Totally agree that a great design cannot overcome poor functionality, and that it is too frequently a distraction from the core mission, but I think the bigger takeaway in this article is the need for/benefit of iterative testing during the development process and the establishment of proof of concept based using a minimum viable product to see how users actually interact with and respond to your apps. Design also shouldn't be an afterthought, as form and function must work together in order to deliver a compelling user experience. If you're curious, the app she talks about (DrawChat) was listed on Apptopia.com