Dieter Rams, a German industrial designer, profoundly impacted the world of product design, particularly through his work at Braun from 1961 to 1995. His design philosophy, characterized by simplicity, functionality, and a deep respect for the user and the environment, continues to inspire designers today. Rams' designs for Braun, ranging from radios and record players to kitchen appliances, were not merely aesthetically pleasing; they were embodiments of a systematic design approach linked to form and function.
Influences and Early Career
Rams' design journey was significantly shaped by his association with the Ulm School of Design, a successor to the Bauhaus movement. He became a protégé of luminaries such as Hans Gugelot, Fritz Eichler, and Otl Aicher, immersing himself in a design ethos that emphasized functionality and clarity. His early work, including the addition of a clear perspex lid to the SK4 radiogram in 1956, demonstrated his commitment to these principles.
The Braun Era: A New Design Approach
As head of design at Braun, Rams spearheaded a new design approach that prioritized functionality and reduced objects to their essential elements. This utilitarian aesthetic, influenced by the Ulm school, stripped away distracting elements to simplify the product. According to Rams, "The aesthetic clarity of Braun’s products is the result of the logical ordering of the elements and the search for a simple and harmonious totality.” He radically changed how we perceive electronic objects with his experience and modular way driven by clean and uncluttered lines. He implemented a new aesthetic style that would serve as an inspiration for future generations. His designs aim to improve people’s quality of life by creating extremely functional, durable, and valuable products that convey emotions that consumers identify with. He, along with his design team, was responsible for many of the seminal domestic electrical products and some furniture of the 20th century.
The Ten Principles of Good Design
In the late 1970s, Dieter Rams grew increasingly concerned about the state of the world, which he saw as "an impenetrable confusion of forms, colors, and noises." Recognizing his own contribution to this world, he questioned whether his designs were truly "good." Unable to find a definitive measure of good design, he articulated ten principles that encapsulate his philosophy:
1. Good Design is Innovative
The possibilities for progression are not, by any means, exhausted. Technological development is always offering new opportunities for original designs. But imaginative design always develops in tandem with improving technology, and can never be an end in itself. Innovation arises from technological advancements, offering opportunities for original designs. Design should evolve alongside technology, but never become an end in itself.
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2. Good Design Makes a Product Useful
A product is bought to be used. It has to satisfy not only functional but also psychological and aesthetic criteria. Good design emphasizes the usefulness of a product whilst disregarding anything that could detract from it. A product's primary purpose is to be used, satisfying functional, psychological, and aesthetic needs. Good design accentuates usefulness while eliminating distractions. Even when designing digital interfaces, we can bring Rams’ commandment on board and make our web designs useful by: Making them easy to interact with to the point that the user delights in it. This is user enjoyment through user enablement.
3. Good Design is Aesthetic
The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because the products we use daily affect our person and our well-being. But only well-executed objects can be beautiful. Aesthetics are integral to a product's usefulness, influencing our well-being. Only well-executed objects achieve true beauty.
4. Good Design Makes a Product Understandable
It clarifies the product’s structure. Better still, it can make the product talk. At best, it is self-explanatory. Good design clarifies a product's structure, ideally making it self-explanatory. A good design can speak for itself, without asking the user to commit much effort: showing is better than telling. If a user can intuitively deduce what to do with your design, that’s ace! If you have to compose instructions to get him/her to interact with it, that’s not so ace. In your design, think about this: can you cut down the user’s cognitive load so that the design has already done the thinking for him or her, and all the user has to do is go along with it and interact?
5. Good Design is Unobtrusive
Products fulfilling a purpose are like tools. They are neither decorative objects nor works of art. Their design should, therefore, be both neutral and restrained to leave room for the user’s self-expression. Products should function as tools, remaining neutral and restrained to allow for user self-expression. Crafting simple, perfect, and stripping down to the essentials is what, a designer should aim for while creating products. Achieving true simplicity is the biggest challenge for designers as this practice forces them to think about the most essential thing and cut away anything unnecessary. The product should be an extension of the person. “In reality, the design is meant to disappear; it is meant to be the structure for everyday life.” The very best products are the ones that allow the consumer to do exactly what they want to do without much restriction, all the while assisting them to do their tasks productively and joyfully.
6. Good Design is Honest
It does not make a product more innovative, powerful, or valuable than it really is. It does not attempt to manipulate the consumer with promises that cannot be kept. Honesty is paramount. Design should not exaggerate a product's capabilities or mislead consumers with false promises.
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7. Good Design is Long-lasting
It avoids being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated. Unlike fashionable design, it lasts many years - even in today’s throwaway society. Good design avoids fleeting trends, ensuring longevity and relevance, even in a disposable culture. The quality of having a restrained aesthetic and function that is as optimized as possible leads to long utilization cycles. As designers, we should aim to contribute a larger moral imperative: to enrich human life in a way that encourages holding on to things rather than constantly seeking the novel or the spectacular.
8. Good Design is Thorough Down to the Last Detail
Nothing must be arbitrary or left to chance. Care and accuracy in the design process show respect towards the user. Thoroughness and precision are essential. Every detail should be carefully considered, demonstrating respect for the user. After reflecting on this principle for a while, I could find no other brilliant examples than these two to understand this principle deeply. As a designer, we should build something that we would love to use ourselves.
9. Good Design is Environmentally Friendly
Design makes an important contribution to the preservation of the environment. It conserves resources and minimizes physical and visual pollution throughout the lifecycle of the product. Design should contribute to environmental preservation by conserving resources and minimizing pollution. Watching carbon footprints is relevant to designing. It may sound comical, but the clicks users take and the amount of time they spend on electronic devices add up. If we imagine the Internet as being like the world, we’re on the right track there. Think how you can design with impact and not fill up the Internet with unnecessary pages.
10. Good Design is as Little Design as Possible
Less, but better - because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Simplicity is key. Design should focus on essential aspects, avoiding unnecessary elements. The Internet is saturated with element-heavy designs. This may give us confidence that we can beat out competitors who don’t know what they’re doing wrong, but there’s still the point that many users are wary of the Internet because over-designed sites dominate. Less is more, but “thoughtfully less” means “better”. Making our designs good means making them simple; making great designs means staying focused only on the essentials. Cut off the frills.
The Enduring Legacy of Dieter Rams
Dieter Rams' influence extends far beyond Braun. His principles have inspired countless designers, including those at Apple, who have embraced his emphasis on simplicity and functionality. The calculator on your iPhone is at least partially inspired by the Braun ET44 calculator. Rams himself views Apple's adoption of his design philosophy as a compliment, stating that it reflects a shared "basic thinking about what design can be."
Read also: Espionage and betrayal: The Dieter Gerhardt case.
Rams' impact is also evident in the work of Vitsœ, a furniture company that has collaborated with Rams for over 65 years. Vitsœ's storage systems, developed in 1957, embody Rams' principles of modularity, functionality, and timelessness.
Applying Rams' Principles to Web and App Design
Rams' principles are not limited to physical products; they can also be applied to web and app design. By prioritizing usefulness, clarity, and simplicity, designers can create digital interfaces that are both effective and enjoyable to use.
- Usefulness: Make web designs easy to interact with, delighting the user through enablement.
- Understandability: Ensure that the design clearly communicates its function, avoiding any ambiguity for the user.
- Unobtrusiveness: Avoid building unneeded elements into designs, adhering to the 80/20 rule to prevent clutter.
- Honesty: Make the design reflect the character of its purpose.
- Thoroughness: Think out every detail. Nothing can appear as an afterthought.
- Environmental Friendliness: Design with impact and avoid filling up the Internet with unnecessary pages.
- Simplicity: Focus only on the essentials. Cut off the frills.
The Importance of User Experience
Rams' principles align closely with the principles of user experience (UX) design. By focusing on the user's needs and creating designs that are intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable, designers can enhance the overall user experience.