Designing Your Legacy to be Unobtrusive [Part 5]

THIS IS THE FiFth bLog IN A 10-PART SERIES EXAMINING HOW TO APPLY DIETER RAMS’ PRINCIPLES OF GOOD DESIGN TO YOUR LEGACY.

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The fifth principle in Dieter Rams’ list of good design principles is that of unobtrusiveness. The application of this principle to your legacy requires nuance and design. The impact should align with the audience’s willingness to engage. A legacy should direct, not dictate. Copying is not designing. This harmony entails trusting yourself and others. You trust that the value of your voice is not dependent on its volume. You trust that your audience’s timetable in processing and accepting your words and deeds is right for them.

I am drawn to the concept of white space. A designer skillfully uses all the elements including “blank” space to convey a message. The subtlety of this ignites the curiosity of viewers and gets them to reexamine their initial impression without strict commands.  

This principle is particularly challenging in our current time where competition for attention is fierce. The necessary time investment to design, build, and nourish a relationship seems to be too high of a cost. Yet, this is the value of unobtrusiveness. It is the seed for inspiration. It is dynamic with gradual growth. Often, it is the process of distillation, not instillation, that yields fruits. Unobtrusiveness is an invitation delivered with a voice of calm assurance. Unobtrusiveness is present without the need for alterations. Your presence fits and aligns with the individual. There is a flow of wisdom without turbulence. It prioritizes the needs of the audience ahead of the desires of the speaker. It is the art of impressing without pressing. Unobtrusiveness is the essence of design. Your legacy endures because you have touched others by being the shoulder that supports, the hands that tilt their eyes to the stars, and the heart that is present without overshadowing.