Often when under pressure to churn out features simplistic design choices are made. Usually under the 'you aren't going to need it' philosophy, or more truthfully, I don't have time for a more reasoned approach. As long as the simplistic design choice doesn't affect performance, usability and maintainability it only becomes a design liability when it doesn't work out. The shortcuts that do work, cease to become shortcuts and instead become good design.

Refactoring is often the more reasoned approach to shortcuts that didn't work as much as it is reducing design complexity. But the shortcuts that work are definitely an example of good design.