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Weniger, aber besser

/ˈveːnɪɡɐ ˈaːbɐ ˈbɛsɐ/

German: "Less, but better"

Published January 8, 2026

Definition

The principle that quality emerges through disciplined subtraction rather than addition. Every element must earn its existence by serving a purpose. What remains after removing the unnecessary is not diminished but revealed.

Origin

Attributed to Dieter Rams, Chief Design Officer at Braun (1961–1995), who distilled his design philosophy into this phrase. Rams' work influenced generations of designers, from Apple's Jonathan Ive to the entire modern minimalist movement.

The phrase captures what Rams demonstrated through decades of product design: that removing what doesn't belong creates space for what does. A Braun radio with fewer controls is not simpler—it is clearer.

In Canon

Weniger, aber besser is the generative principle behind every Canon decision. It manifests across scales:

Tokens

One color palette. One type scale. One spacing system based on the golden ratio (φ = 1.618). Constraints that liberate rather than limit.

Components

Each component earns existence by solving a real problem. No "nice to have" variants. A button does what buttons do—nothing more, nothing less.

Motion

Animation reveals state changes, never decorates. 200ms for micro-interactions. One easing curve. Movement that guides attention, not demands it.

Code

Tailwind for structure, Canon for aesthetics. No abstractions for hypothetical futures. Three similar lines are better than premature extraction.

The Subtractive Triad

CREATE SOMETHING operationalizes weniger, aber besser through three levels of disciplined subtraction:

  1. DRY (Implementation) — "Have I built this before?" → Unify
  2. Rams (Artifact) — "Does this earn its existence?" → Remove
  3. Heidegger (System) — "Does this serve the whole?" → Reconnect

The triad is coherent because it applies one principle—subtractive revelation—at three scales. Each question removes a different kind of excess: duplication, ornament, disconnection.

Rams' Ten Principles

The fuller context for weniger, aber besser. Good design is:

  1. Innovative — Possibilities of progress are never exhausted
  2. Useful — A product is bought to be used
  3. Aesthetic — Well-executed affects our wellbeing
  4. Understandable — Clarifies the product's structure
  5. Unobtrusive — Products are tools, not decorations
  6. Honest — Does not manipulate or make promises it cannot keep
  7. Long-lasting — Avoids being fashionable, never appears antiquated
  8. Thorough — Nothing must be arbitrary or left to chance
  9. Environmentally friendly — Conserves resources throughout lifecycle
  10. As little design as possible — Concentrates on essential aspects

The tenth principle is weniger, aber besser restated: design is complete not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

Anti-Patterns

What weniger, aber besser is not:

  • Minimalism as aesthetic — The goal is clarity, not emptiness. Removing the necessary leaves a void; removing the unnecessary reveals structure.
  • Feature reduction — Fewer features ≠ better product. The right features, fully realized, is the goal.
  • Austerity — Subtraction serves human needs, not budgets. A Braun radio was not cheap; it was complete.
  • One-size-fits-all — Context determines what is "less." A form needs labels; a dashboard needs density.

Application Test

When evaluating any design decision—token, component, pattern, or page—ask:

"If I remove this, what breaks?"

If nothing breaks, remove it. If something breaks, the element has earned its existence. This is the operational meaning of weniger, aber besser.

References