The designer should not be looked upon by companies as a means of accomplishing a purpose, but as a meaningful mediator between the maker and the user, between company and product. In the near future the surveying of man’s real necessities will become increasingly important: to understand what man really needs — not only here and now, but tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. Finally, the designer will have to be still more closely linked to company work teams.

Dieter Rams, republished interview from Domus in April 1984

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