Putting design on trial. Why investing in accessibility, clarity and creativity shouldn’t be underestimated – it’s essential for inclusion, transparency and trust.
Normally, good design works quietly to improve function and communication. But when it becomes a headline, people are talking about it – often because they misunderstand its purpose, cost, or value.
Putting design on trial
In this case, it highlights how a design decision (like the GOV.UK refresh) has sparked debate, showing how powerful and visible design can be when people notice – for the wrong or right reasons.
The UK Government’s £532,000 GOV.UK “logo redesign” has dominated headlines and social media feeds this week – with critics claiming it’s a waste of taxpayers’ money to just “move a dot and change the brand colour.”
But this reaction says more about how design is misunderstood than it does about the value of the work itself.
This project wasn’t about vanity or visual flair. It was a strategic, research-driven investment in accessibility, inclusivity and trust – essential values when your audience is every citizen in the country.
“People ignore design that ignores people.” – Frank Chimero
More than ‘just’ a logo
The GOV.UK website is one of the UK’s most important digital platforms. It’s where millions go for services and information that shape daily life – from health and tax to pensions, education, employment, immigration and legal rights.
It connects us to the essentials of modern society:
- NHS services and public health advice
- HMRC, pensions and benefits
- Education and childcare support
- Business registration and regulation
- Planning, housing and legal guidance
This refresh was never about a minor logo tweak. It was a extensive research-led upgrade to accessibility, usability, performance and consistency across the entire GOV.UK ecosystem – from the website and the GOV.UK app to social media and motion graphics.
The work began with a £100,000 user-research brief commissioned from Lnet, followed by collaboration with M&C Saatchi, with the explicit aim of creating a digital identity that would appeal to “the broadest possible audience.” The research explored how people interact with government services and how design could make them clearer, more approachable and easier to trust.
This wasn’t a visual update for its own sake – it was an exercise in inclusive communication design at a national scale. In this context, design is not cosmetic – it’s civic. When the presentation of information determines whether someone can access financial help, register a birth or understand their legal rights, clarity becomes a public duty.
Accessibility is not optional!
Design determines whether people can find what they need, understand it, and act on it.
If the typography is too small, the colour contrast too low, or the navigation too confusing, some users are excluded.
The rebrand of GOV.UK was part of a much wider programme to improve digital equity – ensuring that people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds can use the site confidently.
Behind that £532,000 figure lies months of user research, testing, prototyping and refinement, exploring how people interact with government information on screen, via assistive technology, and across multiple devices.
“Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent.” – Joe Sparano
So while critics see “a dot moved upward,” the reality is an entire design system updated to support millions of unique needs.
Design as infrastructure
It’s easy to underestimate design because, when it works, it often disappears. But design is the bridge between information and understanding.
For public services, it’s a bridge that must carry everyone. That’s why accessibility and design consistency are not “nice to haves” – they’re infrastructure.
When a user finds the right form, understands the process, and completes their task without confusion or error, that’s design delivering efficiency and reducing costs across departments. When information is clearer and easier to act upon, fewer people call helplines, miss deadlines, or make costly mistakes.
So investment in design doesn’t waste public funds – it protects them. That‘s why we shouldn‘t put design on trial.
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” – Steve Jobs
The value of information
The information delivered through GOV.UK is invaluable. It represents the collective knowledge and legal structure of an entire nation – open access to everything from consumer rights to national emergencies.
Making this information more accessible is not indulgence; it’s democratic responsibility.
It ensures that every citizen – regardless of location, background or circumstance – can engage with, understand and benefit from the services they are entitled to. It supports transparency, fosters understanding, and strengthens trust in government institutions.
Design, in this sense, is the language of public service. It translates complex information into clear, human communication.
Why it matters to our industry
The public has put design on trial and the backlash around this project should serve as a wake-up call for our industry. As designers, developers and communicators, we must keep explaining the invisible value of design – that it’s not about aesthetics, but about function, comprehension and inclusion.
Every visual detail – type hierarchy, layout, colour, spacing – shapes how people process and trust information. In the private sector, that trust drives engagement and sales.
In the public sector, it enables participation and equality.
Visual Identity understands that design is not decoration. It’s problem-solving, communication and connection. Whether we’re building a brand, crafting a digital experience or designing complex information systems, our goal is always the same: to make vital information accessible, usable and meaningful.
The bottom line
Making invaluable information easier to find and understand is not a waste of money – it’s an investment in inclusivity, transparency and understanding.
When design works well, it helps people live better, not just look better.
Let’s move from putting ‘Design on trial‘ and move the conversation away from the colour of a dot and toward what really matters – how design empowers, informs and includes every one of us.
“Good design is as little design as possible.” – Dieter Rams
About Visual Identity
For over 35 years, Visual Identity has helped ambitious brands communicate with clarity, creativity and purpose. We blend strategic thinking with award-winning design to build identities, digital experiences and campaigns that engage audiences and drive growth.
We believe in the value of creativity and unique thought – because originality is a winning formula for businesses with ambition and potential.
If you want to elevate your brand, refine your digital presence, or ensure your message is understood by the people who matter most – let’s talk.
👉 Start a conversation with our team today.
Tel: 01908 665537 Email: hello@visualidentity.co.uk
Visit: www.visualidentity.co.uk
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