The Question of Minimalism

I read an article this week that questions whether minimalist design is a legitimate trend or just pure laziness. I consider it a mix of both. Truly creative and effective minimalism, whether it be in advertising or brand identity, takes a very skilled designer. But all too often, minimalist designs fall flat. They fail to capture interest, communicate an idea or service, or simply are not executed successfully. I do believe that there are designers who prefer minimalism because it is an excuse to do less work, but there is something else to this new trend, a certain allure that even I've fallen victim too. Successful minimalism is something that all designers dream about - creating that one perfect design that can be summed up in a single icon, a single word or phrase or scribble. Think of the Nike swoosh. You can't get any simpler than that. The desire to create something so successful out of nothing is powerful, but dangerous. There are so many products and services that simply can't be done justice with a minimalist approach. Regardless of whether or not it's a trend, minimalism, in terms of clean and uncluttered design, should be, perhaps, an ideal, but minimalism for the sake of minimalism is more often than not, an excuse for lazy design.