Dieter Rams’ birthday this past May, he turned 93, provided an apt occasion to revisit his “Ten Principles of Good Design.” In an era when superlatives are overused, it is striking that his principles, authored in the late 1970s, cast themselves as merely “good design.” Many would consider achieving these criteria to be an act of “great design.”
Rams was renowned for having led and inspired the design work of the German manufacturer Braun for over 40 years. His achievements at Braun made a profound impact on the company, on the profession of industrial design, but also on other leading designers, Jonathan Ivey and Steve Jobs specifically. And we know the role they played in the advancement of exceptional design.
It would seem valuable for all of us, especially in a moment of Summer reflection and ahead of the acceleration of our work life in the Fall, to review the principles that Rams articulated and to reset our own vision and perhaps the standard for our own industry. According to Rams, “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.
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.
Is aesthetic – The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because products are used every day and have an effect on people and their well-being. Only well-executed objects can be beautiful.
Makes a product understandable – It clarifies the product’s structure. Better still, it can make the product clearly express its function by making use of the user’s intuition. At best, it is self-explanatory.
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.
Is honest – It does not make a product appear more innovative, powerful or valuable than it really is. It does not attempt to manipulate the consumer with promises that cannot be kept.
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.
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 consumer.
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.
Is as little design as possible – Less, but better. Simple as possible but not simpler. Good design elevates the essential functions of a product.
A couple of component elements of Rams’ principles include ideas worthy of noting specifically.
He says, for example, in his first principle that design innovation is always possible and most often happens in tandem with technology advancement. Seems like we could be challenged a bit by that idea in our time and for our industry. There has been plenty of technology innovation that has impacted the world of work, but just a smattering of workplace products innovation. Time for more? Rams also says that good design is always fundamentally honest, never overstating the impact a specific product might have, never manipulating the audience. Seems like marketing departments might want to embrace that challenge. Finally, and remember Rams principles are now 50 years old, he stipulates that good design is always good for the environment. Our industry is pretty good at that, but we all know it’s an ongoing commitment. After all, Rams advocated a circular and comprehensive approach to sustainability over five decades ago and we’re not exactly there yet.
For anyone who might be tempted to qualify these Ten Principles of Good Design as largely only applying to discrete industrial design objects like those produced at Braun and Apple, be advised: Rams was trained as an interior designer and architect. His vision for design excellence and rigor, even in specific objects and products, was formed while focusing on space and perspective and proportionality and compelling aesthetics.
These principles have aged well. They continue to offer us inspiration and challenge, two forces for innovation that we desperately need. Our industry is engaged in the crucial task of reimagining work and the workplace for the next era, an era tarnished by a pandemic, powered by new technology, tested by new business models. To date, we are experimenting with new workplace configurations and designs to meet these challenges. We also need to reexamine the products and objects that outfit these configurations and discover some new ways to make real the good design Dieter Rams envisioned.