I'm considering this essay one of my favorites from Paul Graham. The essay
argues that good taste and bad taste exist. Graham argues against relativism in
design and cites a variety of examples of architecture, typography, writing,
sketching, painting, aircraft design, and others that bolster his opinion.
TL;DR - Design should strive to be:
- Simple: Prefer simplicity to complexity when possible.
- Timeless: Design today for tomorrow by pleasing yesterday.
- Pointed: Focus always on the problem; don't work for work's sake.
- Suggestive: Constrain usage without suffocating the user.
- Humorous: Prefer light-heartedness to sobriety.
- Difficult: "Good design" is takes time, effort, and tremendous skill.
- Ostensibly effortless: Solutions should look obviously correct.
- Symmetric Appreciate symmetry.
- Natural: In nature, form ever follows function.
- Iterative: Write; rewrite; rewrite; rewrite; throw away; write; publish.
- Imitative: Be confident enough to copy others' existing, beautiful ideas.
- Communal: Pay attention to "Schelling points" and join the party. Don't be the
Milanese Da Vinci.
- Fearless: Question the status quo; expect others to challenge your solution.
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