sees—it’s in what they feel and embody, often without conscious effort.This adage also reflects my own design practice—whether building orbital art satellites that sonify space data or crafting interfaces that make people feel grounded and seen, I always ask: What will this experience leave behind in the user’s body, not just their mind?The future of design will be multisensory, participatory, and energetic. As we move beyond flat screens into spatial computing, wearables, and AI-generated environments, design will need to speak to our nervous systems, not just our eyes. That’s why emotional intelligence and sensory awareness are as essential as usability and logic.The best design doesn’t try to impress—it resonates. It’s invisible and unforgettable at the same time.