Rams' 10 principles of good design

Dieter Rams (born 20 May 1932)  is a German industrial designer who asks the important question... "Is my design good design"? Rams was concerned by the state of the world around him and realised that as a designer, he was contributing to the "confusion of forms, colours and noises".

http://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/who-is-dieter-rams/

"As good design cannot be measured in a finite way he set about expressing the 10 most important principles for what he considered was good design" (Vitsoe, 2010).

RAMS' 10 PRINCIPLES OF GOOD DESIGN

Good design...

...is innovative

Innovation can never be exhausted due to technological advancements!

...makes a product useful

We do not purchase products that we do not need, so a product needs to serve a purpose and fulfil a need for the consumer purchase to occur.

...is aesthetic

Beauty is a by-product of usefulness as its aesthetic quality can have a lasting effect on people.

...makes a product understandable

If something is misunderstood, then it cannot be appreciated.

...is unobtrusive

A product and its design should allow for self-expression by the end-user, they should be able to make it part of them not forced to try and fit in with the product.

...is honest

Honest design does not falsify a product by making promises that the end product cannot keep. With today's technological world, a brand that is dishonest will be instantly exposed and the repercussions are lethal!

...is long-lasting

Many designs are trendy and are therefore dated. Good design shies away from such trends. Designers should write their own trends as apposed to being just another follower!

...is thorough down to the last detail

Nothing should be left to chance as one should admire the aspect of intelligent consumers. People are not stupid and are therefore quick to pick up on even the smallest mistakes!

...is environmentally friendly

Good design should adhere to conservation at all times. What we leave behind is almost more important than what we take!

...is as little designed as possible

We all know the infamous phrase "less is more", but Rams suggests "less, but better" should function within good design. He believes that we should consider simplicity and essential purity!

In conclusion I'll leave you with a quote to think about...

“As designers we have a great responsibility. I believe designers should eliminate the unnecessary. That means eliminating everything that is modish because this kind of thing is only short-lived.” Dieter Rams – interview with Icon Magazine

Quote for the day...

"As consumers of visual art we have become highly sophisticated readers of signs and signals. We decode meaning from images with subconscious ease." - David Crow

http://logosdesignsideas.blog.com/2011/07/13/clever-logos-with-hidden-symbolism/

http://www.boredpanda.com/clever-logos-with-hidden-symbolism/

The big apple of design

Being a designer, it is of the utmost importance to always know what is out there & what fellow designers are up to. Not being exposed to "the big apple of design" is unacceptable regardless of where you live! I often find so many people saying to me... "oh but I don't live in the big city so there isn't any cool design happening around here. I'm just doing my own thing".... HHHHEEEELLLPPP! It's times like these that I wish I could whip out a fly swat and slap the person silly!

Image Source: http://forum.freelanceswitch.com/topic.php?id=12413

 

It's called INTERNET DUDE - you should try it sometime ha ha ha! The internet is your best friend and it won't ever let you down. I often find myself getting lost for hours jumping from one site to another as I follow links like the routs of a tree spreading out beneath my feet. There are literally thousands of places to see and things to inspire you! To list all of the various sites I visit would take days so I'll list just a few and feel free to let me know of any other cool sites you feel I simply must add!

1. www.creattica.com

2. www.fuelyourcreativity.com

3. www.springleap.com

4. www.designindaba.com
5. www.freelanceswitch.com

Again... these are just to get you started with...
MAY THE INTERNET FORCE BE WITH YOU
XxX

Thought for today...

At a dinner party one should eat wisely but not too well and talk well but not too wisely - W. Somerset Maughan

Thought for today...

Tomatoes and Oregano makes it Italian; Wine and Tarragon make it French. Sour Cream makes it Russian; Lemon and Cinnamon makes it Greek.
Soy Sauce makes it Chinese; Garlic makes it good!

- Alice May Brock

Steve Jobs - a GREAT man!

A portrait by Greek designer Charis Tevis

Thought it appropriate to dedicate some space to a GREAT MAN who changed the world! My life as a graphic designer would not be the same were it not for his work - or should I say passion seeing as Apple was more than just a job to him. I am proud to be able to say he was around "in my time"!

Steve Jobs will be terribly missed! 

May you rest in peace.

To view more designs click on the link below...

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/3NhY2r/www.good.is/post/good-design-daily-a-fitting-homage-to-steve-jobs/

Thought for today...

You're off to Great Places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting,

So get on your way!

- Dr Seus

10 Personality types of Graphic Designers!

I always find personality types fascinating! As designers we tend to conform to our own set of rules and generally in some way or another we are different to the masses. Each industry has probably got the same to say and I do believe within each industry people can be classified to personalities that suit their environment.

 

Graphic Design Blog’s post, 10 Personality Types of Graphic Designers list some personality types specific to Graphic Designers. It's fun and interesting! It is definitely well worth reading the full article. Below I list a brief summary of each personality but for a full break down DO VISIT their site!

Here are the 10 they listed:

1. The Perfectionist “Monk”
They want every project to be done with perfection and precision. Extreme obsession with their work makes them behave compulsively. Although being a perfectionist is good, it can also be stressful for designers to achieve absolute flawlessness.

 

2. The Ingenious “Sherlock”
Designers with this type of personality have unique problem solving skills. When face with the toughest of design projects, they execute it Sherlock style with astuteness and inventiveness.

 

3. The Brainy “Dexter”
Graphic designers with this personality are usually an ace in the academia and as a result, have a vast in-depth knowledge of graphic designing. They know concepts that even the most experienced designers might not be familiar with.

 

4. The Friendly “Casper”
Designers of this personality type are gregarious and use social media excessively, not just for professional purposes, but for personal use as well. They love to make new friends and connections and just cannot live without a social circle.

 

5. The Experienced “Papa Smurf”
Designers of this personality type are the experienced campaigners who are distinguished in their field as veterans. Emerging graphic designers look at them as an icon of inspiration and motivation.

 

6. The Show-off “Johnny Bravo”
They like to brag about their work and skills.

 

7. The Speedy “Flash”
Designers of this personality type are very fast and prompt. They like to finish off their assignments in as less time as possible. They meet their deadlines with ease, sometimes complete the assignment way before the due date. Although rapid speed is a very good attribute, in some circumstances haste can make waste.

 

8. The Lazy “Garfield”
Graphic designers of this category are gluttonous and ravenous. Moreover they tend to get sluggish and this delays their projects. They mostly don’t meet the project deadlines and are liable for procrastination.

 

9. The Enduring “Ironman”
They can easily endure countless hours of design work and complete it without experiencing any fatigue. They can tolerate heaps of pressure and strain to finish off a design job within the deadline.

 

10. The Hyper “Hulk”
They are hyper, intolerant and can be angry at the slightest of things. 

 

Don't forget to pop onto "Graphic Designs Blog" to read the full article!

http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/graphic-designers-personality-types/

Thought for today...

You'll get mixed up, of course, as you already know.
You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with you left.
- Dr. Seuss

Thought for today...

Think left and think right and think low and think high.
Oh, the thinks you can think up if only try!
- Dr. Seuss

Thought for today...

You have brains in your head. 

You have feet in your shoes. 

You can steer yourself any direction you choose. 

You're on your own. And you know what you know. 

And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go!
- Dr. Seuss

Thought for today...

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit,
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad!

Thought for today...

"Today you are You,
that is truer than true,
there is no one alive
who is Youer than You!"
- Dr. Seuss