John Maeda
John Maeda
John Maeda is an American executive, designer, technologist. His work explores the area where business, design, and technology merge. He was a Professor at the MIT Media Lab for 12 years, and then became the President of the Rhode Island School of Design from 2008 to 2013. He is currently Design Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers where he advises startups on the business impact of design. He also serves on the Board of Directors of consumer electronics...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionDesigner
CountryUnited States of America
Apple products aren't simple technologies by any stretch, but there is a beautiful simplicity to them.
If you have no fear, no one has power over you.
I have a confession: I'm not a man of simplicity. I spent my entire early career making complex stuff. Lots of complex stuff.
Skill in the digital age is confused with mastery of digital tools, masking the importance of understanding materials and mastering the elements of form.
Technological advances have always been driven more by a mind-set of 'I can' than 'I should' Technologists love to cram maximum functionality into their products. That's 'I can' thinking, which is driven by peer competition and market forces But this approach ignores the far more important question of how the consumer will actually use the device focus on what we should be doing, not just what we can.
When you're younger, think less and do more; when you're older, do less and think more.
If you are going to have less things, they have to be great things.
All I want to be is, someone that makes, new things and, thinks about them.
Good problem-seekers are in higher demand than good problem-solvers.
The best designers in the world all squint when they look at something. They squint to see the forest from the trees - to find the right balance. Squint at the world. You will see more, by seeing less.
Too little confidence, and you're unable to act; too much confidence, and you're unable to hear.
The problem isn't how to make the world more technological. It's about how to make the world more humane again.
Simplicity and complexity need each other.
Design is a solution to a problem. Art is a question to a problem.