My design philosophies
September 2026 — In my 11 years as a working designer, I've developed personal design philosophies that I hold dear. (And some that I've chucked in the compost).
When I work for corporations, I blend my philosophies with my employer's as best I can. Sometimes I'm even expressly hired to bring them to the job.
But I haven't publicly cataloged them. The AI era inspires me to do so for the first time. I admit I feel a little vulnerable sharing. But I hope like-minded peers will feel seen (email me!). And those with opposing views, we're still friends and let's debate over a drink (I'm buying).
- Dieter Ram's 10 principles of good design, plus one more of my own: “Good design is biologically friendly.”
- Good digital designs are perfect auditory experiences for blind users
- Good digital designs scale to at least 200% font size
- Good digital designs utilize adequate visual contrast
- Good digital designs are non-addictive
- I deeply appreciate every person I work with; it's the most fortunate part of my career
- Happy, fulfilled designers produce innovative work
- My work enshrines the value of human labor, the land, & the dignity of future generations
- I study and train in order to achieve what others may use AI for (e.g. coding websites and apps); I find it is always worth my time
- I prefer a paper sketch and imagination to an AI coded prototype
- Unimportant work, for which I may be tempted to use AI, I instead try to eliminate
- This classic paper from Apple: What do prototypes prototype?
- I enthusiastically avoid AI because of the overwhelming evidence of its increasingly growing danger to humanity
- I don't believe my individual actions always make a big difference, but I think a big difference requires individual actions
- I believe, if they're able, individuals who earn a wealthy salary but personally deem their work harmful to humanity should leave their jobs
- Great harm can be caused when designers do not work closely enough with engineers
- Pairing with engineers to create the actual code users will interact with is my most powerful design practice
- If I forgo a native web, iOS, or Android component, it is my responsibility to build its equivalent (or improved) accessibility, aesthetics, and API
- I reserve the right to add, modify, and delete my design principles