Good design achieves integrity in balanced relation to its environment

“No design can exist in isolation. It is always related, sometimes in very complex ways, to an entire constellation of influencing situations and attitudes. What we call a good design is one which achieves integrity – that is, unity or wholeness – in balanced relation to its environment.” – George Nelson

Read more about industrial designer George Nelson here.

1. Good design is in relation to the problem at hand–not obscure, trendy, or stylish
2. Designers must consider unseen elements such as social relationships, power dynamics, and cultural rules
3. Treat design as a final destination instead of as a compromise
4. The measure of quality in web design should be graceful transformation
5. Good design shapes our expectation of what the experience can be