What makes good graphic design?
Art and design are not the same thing. Although graphic design does make things look better, it also has other important functions.
Dieter Rams, one of Germany’s most renowned product designers, asked himself the question in the 1970s: “What is good design, actually?” He did so against the backdrop of the multitude of different shapes, colors, and sounds that surround us every day, contributing to a veritable flood of our senses. In response to his question, he formulated his 10 theses for good design. His goal was to find a clear, purposeful, straightforward design language. It should emphasize the product’s function and guide the user instead of confusing them. His 10 theses for good design are:
1. Good design is innovative.
“The possibilities for innovation are by no means exhausted. Technological progress is constantly paving new ways for innovative design. But innovative design always arises in conjunction with innovative technology and is never an end in itself.”
2. Good design makes a product usable.
“We buy a product to use it. It must meet certain criteria—not just functional ones, but also psychological and aesthetic ones. Good design emphasizes a product’s usability and disregards anything that contradicts it.”
3. Good design is aesthetic.
“The aesthetics of a product are an integral aspect of its usability, because the products we use every day influence our personality and our well-being. But only what is well-made can be beautiful.”
4. Good design makes a product understandable.
“Good design clarifies the structure of a product. More than that: It gives a product language. In the best case, the product then explains itself.”
5. Good design is unobtrusive.
“Products that serve a purpose are like tools. They are neither decorative objects nor works of art. Therefore, their design should be neutral and understated to create space for people’s self-interpretation.”
6. Good design is honest.
“It doesn’t make a product appear more innovative, powerful, or valuable than it is. It doesn’t try to manipulate the consumer with promises that can’t be kept.”
7. Good design is long-lasting.
“It avoids trends and therefore never seems outdated. Unlike trendy designs, it endures the test of time, even in today’s throwaway society.”
8. Good design is consistent down to the last detail.
“Nothing should be left to arbitrariness or chance. Care and precision in the creative process are a sign of respect for the consumer.”
9. Good design is environmentally friendly.
“Design makes an important contribution to environmental conservation. It conserves resources and minimizes both physical and visual pollution.”
10. Good design is as little design as possible.
“Less is better – because this way the focus is on the essentials and the products don’t appear unnecessarily cluttered. Back to authenticity, back to simplicity.”