At the heart of the book are Rams’s Ten Principles of Good Design, the guidelines he developed to combat the wasteful, thoughtless consumerism he saw flooding the market. Good design is innovative, useful, aesthetic, understandable, unobtrusive, honest, durable, thorough to the last detail, environmentally friendly, and—most famously—as little design as possible. These principles aren’t just theoretical musings; they’re practical rules that shaped every radio, calculator, and coffee maker Rams created at Braun.
The book explores how Rams put these ideas into practice across his four-decade career. It examines his design methods and criteria, showing how his purist, almost invisible approach to design emerged from—and influenced—evolving manufacturing cultures and technological possibilities. Through photographs and commentary, readers see how products like the SK 4 record player and the ET 66 calculator embodied his philosophy.
But Less but Better also looks forward. Rams reflects on design ethics, sustainability, and the social responsibility of designers. His fundamental argument remains constant: in a world drowning in poorly conceived products, restraint is revolutionary. Quality beats quantity. Longevity trumps trendiness.
Originally published by the Dieter and Ingeborg Rams Foundation, this bilingual book (German and English) makes the case that Rams’ approach isn’t just historically important—it’s a blueprint for responsible design in the future.
“Good design is innovative. Good design must be useful. Good design is aesthetic design. Good design makes a product understandable. Good design is honest. Good design is unobtrusive. Good design is long-lasting. Good design is consistent in every detail. Good design is environmentally friendly. And last but not least, good design is as little design as possible.”
— Dieter Rams Primary source• Title: Less but better
• Author: Dieter Rams
• Type: Book
• Publisher: Gestalten
• Publication time: 1995
• Publication place: Germany
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