swiss-design

Swiss Design for Software

Core principle: Clarity through reduction. Every element must earn its place. Remove until removing more would harm understanding.

The Four Principles

Principle	Rule	Test
Reduction	If it doesn't serve comprehension, it's noise. Remove it.	Can I remove this without losing meaning?
Grid	Mathematical structure creates visual order. Alignment implies relationship.	Does alignment create rhythm and relationships?
Hierarchy	Control attention through contrast in size, weight, position. Three levels max.	Is there a clear reading order at a glance?
Typography	Type carries content and creates structure. One typeface, two weights.	Is type doing the structural work, not color or decoration?

Deep reference for each: [reduction.md], [grid.md], [hierarchy.md], [typography.md]

Apply to Every Output

Before finalizing, run each test above. If any answer is "no," revise. This is not optional.

Verification — the grayscale test: If the design doesn't work in grayscale, the structure is weak. Color supplements hierarchy; it never creates it.

Verification — the squint test: Blur your vision. What do you see first? That's your primary element. If nothing stands out, hierarchy is broken.

Common Failures

Failure	Symptom	Fix
Decoration creep	Gradients, shadows, icons that don't encode meaning	Remove. Does comprehension survive?
Hierarchy collapse	Everything bold, 12 font sizes, rainbow colors	Three levels max. One lever per level.
Grid abandonment	"Just this once" alignment exceptions	Fix the system, don't patch around it
Color as crutch	Hierarchy exists only in color, not structure	Make it work in grayscale first
Filling empty space	Adding elements because "it looks empty"	Whitespace is breathing room, not a problem

Red Flags

• Adding decoration after the design "works" but "looks plain"
• More than 5 type sizes in one view
• Elements at more than 3 alignment points
• Color distinguishing things that should differ in size or weight
• "Users expect it" as justification for an element (they expect to accomplish their goal)

All of these mean: you're decorating, not designing. Strip back.