Dieter Rams’

PRINCIPLES
10
OF
GOOD
DESIGN In the late 1970s,
industrial designer Dieter Rams was becoming concerned by the state of
the world around him – “an impenetrable confusion of forms, colors, and
noises.” Aware that he was a significant contributor to that world, he asked
himself an important question: Is my design good design?

Since good design cannot be accurately measured, he created the ten

most important principles for what he considered was good design.
Dieter Rams has gained a resurgence in recognition due to Apple’s
public reverence of these principles.

1.INNO
VAT
IVE
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.

2.USE
A product is bought to be
used. It has to satisfy not
only functional, but also
psychological and aesthetic
criteria. Good design

FUL
emphasizes the usefulness
of a product whilst
disregarding
anything that could
detract from it.

3.AESTH
ETIC
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.
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4.UNDER
STAND
ABLE
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.

Products fulfilling a
purpose are like tools.

5.UN
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

OBTRU
self-expression.

SIVE
6.HON
EST
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.

7.LONG
It avoids being fashionable
and therefore never appears
antiquated. Unlike fashionable
design, it lasts many years –
even in today's throwaway

LAST
society.

ING

8.THO
Nothing must be arbitrary
or left to chance. Care
and accuracy in the
design process show
respect towards the

ROUGH
consumer.

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9.ENVIRON
MEN
Design makes an important
contribution to the preservation
of the environment. It conserves
resources and minimizes physical
and visual pollution throughout

TAL
the lifecycle of the product.

10.SIMP
LE
Klangfarbe
Less, but better –
because it
Balance concentrates on the
essential aspects,
Lautstarke and the products
are not burdened
with non-essentials.
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Back to purity, back
to simplicity.

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