Category Archives: Design

Design rules again

So about a month ago I posted Dieter Rams‘s design rules. They made the rounds again today via Daring Fireball and Kottke.org. So I thought I’d post them again with a little more detail.

  1. Good design is innovative.
    • It does not copy existing product forms, nor does it produce any kind of novelty for the sake of it. The essence of innovation must be clearly seen in all functions of a product. The possibilities in this respect are by no means exhausted. Technological development keeps offering new chances for innovative solutions.
  2. Good design makes a product useful.

    • A product is bought in order to be used. It must serve a defined purpose – in both primary and additional functions. The most important task of design is to optimise the utility of a product.
  3. Good design is aesthetic.

    • The aesthetic quality of a product – and the fascination it inspires – is an integral part of the its utility. Without doubt, it is uncomfortable and tiring to have to put up with products that are confusing, that get on your nerves, that you are unable to relate to. However, it has always been a hard task to argue about aesthetic quality, for two reasons. Firstly, it is difficult to talk about anything visual, since words have a different meaning for different people. Secondly, aesthetic quality deals with details, subtle shades, harmony and the equilibrium of a whole variety of visual elements. A good eye is required, schooled by years and years of experience, in order to be able to draw the right conclusion.
  4. Good design helps us to understand a product.

    • It clarifies the structure of the product. Better still, it can make the product talk. At best, it is self-explanatory and saves you the long, tedious perusal of the operating manual.
  5. Good design is unobtrusive.

    • Products that satisfy this criterion are tools. They are neither decorative objects nor works of art. Their design should therefore be both neutral and restrained leaving room for the user’s self-expression.
  6. Good design is honest.

    • An honestly-designed product must not claim features it does not have – being more innovative, more efficient, of higher value. It must not influence or manipulate buyers and users.
  7. Good design is durable.

    • It is nothing trendy that might be out-of-date tomorrow. This is one of the major differences between well-designed products and trivial objects for a waste-producing society. Waste must no longer be tolerated.
  8. Good design is consequent to the last detail.

    • Thoroughness and accuracy of design are synonymous with the product and its functions, as seen through the eyes of the user.
  9. Good design is concerned with the environment.

    • Design must contribute towards a stable environment and a sensible use of raw materials. This means considering not only actual pollution, but also the visual pollution and destruction of our environment.
  10. Good design is as little design as possible.

    • Back to purity, back to simplicity.

From here.

Design rules

via Gizmodo

The link is to a post about the Kindle 2’s design. But more important than the actual Kindle 2 design are the enumerated rules of design from Dieter Rams.

So here they are. Something to keep in mind in any design field I’d imagine important link.

  1. Good design is innovative.
  2. Good design makes a product useful.
  3. Good design is aesthetic.
  4. Good design helps us to understand a product.
  5. Good design is unobtrusive.
  6. Good design is honest.
  7. Good design is durable.
  8. Good design is consequent to the last detail.
  9. Good design is concerned with the environment.
  10. Good design is as little design as possible.

Flatpack stadium

Flatpack stadium to be taken down and reassembled where/when needed.

What a great idea.  They are comparing it to Ikea furniture.  But on the other hand that’s scary.  I’ve never seen a piece of Ikea furniture that was quite as sturdy the second time you put it together.  The Olympic stadium as one of those traveling carnivals that set up in the parking lots of big box stores.  Umm, it’s kind of fun to be scared to go on a structure/ride designed to be disassembled in minutes, but tens of thousands of rabid fans in a ready to be disassembled stadium, might be something to think about.

Early daily photo project

I found this via alltop.  Jamie Livingston took a Polaroid daily from March 31, 1979 to October 25, 1997 (his 41st birthday and also the day he died).

The actual site of the photographs and some other links about it:

Mental Floss (with some of the photos)

Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn has a lot of information about the pictures and the accompanying exhibit.

Jamie Livingston’s wiki page.

 

I don’t need it (yet)

Monty’s a spry 4 years old (and I mean spry, everyone thinks he’s still a puppy given his energy level, etc).  And some crazy guy with barbeque sauce all over his chin (I so incredibly wish I had taken a picture), while petting Monty for an uncomfortably long time, at the Taste of Arlington 2008, said Monty would live an additional 23 years.  Or maybe it was until he was 23.  Either way that’s WAY longer than miniature schnauzers live on par.  I’m not looking ahead to life sans Monty, but no way I’d get this (maybe, I am a sucker for such things):

digital pet urn

That’s a digital pet urn.  Available from pet-urns.com.  Product description:

With a 7” diagonal screen you can display literally hundreds of your favorite pet and/or human memories. Each digital frame includes a battery operated remote control, a large 256 megabyte internal memory, power supply cord, and USB computer cord for transferring photo’s or audio files from your personal computer to the internal memory.

This urn has two compartments which you access from the removable bottom. The 1st compartment holds the digital frame while the 2nd has 95 cubic inches of space inside, accomodating pets from 0-75 lbs.

Maybe if they added video I’d consider it.  But pics and audio only.  Who has audio recordings of their dogs?  Do they expect people to demux their video for audio and upload that? 

via Gizmodo.

The World of Fashion: Pixel Perfect: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker

The World of Fashion: Pixel Perfect: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker
Pascal Dangin is the premier retoucher of fashion photographs. Art directors and admen call him when they want someone who looks less than great to look great, someone who looks great to look amazing, or someone who looks amazing already—whether by dint of DNA or M·A·C—to look, as is the mode, superhuman. Christy Turlington, for the record, needs the least help.

Emphasis mine.  I love Christy Turlington.

link from Kottke.