Minimalism is not Just an Aesthetic

So I’ve had this rattling around in my head for a little while and I think it’s time to get it out in public and see what other people think.

Recently, I’ve come across more and more comments in various design communities containing sentiments like “Love this, it’s so minimalist”, “Playing with some minimalistic and clean styles…”, and “My new portfolio site was designed to be as minimalist as possible…”. I’ve noticed the majority of these comments refer to minimalism as a visual style or a persona, and really I think minimalism is a lot more than just those things. I’d go as far to say that it’s applicable to all areas of a considered design process.

Definitions courtesy of Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition (via Dictionary.com )

min · i · mal · ism

Pronounciation: /’mɪnəməˌlɪzəm/
—noun

1. another name for minimal art
2. a type of music based on simple elements and avoiding elaboration or embellishment
3. design or style in which the simplest and fewest elements are used to create the maximum effect

Going by the definition above, it would appear, at first glance, that minimalism is indeed a style or aesthetic where few elements are selected according to the effect they have. It would also appear, after a little thought, that it is the process of selecting few specific elements to create maximum effect that defines whether something is or is not minimalistic. So if minimalism is as much, if not more, of a process than it is an aesthetic, why do we regard it as the latter? Why don’t we also apply that idea to other parts of the design process where functionality is considered?