81 Hilariously Awful Designs That Will Make You Cringe (And Laugh)

Not all designs are created equal. And some designers don't realize their epic fails until it's far too late. The 'Bad Designs' online community shames the worst designs ever unleashed on the public, serving as a constant reminder that everyone makes mistakes. We've collected photos of the most egregious offenders—they're as horrible as they are funny. It's a wonder they ever made it off the drawing board!

Legendary designer Dieter Rams came up with 10 fundamental principles of design that continue to shape how creatives approach projects today:

• Good design is innovative
• Good design makes a product useful
• Good design is aesthetic
• Good design makes a product understandable
• Good design is unobtrusive
• Good design is honest
• Good design is long-lasting
• Good design is thorough down to the last detail
• Good design is environmentally-friendly
• Good design is as little design as possible

The beauty of Rams' principles is that they are nearly universal—applicable to digital landscape and app design, not just interiors and products. However, there are no timeless rules; even Rams' principles may need adaptation with tech industry changes.

Meanwhile, you have to account for people's tastes and preferences. Not every design—however balanced between function and form—will appeal to every customer. But just because someone doesn't like what you've made doesn't make it 'bad.' There's simply a disconnect between what you're offering and what someone else wants. Yet this shouldn't be an excuse for pumping out low-quality designs. If you're a designer, your products need to be commercially viable, appealing to more than tiny niches.

During an earlier interview, international freelance graphic designer Laura Vanagaite, who specializes in branding and social media content, walked us through design failures. "We judge design work anyway for its design, and our eye catches mistakes very fast," she said. "Our brain needs less than a second to bring up a judgment, and way more time to rationalize on 'bad' and 'good.' Once we spot a mistake, we tend to stop collaborating with the agency or brand because we believed they were more reliable."

From the graphic designer's perspective, building trust with customers is vital. Poor designs can stem from breakdowns in communication or less skilled designers. "When most people hear 'human error,' they see the person who is completely to blame," Vanagaite explained. "But this should always be foreseen by the manager in charge from the beginning."

To define the role of client and designer, there should be a clear brief from the client's side, and the designer should ask the most important questions. Designs are reviewed either by a board or with the project manager. "Once everything gets approved from management, then it can be sent to the client for corrections or complete approval." Communication is vital—designers shouldn't work alone. "It is teamwork and support from both management and creative parts that is a must."

The 'Bad Designs' online group, active since spring 2016, recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. The community invites people to feast their eyes on the "horrible designs of humankind." They wittily note the subreddit is "a place to show spelling mistakes, poor readability and overall bad designs!" Members are known as "bad designers," and those currently online are jokingly referred to as "designing something bad."

The moderators ask that only visibly, obviously bad designs be posted. Designs purposefully made to be bad or funny shouldn't be shared. After upvoting the pics you loved to hate, share your thoughts in the comments. Which of these designs hurt you the most? What have been your biggest creative fails that still make you cringe?