Every designer must know about the creative minds who revolutionized the world of design. These minds are those people who are introducing the new ways of thinking, ideas, and styles. By following their way of thinking, aspirants can see the world with a new perspective.
Their inventions transformed various fields like fashion, architecture, and product design to make the design more beautiful, exciting, and functional. They provided a different vision and the approaches that will not only change everyday life but also encourage the future generations of designers, especially those who have just started learning graphic designing or art.
Whether it is through innovative art, mold-breaking inventions, or new philosophy, these creative minds in the design world still have a big impact on the way we live our lives today.
So, it’s time to meet with the creative legends.
Listing the 10 Most Creative Minds in the Design World
1. Edward De Bono (1933 – 2021)
Biography of Edward De Bono
Edward Charles Francis Publius De Bono was born in 1933 in Malta, which is a beautiful island country in the region of Southern Europe.
Since his childhood, Edward has been quite calm in nature and has an intelligent mind. Did you know he went to the university at the age of just 15? Yes, and he qualified as a doctor at the age of 21. Due to his sharp mind, he became a Rhodes scholar and joined Oxford.
Edward published his very first book, The Use of Lateral Thinking, in 1967.
Watch Edward de Bono explaining ‘How to have a beautiful mind’ at Mind & Its Potential
By 1966, Edward published 5 more books—Mechanism of Mind (1969) was one of them, in which he developed the model of brain thinking skills and program-based models.
Later in the year of 1969, Edward started Cognitive Research Trust (Cort), which was a structured school program. Under this plan, Edward started giving practical training in creative thinking to schools and organizations. The main purpose was to guide schools in teaching creative thinking. There were 60 lessons in total in the plan, and the main 6 strands.
Another program was De Bono’s Thinking course, which was launched in 1981. This was a book course and was made available to the general public, too. More than 5000 schools in England, New Zealand, Canada, Spain, and many other countries are still following this program.
Then in 1985, he came up with his book on Six Thinking Hats, which presents the 6 types of hats and guides in business management.
Check the book, if you are interested in reading it: Six Thinking Hats by Edward Bono on Amazon.
Awards and Achievements of Edward De Bono
Edward passed out on 9th June 2021, at the age of 88, and his funeral takes place on 19th June in Madina, Malta.
| Year | Award |
| 1994 | Awarded with MIT’s Pioneer Prize at the International Conference on Thinking |
| 1995 | Awarded with National Order of Merit (Order of Merit) by the president of ‘Malta’ |
| 2002 | Edward was named by the institute for the strategic change in the top 50 living business gurus. |
| 2003 | His name was included in 20 visioners with strongest influence on the manager’s thinking by Business People magazine. |
| 2009 | European Union appointed Edward as an Ambassador of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation. |
Some of the famous work of Edward De Bono
(Lateral Thinking Introduction by Edward de Bono- 1967)
The first practical explanation of creativity
Uses of Lateral Thinking by Edward de Bono (1967)
Classic example of a creative approach to the world
(Lateral thinking step by step by Edward de Bono -1970)
This book is all about the challenges that can be upgraded and improved
(I am right you are wrong by Edward de Bono, 1990)
In this book Edward points out ‘rock logic’ category of thinking and advices to adapt ‘water logic’.
(How to have a beautiful mind by Edward de Bono, 2004)
In this, he shows the parallel thinking skills in your conversation to improve your mind.
Famous Quotes by Edward de Bono
“Humor is by far the most significant activity of the human brain.”
“If you never change your mind, why have one?”
“A discussion should be a genuine attempt to explore a subject rather than a battle between competing egos.”
“If you wait for opportunities to occur, you will be one of the crowds.”
“The image that concerns most people is the reflection they see in other people’s minds.”
2. Don Norman (1935 – Present)
Biography of Don Norman
Don Arthur Norman was born on December 25, 1935. He is an American professor, researcher, and author. Norman is the director of Design Lab at the University of California. He is well-known worldwide for his writings on design. His book ‘The Design of Everyday Things’ is at the top of the list.
He begins his academic journey at MIT and completed his graduation in the year of 1957 there. Then after completing graduation, he completed his master’s at the University of Pennsylvania. Don Norman is a co-founder of the Institute for Cognitive Science. He also worked with Apple Computer in early 90s. Norman helped Apple in improving UX of its products. He handled operations as Apple’s Vice President of Advanced Technology during the time 1993 -1996.
Don Norman is the father of user experience design (UX).
Watch Don Norman explaining: “Why Being Wrong Made Me Successful”
Achievements of Don Arthur Norman
- Don Norman worked with Hewlett-Packard (HP) and also became a fellow of IDEO.
- Not only with US, Don Norman also worked with brands of different countries like Nissan of Japan.
- He also served as a member of the board and trustees for many renowned organizations like Interaction Design Foundation.
- He also got Sir Misha Black Medal for distinguished service in design education and Benjamin Franklin Medal in Computer and Cognitive Science.
Some Famous Work of Don Arthur Norman
- Don Norman worked with Hewlett-Packard (HP) and also became a fellow of IDEO.
- Not only with US, Don Norman also worked with brands of different countries like Nissan of Japan.
- He also served as a member of the board and trustees for many renowned organizations like Interaction Design Foundation.
- Don had received many awards and honors that include a big list. Sir Misha Black Medal for distinguished service in design education and Benjamin Franklin Medal in Computer and Cognitive Science.
Some Famous Work of Don Arthur Norman
(The design of everyday things by Don Norman-1988)
It’s about how to create a good and usable design that is possible with everyday things.
(Emotion of design-why we love or hate everyday things by Don Norman- 2004)
It’s about how to express emotions in design
(The design of future things by Don Norman-2007)
Introduction of smart technology like GPS, smart talking, refrigerator etc.
(Design for a better world by Don Norman- 2010)
It’s all about how a human behavior can change and can save us.
Famous Quotes by Don Arthur Norman
“Rule of thumb: if you think something is clever and sophisticated, beware—it is probably self-indulgence.”
“A brilliant solution to the wrong problem can be worse than no solution at all: solve the correct problem.”
Technology may change rapidly, but people change slowly. The principles [of design] come from understanding of people. They remain true forever.
The hardest part of design … is keeping features out.
3. Jakob Nielsen (1957-Present)
Biography of Jakob Nielsen
Jakob Nielsen was born on 5 October 1957 in Copenhagen (Denmark). He completed his PhD in 1988. Jakob has almost 41-42 years of experience in UX. He founded the movements of usability of discount for fast design that includes heuristic evaluation.
He introduced the Jakob Nielsen law of the user interface experience. Jakob Nielsen is also ‘The king of usability’ by internet magazine. Dr. Neilson holds 79 United States patents, mainly on making the internet more useful.
Watch Jakob Nielsen explaining the Past, Present, and Future of Design and Usability below.
Achievements of Jakob Nielson
- Jacob Neilson was listed as one of the 28 “world’s best influential designers” in 2010 by Bloomberg Businessweek.
- In 2013, SIGCHI awarded Jakob Nielsen with a lifetime achievement award.
Some Famous Books of Jakob Nielson
Multi Media and Hypertext by Jacob Nielson-1995)
It’s about the hype of multimedia and the internet.
(Advanced in human computer interaction 5 by Jakob Neilson- 1985)The book is about the overload experienced in the ion between the 1980s and 1990s.
(Designing web usability by Jacob Nielson-1999)
The book is about making the web easier to use.
Famous Quates by Jacob Nielson
“A bad website is like a grumpy salesperson.”
“On the Web, all advantages are temporary, and you must keep innovating to stay ahead.”
“To design an easy-to-use interface, pay attention to what users do, not what they say.”
“Pay attention to what users do, not what they say.”
“Designers are not users.”
4. Dieter Rams (1932 – Present)
Biography of Dieter Rams
Dieter Rams is a German industrial designer born on 20 May 1932. Rams is a legendry artist in industrial design. His ‘less but better’ approach will inspire a generation of products forever.
He is also famous for writing ‘10 principles of good design’.
Rams joined the Braun GmbH (a German consumer products company) in 1955 at the age of 23. He became the head designer in 1961 in the company. At the age of 65 he got retired.
Filmmaker Gary Hustwit made a documentary on Rams life in 2018.
Watch the full Rams (2018) Documentary on Archive.
Achievements and awards of Dieter Rams
| Year | Awards |
| 1961 | His TP1 portable record player and radio received the supreme award at the Interplas exhibition (London). |
| 1963 | Rams’s F21 (a classic electronic flash unit) awarded with the Supreme award for achievement in the use of plastic at the Interplas exhibition, London. |
| 1968 | Rams was awarded as an Honorary Royal Designers for Industry (Hon RDI) by the Royal Society of Arts (RSA). |
| 1969 | His 620-chair was awarded a gold medal at the international furniture exhibition that takes place in Vienna. |
| 1989 | He is the first recipient of the ‘Industry Forum Design award’ in Hanover, Germany. It was for his spatial contribution towards design. |
Some Famous Work of Dieter Rams
(Less but better by Deiter Rams- 1995)
The book is all about the author’s approach towards the futuristic designs.
(Less and more by Deiter Rams – 2008)
The book is about textual and illustrative work that will be described by the author.
(Designing Frankfurt by Deiter Rams-2014)
This book presents the design furniture in Frankfurt as a place.
(The complete work by Deiter Rams – 2020)
This book is a tribute to the designer about his work in the industry.
Famous Quotes by Deiter Rams
I don’t like computers. I still like to do my drawings by hand.
Quiet is better than loud.
The design should make the product speak.
Innovations arise from unsolved problems.
A good design tells a story.
5. Herbert A Simon (1916-2001)
Biography of Herbert Alexander Simon
Herbert Alexander Simon was born on 15 June 1916 and got expired on 9th Feb 2001. He was a great American scholar whose work is influential in many fields, like computer science and cognitive psychology. He got a Nobel Prize in 1978 synthesized in a key theory.
Simon graduated in 1936 from the University of Chicago and also got a doctorate in political science. At an early age, Simon got to know that he was color blind and got to know that the world is not the same as he sees.
He worked as a professor of political science at the Illinois Institute of Technology from 1942 to 1949. Then he joined Carnegie Mellon University and worked there for rest of his career. He also contributed to the field of artificial intelligence.
Achievements and awards by Herbert A Simon
| Year | Award |
| 1959 | He became a member of the American Philosophical Society |
| 1967 | Simon got membership in the National Academy of Sciences |
| 1968 | He received an Honorary Doctorate from the Lund School of Economics and Management |
| 1975 | Herbert was honored with Turing Award because of his efforts made in the evolution of AI and cognitive psychology. |
| 1978 | Due to detailed research on decision making process especially in economic organization, Simon was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. |
| 1986 | Got a National Medal of Science |
| 1988 | Completed Honorary Degree from University of Pavia |
| 1990 | Simon achieved a degree of Doctor of Law from Harvard University |
| 1990 | He was a co-founder of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence |
Some Famous Books by Herbert A Simon
(Administrative Behavior by Herbert A Simon- 1947)
All the books are about decision-making and administrative behavior.
(The Models of Man by Herbert A Simon- 1957)
The book is about the variation of the Simons life collection of short essays of human behavior.
Models of discovery by Herbert A Simon- 1977)
All the books are about decision-making and administrative behavior.
Famous Quotes by Herbert A Simon
“Forget about Nobel prizes; they aren’t really very important.”
“All correct reasoning is a grand system of tautologies, but only God can make direct use of that fact.
“a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention”
“You do not change people’s minds by defeating them with logic.”
“Anything you cannot communicate without reading will be forgotten instantly.”
6. Horst Rittel (1930-1990)
Biography of Horst Rittel
Horst Wilhelm Johannes Rittel was born on 14 July in 1930 and died on 9 July 1990. He was a university professor and design theorist. He is well known because of the concept of wicked problems, but his influence in design practice and theory was much wider.
Horst Rittel was worked at the University of California from 1963-1990 as a professor of design science. Rittel was appointed as a visiting professor of architecture and operation research at Washington University in Saint Louis. He was the direct professor of the University of Stuttgart. Rittle died in Heidelberg at the age of 59.
Popular books on design by Horst Rittel
Thinking Design
The Universe of Design
Horst Rittel’s Theories of Design and Planning
Contribution of Horst Wilhelm Johannes Rittel in Design World
- He introduces the ‘second generation design method”.
- Planning and design methods as an issue-based information system (IBIS)
7. David Kelley (1951 – Present)
Biography of David M. Kelley
David M. Kelley was born on 10 Feb 1951 at Barberton, Ohio, U.S. He was an American engineer, educator, designer, and businessman.
David did B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in the year of 1973. His post-graduation was completed in Mechanical Engineering where he focused on mastering Product Design at the Stanford University in 1977.
David M. Kelley was the co-founder of IDEO which is world’s renowned design and innovation firm. He was also a professor at Stanford University.
Kelley started teaching career in the Stanford Product Design Program in year of 1978. He later became the tenured professor at Stanford in 1990. Kelley was also recognized as one of America’s design innovators.
Awards and Achievements of David M Kelley
| Year | Achievement |
| 2000 | David M. Kelley received the ‘Chrysler Design Award.’ |
| 2001 | Kelley was honored with National Design Award for his efforts to advance design thinking as discipline. |
| 2009 | David M. Kelley became one of the America’s leading design innovators by receiving the ‘Edison Achievements Award.’ |
Famous Books by David M Kelley
(Creative confidence by David M Kelley- 2013)
The book covers the topic to encourage the readers to unlock their creativity and their potential.
(The little book of design by David M Kelley- 2015)
In this book, David describes the work ethics in practical life.
Famous Quotes of David M Kelley
“The profession of being a creative thinker is not so obvious.”
“I went to Carnegie Mellon and was an electrical engineer, but electrical engineering wasn’t right for me.”
“Failure sucks, but instructs.”
“Belief in your creative capacity lies at the heart of innovation.”
“Striving for perfection can get in the way during the early stages of the creative process.”
“Self-sacrifice ends in pain and death. It is rational selfishness that leads to health, happiness, love, and trust.”
“Fail faster. Succeed sooner.”
8. Ken Robinson (1950-2020)
Biography of Ken Robinson
Ken Robinson was born on 4th March 1950 in Liverpool, England. He took his last breath on 21st Aug 2025 at the age of 70. He was known for his work as a speaker, author, and expert on education, innovation, and creativity.
At the age of 4 Robinson contracted polio and went straight to the hospital for 8 months. He joined Margaret Beavan Special School due to his physical condition. Robinson then started studying English and drama (B.Ed.) at Bretton Hall College and Education (1968-1972). Then, he completed his PhD from the University of London in 1981.
Achievements and Awards of Ken Robinson
| Year | Achievements |
| 2003 | Knighted as a Knight Bachelor by Queen Elizabeth II for his life work to the arts |
| 2008 | He got the prestigious George Peabody Medal for outstanding contributions to music in America |
| 2008 | Received an Honorary Doctor of the University degree from Birmingham City University. |
| 2009 | Received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from Rhode Island School of Design |
Famous Books by Ken Robinson
(Out of Our Minds by Kin Robinson)
This book is about the limitations present in our education and upgrading the process of creativity.
(Finding your elements by Ken Robinson-2009)
How to identify our passion for fulfilling career and life.
(Creative School by Ken Robinson – 2015)
In this book, it is highlighted that the importance of transforming education
Some Famous Quotes by Kin Robinson
“If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” (Source-Good reads)
“Creativity is as important as literacy” (Source- Good reads)
“Curiosity is the engine of achievement.” (Source- Good Reads)
“Creativity is the process of having original ideas that have value. It is a process; it’s not random.”(Source-Brainy Quotes)
9. John E Arnold (1913-1963)
John Edward Arnold was born on 14th March, 1913 in Minneapolis, Minnesot and died on 28th September, 1963 in Italy from a heart attack while he was on sabbatical period.
Arnold was professionally a professor of mechanical engineering and business administration at Stanford.
He was a pioneer in scientifically defining creativity in engineering and design thinking. He pursued his graduation in psychology from the University of Minnesota. Further he studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology for Masters in mechanical engineering.
Arnold contributed to the industry as mechanical designer and research engineer. He also taught at MIT from 1942 to 1957. And he was the sole founder and director of the MIT ‘Creative Engineer Laboratory’.
Achievements of John Edward Arnold
- John Edward Arnold worked as the founding director of the Design Division of Mechanical Engineering in Stanford’s Mechanical Engineering Department from the years 1957 to 1963.
- Arnold Stanford’s colleague describes him as ‘an uncommon man.’
Book by John Edward Arnold
(Creative Engineering by John E Arnold- 1959)
This book is all about a boost of creative community
Famous Quotes by John E Arnold
“A voice alone in the wilderness is a beautiful thing.” (Source- Good Reads)
“Do what you feel, feel what you do.” (Source-Good Reads)
“Puny legs weaken the soul.” (Source- Good Reads)
“Everybody’s his own snob–until he gets over it.” (Source-Good Reads)
10. Einstein (1879 – 1955)
Biography of Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was born on 14 Mar 1879 in Ulm, Kingdom of Württemberg, German Empire and died on 18 Apr 1955 at the age of 76 in New Jersey.
His name is very popular especially in the world of Maths and Science. Einstein’s name shines bright because of efforts. His theory of relativity is a big example of it. He made a great contribution in quantum mechanics.
He enrolled in a mathematics and physics teaching program at the Federal Polytechnic Institute in Zurich in 1896.
Einstein graduated in 1900 with a diploma. In 1901, he got Swiss citizenship and got a permanent position in the Swiss Patent Office in Bern. In 1905 he published a mold-breaking paper. These papers introduce the photoelectric effects in which Brownian motion is explained.
In 1917, Einstein started working as the director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics in Berlin. Also become a German citizen in 1933. He later emigrated to the USA and became professor at Princeton University. He also got the US citizenship in 1940.
Awards of Albert Einstein
| Year | Achievement |
| 1922 | Einstein got Nobel Prize in Physics for his contribution to Physics, and law of the photoelectric effect. |
| 1913 | Elected full member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences (before moving to Berlin). |
| 1919 | Awarded an honorary Doctor of Medicine by the University of Rostock (rare honor for a physicist) |
| 1921 | Honorary Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) from Princeton University (among others). |
| 1925 | Awarded the Copley Medal by the Royal Society (UK) for outstanding achievements in scientific research |
| 1955 | After his death, the synthetic element Einsteinium (Es, atomic number 99) was named in his honor. |
Books by Albert Einstein
(Relativity the special and the general theory by Albert Einstein- 1916)
This book is all about time and the distance between two points of body of motion.
(On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies by Albert Einstein- 1905)
This book is about the electrodynamics bodies and also an English version of his book in the German language.
(The World as I see It by Albert Einstein – 1934)
This book he wrote after the 1st world war expressing his hope as a German citizen about growing antisemitism nationalism in his country.
Einstein on Cosmic Religion and Other Opinions and Aphorisms-1931)
In this book he wrote about science as a basis of cosmic religion.
(Ideas and Opinions by Albert Einstein – 1954)
This book is a collection of provoking essays and thoughts from one of the great thinkers of the 12th century.
Famous Quotes by Albert Einstein
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.”
“Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.”
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
“Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.”
“If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.”
“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.”
Conclusion These are the top creative minds who revolutionized the world of designing. They brought innovative and fresh ideas to life through their impressive work. Now it’s your turn to become a creative mind. Start your training with our skills-oriented graphic design courses and learn how to think and design.
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