In a similar spirit to this book, Dieter Rams has compiled a list of
“Ten Principles of Good Design”^12 that is rooted in his Industrial
Design experience, but relevant to designers of any discipline.
Our principles overlap with Rams’ choices, emphasizing those
that best relate to UX and Interaction Design challenges. Much
has been written about Rams’ ten principles, and we encourage
you to review it as a jumping off point for further learning and
inspiration.
Rams’ has influenced many contemporary designers, and
between 2008 and 2012 the Less and More retrospective of his
work travelled around the world, showcasing over 200 examples
of his landmark designs for Braun.^13 During an interview with
Gary Hustwit for his 2009 film Objectified, Dieter Rams said that
Apple is one of the few companies today that consistently
creates products in accordance with his principles of good
design.
Figure 1.x Apple / Jonathan Ive example (TBD)
It’s no surprise that Jonathan Ive, Apple’s Senior Vice President
of Design, is a fan of Rams’ work and ethos. Since joining Apple
in the early 1990s, the British industrial designer has overseen
the launch of radical new product lines with unique and
groundbreaking designs, including the iMac, iPod, and iPhone.
Regarding these disruptive innovations, he emphasizes that
being different does not equate to being better. In reference to
the first iMac design, Ive has said that "the goal wasn't to look
different, but to build the best integrated consumer computer we
(^12) ‘Dieter Rams: Ten Principles for Good Design’. 2015. Vitsoe. Accessed January 22.
https://www.vitsoe.com/gb/about/good-design.
(^13) ‘Less and More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams’. 2015. SFMOMA. Accessed
January 22. http://www.sfmoma.org/exhib_events/exhibitions/434.