Written by Marta Gorka, Skyline Whitespace.

Steve Jobs’ innovation and creativity inspired numerous designers and entrepreneurs. He was a passionate pioneer and innovator of products that are now in the hands of millions all over the globe. Steve Jobs shared ideas that continue to inspire us – Here are a few key lessons from Jobs about design that we’ve learned:

1. Design is how it works.

Steve Jobs always pointed out that design is fundamentally more than aesthetics:

“Most people make the mistake of thinking design is what it looks like. People think it’s this veneer – that the designers are handed this box and told, ‘Make it look good!’ That’s not what we think design is. It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” Steve Jobs

Exhibition stand design consists of more elements than just how it looks. Structural drawings and design calculations play a large role in development of your exhibition stand. They ensure your stand is stable, safe and meets all electrical and height restrictions. Our designers produce 3D renders with detailed plans to show how the exhibition stand will work for you as an exhibitor. Your stand needs to meet your objectives and accommodate all your requirements: brand representation, messaging. audio-visual equipment, demonstration areas, storage – the list is not exhaustive but all the elements need to be taken into account. A well-designed space should enable you to control the focus of your visitors’ attention and generate continued flow of traffic.

2. Steal great ideas.

Steve Jobs famously said: 

“It comes down to trying to expose yourself to the best things that humans have done and then try to bring those things in to what you’re doing. Picasso had a saying: good artists copy, great artists steal.”  Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs was shameless about stealing ideas. But for him and many good designers stealing means learning, examining the aesthetic and construction and making it better. 

It’s not uncommon for exhibitors to approach exhibition stand designers and say, ‘I want something that looks like this’. Never ask your designer to replicate someone’s else’s work if you want to achieve great design. Instead, figure out what you like about other exhibition stands, what works for your competitors and which elements you want to incorporate into your stand. Our exhibition designers will look at your inspiration, absorb the essence of it, adapt it to your requirements and take it that one step further that will set your brand apart from the competition.

3. Make it simple.

“Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” Steve Jobs

Jobs was passionate about design and insisted that his products look perfect inside and out. He loved the uncluttered look and the deep simplicity that comes from complex engineering and hard work. For Jobs, the product needed to be easy to use and high tech at the same time.

As an exhibitor, you have to be careful of your exhibition stand becoming a complicated, and as Jobs would say an ‘ugly’ architectural structure. It should be designed and built using the highest quality materials that will allow for a simple creation of a complex and bespoke exhibition stand. Your stand should look streamlined and simple with frames being invisible and connection systems hidden when possible. Uncluttered layout, crisp colours, clear messages and a strong structure are all elements that are going to make your stand a success.

Steve Jobs will always be one of the most consequential figures in the design industry. He wanted to make products that were at the intersection of technology, design and liberal arts. Millions find his work inspirational. Some may describe him as a crazy genius, but remember ‘people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do’.

If you are currently in the process of designing your brand’s concept or need booth display ideas to stand out from the crowd, then visit www.skyline.com.au or contact us.

Catch up on more exhibition tips on Skyline’s blog.

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