Onur Cobanli explains:
Good designs solve great problems; but great designs prevent and destroy the root problems; for me the real purpose of design, the noble purpose of design, is not to make problem solving products that would be later sold for profits but rather to create problem preventing products, projects, services, experiences and ideas that eliminate a problem and therefore the need of many other follow-up products that solve such problems. Let me give you some examples: Good design is medicine that help you regulate your sugar levels when you are diabetic. Great design is about teaching you how to eat healthy so that you do not become diabetic or finding a permanent cure, such as by means of bio-engineering so you do not need the drugs at the first place. Good design is about designing more efficient vehicles, and great design is about designing cities and manufacturing such that less travel is needed for various needs. Good design is air-conditioning, great design is living at the climate that you prefer, great design is preventing climate change so you do not need air-conditioning as much. Good design is adhesive bandages, and great design is designing products with attention to its details that they do not cut people at the first place. Good design solves your problems. Great designs are aimed at preventing problems. In most cases, the great design variant of a good design is not a product or project within the same category or magnitude, but you can make your own good products as great as possible by imagining what could go wrong; if you think of what problems your product, project or service may bring forward, you may implement mechanisms, features and ideas that would prevent such problems, in the end, you will have something close to a great design albeit at a smaller level, but nonetheless your design will be much greater. When it comes to government level projects, popular interfaces or fast selling consumer goods, those types of designs for which millions of people would interact with, use or consume, you truly have a chance at greatness; and you should definitely invest your energy to perfect your design; because each one of your problem preventive ideas will make many people much happier, unbeknownst to them of course (because it does not directly make them happy but rather prevent them from being sad). Think of this idea; how can I prevent this problem at the first place; not how you can just patch it or apply a solution to it.