Manifestos serve as guiding lights, distilling the philosophies and principles of visionaries into actionable guidelines. The following selections offer practical wisdom from influential figures across various creative disciplines.

01. Dieter Rams’ Ten Principles of Good Design (1970s)

Renowned industrial designer Dieter Rams articulated ten principles that define good design:

1. Innovative: Design should always push boundaries.

2. Useful: It must serve a purpose.

3. Aesthetic: Beauty enhances usability.

4. Understandable: Clarity in design ensures intuitive use.

5. Unobtrusive: Products should be neutral and restrained.

6. Honest: Design must not deceive users.

7. Long-lasting: Avoids being fashionable to remain timeless.

8. Thorough: Every detail matters.

9. Environmentally friendly: Design should minimize environmental impact.

10. As little design as possible: Less, but better.

These principles have profoundly influenced modern design, emphasizing functionality, simplicity, and sustainability.

02. John Maeda’s Laws of Simplicity (2006)

Renowned designer and technologist John Maeda offers ten laws for balancing simplicity and complexity in business, technology, and design:

1. Reduce: The simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction.

2. Organize: Organization makes a system of many appear fewer.

3. Time: Savings in time feel like simplicity.

4. Learn: Knowledge makes everything simpler.

5. Differences: Simplicity and complexity need each other.

6. Context: What lies in the periphery of simplicity is definitely not peripheral.

7. Emotion: More emotions are better than less.

8. Trust: In simplicity we trust.

9. Failure: Some things can never be made simple.

10. The One: Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious and adding the meaningful.

Maeda’s laws serve as a guide for designers and thinkers aiming to simplify products and processes without losing their essence.

3. Austin Kleon’s Steal Like an Artist Manifesto (2012)

Writer and artist Austin Kleon provides ten principles to boost creativity:

1. Steal Steal like an artist: Embrace influence, remix, and reimagine.

2. Don't wait until you know who you are to get started: Start creating to discover yourself.

3. Write the book you want to read: Create what you love.

4. Use your hands: Engage physically with your work.

5. Side projects and hobbies are important: They fuel creativity.

6. The secret: do good work and share it with people: Quality and sharing lead to opportunities.

7. Geography is no longer our master: The internet connects creatives globally.

8. Be nice: Establish relationships; the world is a small town.

9. Be boring: Routine sustains creativity.

10. Creativity is subtraction: Embrace constraints to enhance creativity.

Kleon’s manifesto encourages embracing influence, starting before you’re ready, and finding your voice through creating work you love.

4. Kenya Hara’s Designing Design (2007)

Japanese designer Kenya Hara emphasizes the importance of emptiness and sensory awareness in design. While not formatted as a traditional list, key principles include:

1. Emptiness: Creating spaces that invite interpretation and engagement.

2. Haptic Sensibility: Designing with attention to the tactile experience.

3. Re-Design: Reimagining everyday objects to find new meaning.

4. Contextual Awareness: Understanding the cultural and environmental context of design.

Hara’s philosophy encourages designers to consider the unseen elements that influence perception and experience.

5. Walt Disney’s Leadership Lessons

Walt Disney’s approach to leadership, though not formally documented as a manifesto, can be distilled into key principles:

1. Visionary Thinking: Dream beyond the obvious and envision possibilities.

2. Attention to Detail: Every element matters in creating a cohesive experience.

3. Innovation and Creativity: Encourage new ideas and continual improvement.

4. Resilience: Persevere through challenges and setbacks.

5. Customer Focus: Understand and exceed audience expectations.

Disney’s leadership style fostered a culture of creativity and excellence, leading to the enduring success of his brand.