Seeing, hearing and reading about good design are how I learn to design better. Here is an interview with Dieter Rams, Braun’s chief of design from 1961-1995, on his design philosophy.
Ram’s 10 principles to good design
- Good design is innovative
- Good design makes a product useful
- Good design is aesthetic
- Good design makes a product understandable
- Good design is unobtrusive
- Good design is honest
- Good design is long-lasting
- Good design is thorough down to the last detail
- Good design is environmentally friendly
- Good design is as little design as possible
Looking for a good book on iPhone app design? Check out Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps by Josh Clark. It is my current read. In addition to the above items:
- Develop your ideas from initial concept to finished design
- Build an effortless user experience that rewards every tap
- Explore the secrets of designing for touch
- Discover how and why people really use iPhone apps
- Learn to use iPhone controls the Apple way
- Create your own personality-packed visuals
The real highlight of the book are the interviews with app designers like Josh Williams (Gowalla), Joe Hewitt (Facebook), and others.