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 Swiss/International Typographic Style emerged in 1950s Switzerland as a reaction against decorative excess. Its principles—mathematical grids, typographic hierarchy, ruthless reduction—created a universal visual language that transcends culture and context.

These same principles apply directly to software and interaction design. A well-designed interface, like a well-designed poster, guides attention through structure rather than decoration.

## The Four Principles

1. **Reduction** — Strip to essentials. If it doesn't serve comprehension, it's noise. → [reduction.md]

2. **Grid** — Mathematical structure creates visual order that reduces cognitive load. → [grid.md]

3. **Hierarchy** — Control attention through contrast in size, weight, and position. → [hierarchy.md]

4. **Typography** — Type is the primary tool. It carries content and creates structure without ornament. → [typography.md]

## When This Skill Applies

- Generating UI components or layouts
- Creating documentation or technical prose
- Building data visualizations, tables, charts
- Designing CLI output or terminal interfaces
- Any output where a human needs to quickly comprehend information

## The Swiss Test

Before finalizing any design output, ask:

1. **Reduction:** Can I remove anything without losing meaning?
2. **Grid:** Does alignment create rhythm and relationships?
3. **Hierarchy:** Is there a clear reading order through size/weight/position?
4. **Typography:** Is type doing the structural work (not color or decoration)?

If any answer is "no," revise before shipping.

## Common Failures

**Decoration creep:** Adding visual elements "to make it look better" rather than to aid comprehension. Gradients, shadows, illustrations, icons—each must justify its presence.

**Hierarchy collapse:** When everything is bold, nothing is. Wh