Enter a modern office space and you’re likely to encounter an Apple product. The fruit-logoed tech is a symbol not just of quality but also of design excellence. These sleek, intuitive devices were not created by chance, either. They’re the brainchild of Steve Jobs. He believed that technology should be as beautiful as it is functional, asserting that if you’re going to create something, it should look great. For those of us in the digital design field, this rings true. Many designers find themselves seeking inspiration from the best in the tech world, and Apple stands proudly among them all. What can we learn from Jobs’ inspiration of Apple’s design? Quite a bit.

#1 - Simplicity Is Key 

One of the first lessons from Apple’s design philosophy is the idea of simplicity. A design doesn’t have to be complicated to capture interest. It just needs to be specific and well-crafted. So, what’s the purpose of your website, or app? Create a clear pathway to key action items and strip away unnecessary features for your audience. Each element on your webpage should support the goal of your site. This puts the focus on purpose and function to create a more impactful design. 

#2 - Keep Your Passion of the Arts

Draw inspiration from the arts, particularly theater. Shakespeare provides rich themes of romance and passion, though this wasn’t appreciated by Jobs at a young age. He did believe that those on the Macintosh team (a computer he revered for its simplicity and world-changing potential) would have appreciated the arts. He noted an unparalleled passion pushed into their projects. That same fervor can fuel your design to captivate your audience. Believe in it boldly!

#3 - Aim for the Moon 

“So whenever you start with nothing, you can always shoot for the moon.” — Steve Jobs

Apple outgrew its headquarters twice in 1977. A win for Jobs, but in 1985, he actually left the company after a long tiff with the CEO, which resulted in the most formative and difficult days of Jobs’ professional career. Recounting even further back, to a simpler time, he had a college professor that would tuck 20 bucks into his weathered jacket because he was so broke. That time taught him that nurturing the spirit of overcoming hardship allows one to truly understand generosity. Continue to give to your audience and they will give back to you. 

#4 - Addressing the Hierarchy of Needs 

Jobs also took inspiration from Maslow’s theory, formulating his own "Apple Hierarchy of Skepticism" that reflected humanity’s basic and then more complex needs, just in terms of the market and consumers. At the core of human existence are basic needs—food, water, and shelter. Once these needs are met, we become concerned about our environment, followed by the pursuit of love and esteem, which are internalized values. 

Steve categorized these into levels, with the first being survival, essentially constantly creating to prevent market obsolescence and serving consumer demand. Today, on average, startups struggle to survive with more than two-thirds of them never delivering a positive return. Survival is a distinct and critical level in its own right. 

Stability became his next goal, demonstrating that Apple could satisfy market demands with profits being the key indicator, which was a success. 

The final focus then was growth: how will you continue to expand? He observed that, years before making these remarks, the average American owned only one watch because of poor or monotonous design. By the time he was on this stage, that number had increased to seven. This is what he wanted to extend to computers as well. The ultimate goal for any enterprise.

Using The Principles of Design In Marketing

The design principles we’ve explored in past blogs are also concepts that guide the creation of visually compelling and effective compositions. Adhering to these conventions not only ensures that your design communicates its intended message clearly, but also captivates the audience in a meaningful way. Key principles to consider in your project’s design include:

• Color Theory & Using Color In Web Design
• Using Video To Elevate Web Design
• Mastering Visual Hierarchy for an Effective Layout
• Using Microinteractions to Your Advantage
• Improving Web Design With UX Writing

The Legacy of Visionary and Inspired Design

We love design for the aesthetics, but we also know that a great design allows us to create meaningful connections that click on multiple levels. Attention to the human condition can help us in crafting digital experiences that don’t just fulfill immediate needs, but inspire others to dream bigger. Go beyond the ordinary to achieve the extraordinary. If you’re ready to get the design process started for your brand, just fill out the form below and our team will get back to you soon.

Source material accredited to Make Something Wonderful.