When I approach a new project, my work methods are inspired by the 10 design principles of Dieter Rams. This philosophy originated from his industrial design work for Braun, but it holds immense value for digital products as well.
“Good design is innovative”
Innovation is often a catalyst for project ideas. I always foresee time to do market watch and stay on top of new developments.
“Good design makes a product useful”
A lot of times I see a project roadmap that is tool driven instead of value driven. I always try to understand & define the real user needs first and look for a tool second.
“Good design is aesthetic”
A valuable functionality goes hand in hand with good design. The UI/UX steps in a digital project are very important. I have a very keen eye for detail, which helps test & validate designs.
“Good design makes a product understandable”
Apple is famous for providing very limited user manuals when shipping it products. Technology can be complex, but the end user experience should be self-explanatory. I have requested and reviewed multiple usability tests with users to assess the overall user experience and product value.
“Good design is unobtrusive”
Avoid creating products that ‘scream’. When creating self-help tools for users, it’s important to complement the user journey when needed, not intervene in every step.
“Good design is honest”
A big part of successful project management is proper stakeholder management and managing expectations. I always strive to keep communication as clean and concise as possible. Communication is getting a message across.
“Good design is long-lasting”
We live in a consumption driven world. Recently I have discovered the values of minimalism. When implementing or creating a product or service, it’s important to think about the overall lifecycle of it. Quality over quantity is a principle that holds true in a lot of contexts.
“Good design is thorough down to the last detail”
I have some years of experience in software testing and that helped me build a keen eye for detail. It’s important to balance budget and quality, but you should always strive for perfection whenever possible.
“Good design is environmentally friendly”
Print less, bring a reusable water bottle, reduce waste, use less electricity, … do what you can to reduce the carbon footprint of your product. Digital products that require less energy and save battery life are very important features that a lot of users will greatly appreciate.
“Good design is as little design as possible”
I am a strong proponent of minimalism. Design for design is an art form, it often takes away from functionality. A user interface often benefits from “less is more”. Users will love your product for it.