02 · Systems of Identity 06 / 14

Design Is Not Decoration

1
Purpose precedes form
Every mark begins with a question: what does this company stand for, and how will that outlast its products?
2
Simplicity is earned, not assumed
A symbol that works at eight pixels and eight feet was refined through a hundred discarded versions.
3
Color is a structural decision
Primary red, blue, and yellow carry meaning. Mixing them into pastel muddies the message.
4
Systems outlast singular brilliance
One beautiful poster is art. A thousand consistent touchpoints is identity.
This is the Paul Rand / IBM Corporate Identity design system, applied by Curio Design — a design-style library for AI agents. Full Paul Rand / IBM Corporate Identity guide → designbycurio.com/learn/paul-rand-ibm