Writing: Learning from Jony Ive

Nov 25, 2013 | Better Writing

Jony Ive designs things that look good, but that’s not the point.

This past weekend Sotheby’s auctioned off several items designed or selected by Ive and his friend and fellow design legend, Marc Newson in support of Bono’s Project Red. Items included a red MacBook Pro that went for almost a million dollars.

Jony Ive has become a celebrity because he designs great things and because some of those things were game-changing Apple products. He designs things that look great. And they work.

That’s the point of design and where it differs from art. Design has to work or it’s bad design. That’s a lot like business writing.

Your business writing may be elegant. It may please the ear. It may be clever or edgy. But if it doesn’t accomplish its purpose that won’t matter.

Bottom Line

Design has to work to be good. So does business writing.