What constitutes "good" design, and are there concrete guidelines for achieving it? While the concept of good design can be subjective, Dieter Rams, the influential German industrial designer, offered a compelling framework through his "Ten Principles of Good Design." These principles, developed during his tenure at Braun, emphasize simplicity, functionality, and environmental consciousness, and continue to resonate with designers today.
The Genesis of a Design Philosophy
Dieter Rams was born in Wiesbaden, Germany, in 1932. His early exposure to craftsmanship, particularly through his grandfather, a carpenter, instilled in him a deep appreciation for function and form. His grandfather's advice, "Weniger, aber besser" ("Less, but better"), became a guiding principle throughout his career. This carpentry experience was so important to Rams that he left the Wiesbaden School of Art after his first year in 1948, taking a full year with his grandfather to master the craft before returning to his studies.
After six years rising through the ranks, Rams became Chief Design Officer at Braun in 1961. From then until 1995, he oversaw the creation of electric shavers, turntables, hi-fi stereos, furniture, and much more. During his tenure at Braun was when Rams also formed his Ten Principles of Good Design, and a perfect example of these ten principles is one of his first works as Chief Design Officer, the 1963 T-1000 shortwave radio receiver.
Dieter Rams' Ten Principles of Good Design
In the late 1970s, Dieter Rams articulated his design philosophy into ten core principles:
- Good design is innovative: The possibilities for innovation are not, by any means, exhausted. Technological development is always offering new opportunities for innovative design. But innovative design always develops in tandem with innovative technology, and can never be an end in itself. The T1000’s portability and ease of use was innovative for the time, and the integration of sleek modern design into that technology enhances both.
- Good design makes a product useful: A product is bought to be used. It has to satisfy certain criteria, not only functional, but also psychological and aesthetic. Good design emphasizes the usefulness of a product whilst disregarding anything that could possibly detract from it. Not only are the displays and tuning knobs attractively simple, they’re easy to use.
- Good design is aesthetic: The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because products we use every day affect our person and our well-being. But only well-executed objects can be beautiful. It’s a thing of quiet beauty, however, not at all flashy.
- 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. 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!
- 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.
- 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. The T-1000’s shape makes no promises it cannot keep. It is simply a clean, attractive radio.
- 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. There’s absolutely nothing about the T-1000 that dates it. By looks alone, it could have been made yesterday.
- 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. Every choice is deliberate.
- Good design is environmental-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. The T-1000’s compact size is free from waste, and minimizes its environmental impact.
- 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. Back to purity, back to simplicity.
Examples of Rams' Principles in Practice
One of Rams' first works as Chief Design Officer, the 1963 T-1000 shortwave radio receiver, serves as a perfect example of these ten principles.
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- Innovation: The T1000’s portability and ease of use was innovative for the time, and the integration of sleek modern design into that technology enhances both.
- Usefulness: All the radio knobs and components are concealed behind a hinged door in the front, and the telescoping antennas withdraw almost completely into the top. These necessary components are cleanly and legibly laid out however. Not only are the displays and tuning knobs attractively simple, they’re easy to use.
- Aesthetic: It’s a thing of quiet beauty, however, not at all flashy.
- Unobtrusive: The T1000’s smooth facade hides greater complexity, though.
- Honest: The T-1000’s shape makes no promises it cannot keep. It is simply a clean, attractive radio.
- Long-lasting: There’s absolutely nothing about the T-1000 that dates it. By looks alone, it could have been made yesterday.
- Thorough: No aspect of the T-1000 feels haphazard or left to chance, and so it fulfills Rule 8: good design must be thorough down to the last detail. Every choice is deliberate.
- Environmental-Friendly: The T-1000’s compact size is free from waste, and minimizes its environmental impact.
Another example is the Braun BN0021 watch, a minimalist timepiece that embodies Rams' principles. The case is a smooth, evenly brushed cylinder with an undersized crown. The dial features a simple printed line minutes track and a clinical Helvetica inner numeral track. The hands are basic white sticks, while the seconds hand has a contrasting yellow finish. The strap seamlessly integrates into the case, completing the minimalist design.
Rams' Legacy and Influence
Dieter Rams' work for Braun has had a profound impact on the design world. His emphasis on simplicity, functionality, and user experience has influenced countless designers, including Jony Ive at Apple. Many critics have exclaimed that Apple was copying Rams. Rams however believed "it's a compliment that they use the [same] basic thinking about what design can be". His 10 Principles of Good Design are mandatory learning in industrial design courses around the world.
Applying Rams' Principles to Digital Design
Rams' principles can also be applied to digital design, such as web and app interfaces. By focusing on usability, clarity, and simplicity, designers can create digital products that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
- Innovation: In web and app design, we’re surrounded by applications and state-of-the-art software. Thus, a common danger is that we innovate for the sake of innovation.
- Usefulness: 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.
- Understandable: 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!
- Unobtrusive: Digital design affords a lot of room for expression. Because of this, we have to design with an appropriate structure.
- Long-lasting: We should be especially careful to keep our designs from being put in the “old hat” pile. The first way to avoid this is to ensure that your product/service serves a purpose, as we have seen with the previous principles.
- Thorough: This is crucial for us in web/app design. Every detail must pull its weight on the journey to reaching the best UX.
- Environmental-Friendly: 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.
- Less is More: Rams’ signature statement might be: “Less, but better”. Simplicity in web and app design, as with mechanical design, is the ultimate goal in helping users in the digital age. The Internet is saturated with element-heavy designs. Making our designs good means making them simple; making great designs means staying focused only on the essentials. Cut off the frills.
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