Dieter Rams: ten principles for good design

Back in the early 1980s, Dieter Rams was becoming increasingly concerned by the state of the world around him – “an impenetrable confusion of forms, colours and noises.” Aware that he was a significant contributor to that world, he asked himself an important question: is my design good design?

As good design cannot be measured in a finite way he set about expressing the ten most important principles for what he considered was good design. (Sometimes they are referred as the ‘Ten commandments’.

Dieter Rams

Good design is innovative

Good design makes a product useful

Good design is aesthetic

Good design makes a product understandable

Good design is unobtrusive

Good design is honest

Good design is long-lasting

Good design is thorough, down to the last detail

Good design is environmentally-friendly

Good design is as little design as possible

Rams' work is an influence on Jonathan Ive, Senior Vice-President of Industrial Design of Apple Inc. Obvious evidence of Rams' influence on Apple products can be seen in the appearance of the calculator application included in iOS, which mimics the appearance of the 1987 Braun ET 66 calculator designed by Rams and Dietrich Lubs.

Recognise any of these products we take for granted in our every day lives?

In Gary Hustwit's 2009 documentary film Objectified, Rams states that Apple is the only company designing products according to his principles.

Should Dieter Rams ‘Ten commandments’ be instrumental in achieving innovative and creative architecture???