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Design

Good design is as little design as possible.

Design

Design Wisdom: Quotes from Dieter Rams, Steve Jobs, and the Masters

Jan 30, 2026 · 5 min read

Great design is invisible until it's gone. These quotes from the legends of design — Dieter Rams, Steve Jobs, Paul Rand, and more — reveal the thinking behind beauty.

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Good design is as little design as possible.

Dieter Rams Ten Principles of Good Design
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Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.

Steve Jobs New York Times interview, 2003
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Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Leonardo da Vinci Widely attributed
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A logo doesn't sell the company. It identifies it.

Paul Rand Thoughts on Design
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Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Wind, Sand and Stars
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Design adds value faster than it adds costs.

Joel Spolsky Joel on Software
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Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent.

Joe Sparano Design principle
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Every great design begins with an even better story.

Lorinda Mamo Design philosophy
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The details are not the details. They make the design.

Charles Eames Eames Design Philosophy
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Design is thinking made visual.

Saul Bass On graphic design
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Design is intelligence made visible.

Alina Wheeler Designing Brand Identity
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The life of a designer is a life of fight: fight against the ugliness.

Massimo Vignelli The Vignelli Canon
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Don't design for everyone. It's impossible. All you end up doing is designing something that makes everyone unhappy.

Leisa Reichelt On User Experience
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Good design is good business.

Thomas J. Watson Jr. IBM (1973)
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Everything is designed. Few things are designed well.

Brian Reed On Design
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Design is intelligence made visible.

Alina Wheeler Designing Brand Identity
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The life of a designer is a life of fight: fight against the ugliness.

Massimo Vignelli The Vignelli Canon
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Don't design for everyone. It's impossible. All you end up doing is designing something that makes everyone unhappy.

Leisa Reichelt On User Experience
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Good design is good business.

Thomas J. Watson Jr. IBM (1973)
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Everything is designed. Few things are designed well.

Brian Reed On Design
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Design is intelligence made visible.

Alina Wheeler Designing Brand Identity
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The life of a designer is a life of fight: fight against the ugliness.

Massimo Vignelli The Vignelli Canon
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Don't design for everyone. It's impossible. All you end up doing is designing something that makes everyone unhappy.

Leisa Reichelt On User Experience
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Good design is good business.

Thomas J. Watson Jr. IBM (1973)
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Everything is designed. Few things are designed well.

Brian Reed On Design