5 Rules for Designing from the men behind Apple’s biggest design decisions
In 2012, the newest ipad sold at a rate of 694 ipads per minute during the 1st 72 hours.
Can you imagine creating a product that people would purchase at such an amazing rate?
If you sold 694 of whatever you invented TOTAL, that would be a feat in itself, but per MINUTE? Amazing. But the answer is not as simple as copying Apple’s designs. They are able to do what they do because of deeply embedded philosophies of design pushed down by the design leaders of Apple, Steve Jobs and Jonathan Ive.
Apple is able to do this because of their famous ability to create products that are not only aesthetically pleasing but easy to use. Below is a fun video talking about 5 rules of design derived from the philosophies of the leaders of Apple.
“For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic the quality has to be carried all the way through” – Steve Jobs
RULE #1 – Don’t Skimp on Anything
Don’t skimp on sections of design just because they aren’t in the customers main line of sight
– High quality design is all encompassing
RULE #2 – Everyone must understand the Product
Every employee in the company must truly understand what the product they are building is, how it works, and how it will benefit customers or society in order to get the design just right.
“It is so important to be light on your feet, inquisitive and interested in being wrong” – Jonathan Ive
RULE #3 – Motivated by Failure & Optimistic about Change
Good design is produced by people who are motivated by failures and optimistic about change.
– Focus and simplicity – Steve Jobs Mantra
RULE #4 – Simple, Beautiful over Bells & Whistles
It’s harder to design something that is simply beautiful than it is to just stuff a product full of bells and whistles. But the marketplace is looking for clean, flawless, and operational design.
Our products are tools and we don’t want design to get in the way – Jonathan Ive
RULE #5 – Quality Product over Flash
Product design isn’t meant to stick out like a sore thumb, but rather a high quality product, people come to recognize as an extension of themselves.
- What do you like best about apple’s product designs? Looks? Ease of use? Quality?