poor design

[/pʊr dɪˈzaɪn/]
noun phrasepl: poor designs
design ruim / design pobre / design inadequado
1. A design that lacks aesthetic appeal, functionality, or user experience; a design that fails to meet its intended purpose effectively
The poor design of the website made it difficult for users to navigate.
O design ruim do site dificultou a navegação dos usuários.
2. A design that is inefficient, wasteful, or impractical in its execution or implementation
The poor design of the building's layout resulted in wasted space.
O design inadequado da estrutura do prédio resultou em espaço desperdiçado.
3. A design that demonstrates lack of skill, planning, or consideration for the end user
The app's poor design frustrated customers and led to negative reviews.
O design pobre do aplicativo frustrou os clientes e resultou em avaliações negativas.
In Brazilian culture, especially among tech startups and creative industries in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, 'poor design' is increasingly discussed with the English term 'design ruim' becoming standard vocabulary. In Portugal, traditional language conventions may favor 'design inadequado' or 'design de má qualidade'. In the USA, particularly in NYC's tech and design hubs, the phrase is commonly used in professional contexts to critique UX/UI implementations, often accompanied by more casual slang like 'janky' or 'trash' in informal settings.
NYC Slang
trash design / janky design / wack design
Synonyms / Sinônimos
bad designinadequate designflawed designineffective designsubstandard designinferior designunattractive design
Antonyms / Antônimos
good designexcellent designwell-designedsuperior designthoughtful designuser-friendly design

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
design ruim / design pobre
Most common usage in modern Brazilian Portuguese, especially in tech and creative industries
Rio de Janeiro
design ruim / design fraco
Colloquial usage may include 'design fraco' for weak design
São Paulo
design inadequado / design pobre
More formal usage in business and creative sectors
Portugal
design deficiente / design inadequado / design fraco
Portuguese speakers often use 'deficiente' or 'inadequado' more formally; may say 'de má qualidade'

Related Words

user experience (UX)functionalityaestheticsusabilityinterface designgraphic designdesign flawdesign principle

Related Idioms & Phrases

form over function
all style, no substance
half-baked design
design disaster
design mishap
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →