What good design is

Design is the process of creating something that facilitates a communication experience.

Good design is doing this successfully.

Great design is where you solve the communication problem with such elegance that the interaction becomes easy, or even enjoyable. Entertaining TV ads that we stop to watch are great design, and so is the iPhone because it lets us achieve what we want in the nicest possible way.

(Much of the time, good design is good enough.)

The great news is that the art of simple web design is accessible to everyone. You don't have to be a gifted graphic artist to design a really good web site. There are formulas you can learn to know where to put stuff on a page, what nav to use, how to write accessible copy, and how to space everything out. The skills are available to everyone who wants to learn them.

There is no shame in reusing a formula that works. If I follow a Gary Rhodes recipe and produce a delicious meal, haven't I delivered a great experience? Would it be better for me to make up my own recipe? (The only benefit is likely to be for my own ego.)