--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't do better design with a…" description: "\"You can't do better design with a computer, but you can speed up your work enormously.\" — Wim Crouwel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/292/wim-crouwel-43123_computer_you-can-t-do-better-design-with-a-comput_2190287.png" --- # You can't do better design with a computer, but you can… ![“You can't do better design with a computer, but you can speed up your work enormously.” quote by Wim Crouwel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/292/wim-crouwel-43123_computer_you-can-t-do-better-design-with-a-comput_2190287.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/292/wim-crouwel-43123_computer_you-can-t-do-better-design-with-a-comput_2190287.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/292/wim-crouwel-43123_computer_you-can-t-do-better-design-with-a-comput_2190287.png) > “You can't do better design with a computer, but you can speed up your work enormously.” [Wim Crouwel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-crouwel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Computers cannot replace human creativity in design, but they dramatically accelerate the process. **In simple terms:** Tools speed up design work. Key Takeaway Leverage technology to enhance creativity. Themes design technology efficiency Mood practical forward‑thinking Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - graphic design - architecture - product development - engineering Key Concepts human creativity digital tools Questions to Reflect On - Which tasks benefit most from automation? - How can you balance speed with originality? A Different Perspective Overreliance on tools may diminish original thought. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Computer graphics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer-graphics/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Design work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design-work/) [Funny graphic design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-graphic-design/) [Good design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-design/) [Graphic artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graphic-artist/) [Graphic design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graphic-design/) [Graphic design inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graphic-design-inspiration/) [Graphic designer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graphic-designer/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Inspirational design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-design/) [Inspirational graphic design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-graphic-design/) [Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speed/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“axis, all of those straight-ish lines would look like the first graph above of Andy’s tribble family—horizontal most of the way, then suddenly close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-brynjolfsson/axis-all-of-those-straight-ish-lines-would-look-like-the-first-graph/) [Erik Brynjolfsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-brynjolfsson/) > [Now, radical forward thinking is offering hope for the future: Replacement body parts to order. A team of scientists in California believe that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/now-radical-forward-thinking-is-offering-hope-for-the-future/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“Against this background, we can understand the design of computer applications as a concerned social- and historical-conditioned activity in which tools and their use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/against-this-background-we-can-understand-the-design-of-computer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am confident that we can do better than GUIs because the basic problem with them (and with the Linux and Unix interfaces) is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jef-raskin/i-am-confident-that-we-can-do-better-than-guis-because-the-basic/) [Jef Raskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jef-raskin/) > [It's can you, Steve Wozniak, design the same computer - maybe it's a Varian 620i - can you design it on paper with fewer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/it-s-can-you-steve-wozniak-design-the-same-computer-maybe-it-s-a/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [“Quantity has a quality all its own. In life design, more is better, because more ideas equal access to better ideas, and better ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/quantity-has-a-quality-all-its-own-in-life-design-more-is-better/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [They should make new ways to better design buildings and books. The computer was the end of Swiss typography!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ruder/they-should-make-new-ways-to-better-design-buildings-and-books-the/) [Emil Ruder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ruder/) > [A lot of people in our industry haven't had very diverse experiences. So they don't have enough dots to connect, and they end up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/a-lot-of-people-in-our-industry-haven-t-had-very-diverse-experiences/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Informed clients are better clients, and they make for better design.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-wearstler/informed-clients-are-better-clients-and-they-make-for-better-design/) [Kelly Wearstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-wearstler/) > [The broader one's understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-broader-one-s-understanding-of-the-human-experience-the-better/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“Our culture has at its core the idea that more is better. Many of us design our lives around this belief. And yet the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-ramsey/our-culture-has-at-its-core-the-idea-that-more-is-better-many-of-us/) Karen Ramsey > [Obviously, I don't have any real speed to work with so I have to use other things. The modern game is very speed based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-murray/obviously-i-don-t-have-any-real-speed-to-work-with-so-i-have-to-use/) [Glenn Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-murray/) > [Speedwork is terribly overrated! I remember talking to runners after distance races and someone is sure to say they were able to run fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-lindgren/speedwork-is-terribly-overrated-i-remember-talking-to-runners-after/) [Gerry Lindgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-lindgren/) > [I could jump, I was quick, I could catch and all those types of things, but when it came to just flat out speed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-brown/i-could-jump-i-was-quick-i-could-catch-and-all-those-types-of-things/) [Troy Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-brown/) > [Intervals and other types of speed work are essential to improve running speed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/intervals-and-other-types-of-speed-work-are-essential-to-improve/) [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) ## More by Wim Crouwel > [Of course design is about problem solving, but I cannot resist adding something personal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-crouwel/of-course-design-is-about-problem-solving-but-i-cannot-resist-adding/) [Wim Crouwel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-crouwel/) > [The grid is like the lines on a football field. You can play a great game in the grid or a lousy game. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-crouwel/the-grid-is-like-the-lines-on-a-football-field-you-can-play-a-great/) [Wim Crouwel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-crouwel/) > [This is what we've been waiting for: finally, an unprecedented critical analysis of the history of Dutch design. Mienke Simon Thomas's Dutch Design is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-crouwel/this-is-what-we-ve-been-waiting-for-finally-an-unprecedented-critical/) [Wim Crouwel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-crouwel/) > [Living with computers gives funny ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-crouwel/living-with-computers-gives-funny-ideas/) [Wim Crouwel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-crouwel/) > [Helvetica was a real step from the 19th century typeface... We were impressed by that because it was more neutral, and neutralism was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-crouwel/helvetica-was-a-real-step-from-the-19th-century-typeface-we-were/) [Wim Crouwel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-crouwel/) > [You're always a child of your time, and you cannot step out of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-crouwel/you-re-always-a-child-of-your-time-and-you-cannot-step-out-of-that/) [Wim Crouwel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-crouwel/) > [Neutrality has its own aesthetics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-crouwel/neutrality-has-its-own-aesthetics/) [Wim Crouwel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-crouwel/) > [The meaning is in the content of the text and not in the typeface, and that is why we loved Helvetica very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-crouwel/the-meaning-is-in-the-content-of-the-text-and-not-in-the-typeface-and/) [Wim Crouwel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-crouwel/) [Explore all 9 Wim Crouwel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-crouwel/) ## More Computer quotes > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [The display is the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hsun-huang/the-display-is-the-computer/) Jen-Hsun Huang > [It's interesting that the greatest minds of computer science, the founding fathers, like Alan Turing and Claude Shannon and Norbert Wiener, they all looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/it-s-interesting-that-the-greatest-minds-of-computer-science-the/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [One of our big goals in search is to make search that really understands exactly what you want, understands everything in the world. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-page/one-of-our-big-goals-in-search-is-to-make-search-that-really/) [Larry Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-page/) > [We are beginning to see intimations of this in the implantation of computer devices into the human body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-are-beginning-to-see-intimations-of-this-in-the-implantation-of/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [I'm from the South, so I'm very old-fashioned and I'm not very computer savvy at all, but I'm getting it. I understand that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-harmon/i-m-from-the-south-so-i-m-very-old-fashioned-and-i-m-not-very/) [Angie Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-harmon/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [A little bit more than 50% of what you see on screen is handcrafted and the other 50% was about emulating these textures on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-abreu/a-little-bit-more-than-50-of-what-you-see-on-screen-is-handcrafted/) [Alex Abreu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-abreu/) > [Well I'm trying to think what I put in... I think I put in 'why?' to see if I'd confuse the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/well-i-m-trying-to-think-what-i-put-in-i-think-i-put-in-why-to-see-if/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Our brains are great at knowing what to forget. We actually have to teach computers to do the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/our-brains-are-great-at-knowing-what-to-forget-we-actually-have-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [Nor would anybody suspect. If was one thing all people took for granted, was conviction that if you feed honest figures into a computer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/nor-would-anybody-suspect-if-was-one-thing-all-people-took-for/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [In nine months, a group of children left alone with a computer in any language will reach the same standard as an office secretary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugata-mitra/in-nine-months-a-group-of-children-left-alone-with-a-computer-in-any/) [Sugata Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugata-mitra/) > [Why do you do what you do? Why do you dress the way you dress?Why do you do what you do with your time?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/why-do-you-do-what-you-do-why-do-you-dress-the-way-you-dress-why-do/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [Yeah, I'm a geek. I read sci-fi and I watch sci-fi films. I love my computer and I love to fix it. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-benson/yeah-i-m-a-geek-i-read-sci-fi-and-i-watch-sci-fi-films-i-love-my/) [Amber Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-benson/) [Browse all 3,924 Computer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't do better design with a computer, but you can speed up your work enormously.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wim Crouwel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-crouwel/you-can-t-do-better-design-with-a-computer-but-you-can-speed-up-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Computer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-crouwel/you-can-t-do-better-design-with-a-computer-but-you-can-speed-up-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/292/wim-crouwel-43123_computer_you-can-t-do-better-design-with-a-comput_2190287.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/292/wim-crouwel-43123_computer_you-can-t-do-better-design-with-a-comput_2190287.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/292/wim-crouwel-43123_computer_you-can-t-do-better-design-with-a-comput_2190287.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't do better design with a computer, but you can speed up your work enormously.” — Wim Crouwel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Wim Crouwel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-crouwel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can't do better design with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-crouwel/you-can-t-do-better-design-with-a-computer-but-you-can-speed-up-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-crouwel/you-can-t-do-better-design-with-a-computer-but-you-can-speed-up-your/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```