The Ten Principles of Design

Defining good design is not an easy task. Determining specifically what Design is for the other members of a product team or for anyone who has other professional experiences is, in itself, a recurring challenge for those working in this field of study.

Thus, before approaching the principles of good design, it is important to cite the contribution of the German designer and theorist Gui Bonsiepe (2011, p. 21)*. He defines it from a humanist perspective, understanding it as “the exercise of design activities in order to interpret the needs of social groups and develop viable, emancipatory proposals in the form of material and semiotic artifacts”.

Gui Bonsiepe. Source: https://estacaoq.com.br/2019/2019/01/24/astronauta/.

Less But Better

From this perspective, the field is understood as resource-oriented to the process of identifying and solving demands, as well as to the potential for individual and social development.

With this in mind, and understanding its role as a design tool that permeates the stages from Product Conception to the final realization of a product, understanding the principles of good design is the first step to developing more consistent, viable ideas that have a sense of existence and meet the needs of real people.

Dieter Rams, a German designer known for his contributions to the products of the company Braun and the iconic phrase “less, but better”, was also responsible for defining the Ten Principles of Design. Its purpose was to qualitatively evaluate any design product, be it a physical product or a digital interface product.

Dieter Rams. Source: https://designwanted.com/design/dieter-rams/.

According to Rams, the Ten Principles of Design are:

1 – Is Innovative

The first principle is established from the ability of a product to keep itself in constant evolution and to walk in parallel with technological development. Consequently, good design is characterized as innovative.

2 – Makes a product useful

The second principle is how much this design makes a product useful, being responsible for not only aesthetic criteria, but also functional and psychological ones. Here the emphasis is on its usefulness and the reasons why this product was designed.

3 – Is aesthetic

Even so, it is understood that aesthetic quality is also influential in the acquisition and use of a particular product. While guaranteeing functional quality, the third principle of good design is identified as aesthetic.

4 – Makes a product understandable

In addition, it should also clarify the product’s structure objectively and boost user intuition. Thus, as the fourth principle, design also helps in understanding the product.

5 – Is unobtrusive

The fifth principle is related to ensuring that the product is discreet, insofar as, despite the aesthetic aspect mentioned above, products are not decorative objects and must serve a purpose.

6 – Is honest

The sixth principle is related to its honesty, that is, it should not manipulate the consumer in order to sell something that it is not.

7 – Is long-lasting

Heading in a direction against the discard system and culture currently adopted by society, the seventh principle refers to the timeless potential that a given product has, with it being considered long-lasting.

8 – Is thorough down to the last detail

This long-lasting quality is also linked to the care and precision in details, with no unnecessary information being inserted by chance. Thus, the eighth principle of design is to be thorough down to the last detail.

9 – Is environmentally friendly

Knowing that such principles are intended for applications to physical and digital interface products, Dieter Rams also understands that design is sustainable and plays an important role in caring for the environment, configuring it as the ninth principle.

10 – Is as little as possible

For the last principle, we have the definition of simplicity, understanding that less is more by focusing only on what is essential. Design does not stand out from the purpose of use, but contributes to the purpose being emphatic and providing a unique experience.

Inclusion and diversity are essential

In addition to Dieter Rams’ considerations, it is worth mentioning that good design cannot be achieved without inclusion and diversity. The lack of resources given to this theme not only negatively affects the products – which end up not being suitable for the breadth of the audience to which they would be destined – but also within the institutions themselves. It is necessary to think about this diversity of professionals who bring different perspectives to the support and technological development of new products.

Soon, I will publish a number of articles on the topic of Inclusion and Diversity in Digital Products. Stay tuned!

*Bonsiepe, G. (2011). Design, cultura e sociedade (Design, culture and society). São Paulo, Brazil: Blucher.