Dieter Rams, a German industrial designer, born 1932, studied architecture as well as learning carpentry, well known as the chief of design of the consumer products, Braun.
1. Good design is innovative
2. Good design makes a product useful
3. Good design is aesthetic
4. Good design makes a product understandable
5. Good design is unobtrusive
6. Good design is honest
7. Good design is long lasting
8. Good design is thorough, down to the last detail
9. Good design is environmentally friendly
10. Good design is as little as design as possible
His works and principles have been the influence in the works of Jonathan Ive, the Senior VP of Industrial Design at Apple, Inc. In fact, Rams himself stated that Apple is the only company designing products according to his ten principles. Everyone has been worshipping Steve Jobs for the success for Apple products, but often forgot, like Rams said, that good design normally can only emerge if there is strong relationship between an entrepreneur and the head of design. Even Jobs himself said, my favorite quote of his btw, that technology alone is not enough. Credit goes to Ive, who, unlike the charismatic Jobs, are often describes by the people who has worked with him as the quite and shy, humble and sweet, soft-spoken man, but hard-working, brilliant and confident. Paola Antonelli, senior curator of architecture and design for MoMA, said she knows "hardly anybody that is so universally loved and admired" as Ive. And he's famous for his privacy, he rarely gives interviews. Even Apple doesn't have the precise date of his birthday. Now that is someone worth idolizing. Haha.
ps. More of Dieter Rams on my favorite blog
ps2. Comparison between Rams' and Ive's
ps3. Images from das programm
ps4. Title is the famous phrase Rams described his design approach
