[peetahb]

This is the "left-brained" part of UX, while there is the forgotten "right-brained" portion, which is typically based on the psychological impact of copy, typography, and visual polish.

What you're referring to is the UI, the aesthetic design, layout and features that lends itself to an effective UX. They work hand-in-hand; like the OP had stated (paraphrasing), coming up with the simplest and shortest path to your goals that works, is important for the UX, and knowing your goals and how you want to reach them will help guide the UI.

It's tough to find someone who can focus on UX or to find someone who can translate the UX to a great UI. But it's the toughest to find someone who can do both. It's even harder to become that person.