Presentation is everything. - Amanda Chapel

Design matters but functional design matters most. Presentation is nothing without function - Brian Sullivan

In a classroom maybe. But in our world awash in entertainment... function counts for very little. Hell, strict function applied to social media and @chrisbrogan and friendz would have to get real jobs. - Amanda Chapel

Amanda -- not sure what world you live in but it obviously is different from mine - Brian Sullivan

I think design + function matter. You need design that conveys your brand or message on an emotional level, and you need good UI for it to achieve the desired results. I have a personal preference for aesthetically pleasing and imaginative, too, and I'm sure many people would feel that way. To be most effective, it should resonate with the target audience. - Cathryn Hrudicka

Design should not be divorced from function - they go hand in hand, usability is key. It is a mistake to think of design as decoration. - felix

felix: I strongly agree. You can't separate out 'design' from the experience, and the experience is well, the experience of the product. Users don't get anything else, so it had better be good. - Robin Barooah

Right on! Elegant design means that something looks good but most importantly that it works well: straightforward function trumps most "beauty" in designs that last. - David Muir

Not to sound like a fanboy, but I don't get how the author essentially sides with design to back up function, and then criticizes the Office team, which risked adoption in order to improve design and therefore function. - Mohit