the horse's mouth

Dieter Rams: Ten Principles Of Good Design.

 

1.

Good design is innovative

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The possibilities for innovation are not, by any means, exhausted. Technological development is always offering new opportunities for innovative design. But innovative design always develops in tandem with innovative technology, and can never be an end in itself.

2.

Good design makes a product useful

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A product is bought to be used. It has to satisfy certain criteria, not only functional, but also psychological and aesthetic. Good design emphasizes the usefulness of a product whilst disregarding anything that could possibly detract from it.

3.

Good design is aesthetic

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The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because products we use every day affect our person and our well-being. But only well-executed objects can be beautiful.

4.

Good design makes a product understandable

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It clarifies the product’s structure. Better still, it can make the product talk. At best, it is self-explanatory.

5.

Good design is unobtrusive

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Products fulfilling a purpose are like tools. They are neither decorative objects nor works of art. Their design should therefore be both neutral and restrained, to leave room for the user’s self-expression.

6.

Good design is honest

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It does not make a product more innovative, powerful or valuable than it really is. It does not attempt to manipulate the consumer with promises that cannot be kept.

7.

Good design is long-lasting

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It avoids being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated. Unlike fashionable design, it lasts many years – even in today’s throwaway society.

8.

Good design is thorough, down to the last detail

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Nothing must be arbitrary or left to chance. Care and accuracy in the design process show respect towards the consumer.

9.

Good design is environmentally-friendly

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Design makes an important contribution to the preservation of the environment. It conserves resources and minimizes physical and visual pollution throughout the lifecycle of the product.

10.

Good design is as little design as possible

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Less, but better – because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity.

Dieter Rams served as head of design for Braun A.G. for 30 years until his retirement in 1998. 

Swim!

So simple, and yet so much fun.
No equipment needed!

Rain!

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these wahines from the swift completion of their appointed sessions.

Tillerman Tuesday.

Paige Railey sailing.....a Laser!

Bridge!

Happy Birthday, Old Thing!

Sail!

It's great that the bay is wide open during the week. Not a numbskull in sight!

Fire!

You know, I'm not a cooking expert. But I don't think the grill is supposed to be spewing fire towards the heavens like Mt. Vesuvius.

Sponge!

You can have a lot of fun on a sponge.
Fort Point, San Francisco. Photos taken with my XZ-1. I couldn't see a thing, I guess that's why it's called point and shoot.

Goat Boat!

Kayak Surfing Nelscott Reef, Oregon
Photograph by Richard Hallman

Link: National Geographic.

Have A Great Weekend!

Fish On Fridays. (Mr. Big Teeth)

Click below to see the video encounter of Australian fisherman with a big beasty.

Fish On Fridays.

Brought to you by GoPro.
Shameless commercialism, Joe.

GoPro's new dive housing is $49. That's a deal. Compare that to Olympus which charges $299 for the XZ-1's housing.

What Do You Do If You See Someone Drowning?

I wonder what they want me to do?
Via George Takei.

Not Olympic Sports.

Riding a sponge? Nope! (I know riding a surfboard isn't an Olympic sport.) How about body surfing, surely the powers that be consider that athletic? Good God, sir! Are you mad? We can't allow plebians into the Olympics!

Surfing Photo Of The Day.

Not an Olympic sport.

Car Wash.

Y'all small tuna fish, I'm one big catch
(This is a Shark Tale exclusive)
Y'all small tuna fish, I'm one big catch
(Here we go again)
Y'all small tuna fish, I'm one big catch
(Say what, say what, yeah)
Y'all small tuna fish, I'm one big catch

Ooh, do do do do do do do
Car wash, car wash
Ooh, do do do do do do do
Car wash, car wash

(Yeah, let's drop it on 'em like this)

Ooh, do do do do do do, na na na ah, ooh
Ooh, do do do do do do, na na na ah, ooh

You might not ever get rich, ha
Let me tell you it's better than digging a ditch
There ain't no telling who you might meet
A movie star or maybe a common thief

Working at the car wash (oh oh, yeah yeah)
At the car wash, yeah (ooh, yeah yeah)
At the car wash (sing it with me now)
Working at the car wash, yeah

(Oh, oh)

Come summer the work gets kind of hard
This ain't no place to be if you're planning on being a star
Let me tell you it's always cool
And the boss don't mind sometimes if you're acting like a fool

Working at the car wash (oh oh, yeah yeah)
At the car wash, yeah (ooh ooh ooh)
At the car wash (ow said, now come and work it with me now, yeah)
Working at the car wash, yeah

Said, said, said, sing

(Work and work)
Well those cars never stop coming
(Work and work)
Keep those rags and machines humming
[. From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/c/christina-aguilera-lyrics/car-wash-lyrics.html .]
(Work and work)
My fingers to the bone
(Work and work)
Keep on and can't wait till it's time to go home

Hey, get your car washed today
Fill up and you don't have to pay
Hey, get your car washed today
Fill it up, right away

[Missy Elliott:]
Work at the, car wash
Sharks in the water make they jaws lock
When I swim through the grim, I'm too hot
Y'all can make y'all bets
Y'all small tuna fish, I'm one big catch
Shark slayer, bow down playa
'Cause this right here will be your worst nightmare (nightmare)
Work that, work that, pop back, hurt that
Turn this up and bang it all up in the surface

(Work and work)
9 to 5 I got to keep that fat stack coming
(Work and work)
No matter how big the shark is, the right keep running
(Work and work)
Washing cars ain't no place to be a superstar man
(Work and work)
That's why I work, and work

Working at the car wash (ohhh, yeah)
At the car wash, yeah (come on work, baby work it, say now)
At the car wash (ahh)
Working at the car wash, yeah

So come on, come on, come on, come on, come on

Ooh, do do do do do do, na na na ah, ooh
(Now keep it coming)
Ooh, do do do do do do (woo, so), na na na ah, ooh
(You may not ever get rich, but hey)

Hey, get your car washed today (hey)
Hey, get your car washed today
Hey, get your car washed today (phenomenal hit)

Just What We Need.

More kooks on the water.
Brought to you by the guy who invented sit-on-top roto-molded kayaks.

Tillerman Tuesday.

I wonder if the Tillerman will be travelling south to sail his beloved boat in the world's largest bathtub?

Not Your Grandma's Bathing Suit.

Do you still think I'm slipping, Baydog?

Mermaid Monday.

Et Dieu créa la femme.