A Practical Guide To Design Principles

We often see design principles as rigid guidelines that dictate design decisions. But actually, they are an incredible tool to rally the team around a shared purpose and document the values and beliefs that an organization embodies. They align teams and inform decision-making. They also keep us afloat amidst all the hype, big assumptions, desire for faster delivery, and AI workslop. But how do we choose the right ones, and how do we get started? Let’s find out. Real-World Design Principles In times when we can generate any passable design and code within minutes, we need to decide better what’s worth designing and building — and what values we want our products to embody. It’s similar to voice and tone. You might not design it intentionally, but then end users will define it for you. And so, without principles, many company initiatives are random, sporadic, ad-hoc — and feel vague, inconsistent, or simply dull to the outside world. Design principles are guidelines and design considerations that designers apply with discretion — by default, without debating or discussing what has already been agreed upon. One fantastic resource that I keep coming back to after all these years is Ben Brignell’s Principles.design . It has 230 pointers for design principles and methods , searchable and tagged, covering everything from language and infrastructure to hardware and organizations. 10 Principles Of Good Design There is no shortage of principles out there. But the good ones are more than just being visionary — they have a point of view , and they explain what we don’t do as much as what we do. They also explain what we stand for in the world — beyond profits, stock prices, and all the hype and noise around us. Many years ago, I encountered Dieter Rams’ 10 principles of good design (see above), a very humble, practical and tangible overview of principles that were informing, shaping, and guarding his design work at Braun. There are no visionary claims , and no big bold statemen