If I could give one piece of advice for technical developers it’s that design isn’t all about the way it looks, it’s about the way it works.<p>To expand on that, it’s how the pieces fit together within your set of constraints. There’s a LOT in common with what makes code beautiful or not. You get to the essential; nothing more, nothing less. This doesn’t mean “minimalist” , per se — just be wary of ornamentation that doesn’t add value.<p>A design can be award-winning without much “flash”. A readable font. A thoughtful, consistent, grid, that gives the content some air. Color choices based on accessibility, constrained to a palette that has some meaning for the project, etc.<p>Don’t be afraid to learn about design! Look to resources like IDEO, who take a principled approach to design that’s not superficial. Think about the field of Architecture, where engineering and aesthetics have been combined for centuries — and where the same concerns of “essential” vs “ornamental” remain an active area of debate to this day.