From: IBM Design Language.
Design with soul
Give your product personality
Welcome!
As you explore the site, we want to let you know a few things about the language.
The IBM Design Language is a set of living guidelines that communicates a brand promise through our products’ experiences. Our goal is to design for experiences that work together, work the same and work for our users.
We create many different kinds of products, so our language is designed to be more instructive than prescriptive. This effort is relatively new and intentionally crafted to evolve through feedback from product teams and users. We invite you to use our language and join the conversation at IBM Design.
Have fun and remember to share what you learn,
IBM Design
Be authentically thoughtful
In everything we do, we put our users first. We include them in our process so they can leave their imprint on the design. When you use the IBM Design Language, we ask you to be authentically thoughtful.
Authenticity is based on real, shared experiences and is sensed rather than rationalized. Thoughtfulness is a quality that comes from the heart with the best of intentions in mind. It is the deliberate consideration for the needs of others and an empathic understanding of what is most important.
To provide authentically thoughtful experiences, we must be more than user-centered, we must be human-centered—to know people first as people, not as users or customers or clients. Our designs are conceived from a deep understanding of humanity and with the desire to help individuals accomplish their goals.
Our brand promise
IBM’s brand promise requires us to be reflective about every experience we aim to deliver. We ask ourselves:
DOES IT LOOK LIKE IBM?
Does the visual design enhance people’s understanding of how the world works? Is it purposeful in its intent? Does it help users see the world in a new way—from a clearer perspective?
DOES IT SOUND LIKE IBM?
Do we listen as collaborators? Do we have something to say—not just something to sell? Do we make a case with reason and intelligence and emphasize what truly matters?
DOES IT THINK LIKE IBM?
Do we communicate a logical, clear point of view about how to close the gap between what is and what should be? Do we offer insight, not just facts? Do we focus on implications and actions?
DOES IT PERFORM LIKE IBM?
Does it have industrial-strength quality? Does it focus on how we can help create value? Does it reflect a systems-thinking point of view
Design for an outcome
If you design it well, you give users something back for their effort.
Six Universal IBM experiences
Use the six experiences below to frame opportunities for improving the way people work.