Nike Rules for Shoe design

This internal memo is from the early days of Nike. While not exactly about shoe design, these are 10 Nike rules we as shoe designers can learn from and aspire to. The Nike motto of “Just Do It” is a great marketing slogan but for the shoe design team inside Nike, they made these 10 rules. Of course inside Nike rules are meant to be broken!

1. Our business is change.

2. We’re on offense. All the time.

3. Perfect results count — not a perfect process.
Break the rules: Fight the law.

4. This is as much about battle as about business.

5. Assume nothing.
Make sure people keep their promises.
Push yourselves push others.
Stretch the possible.

6. Live off the land.

7. Your job isn’t done until the job is done.

8. Dangers
Bureaucracy
Personal Ambition
Energy takers vs. energy givers
Knowing our weaknesses
Don’t get too many things on the platter

9. It won’t be pretty.

10. If we do the right things we’ll make money damn near automatic.


Play Video about The Nike Rules for Shoe Designers

The Shoe Dog explains what these rules really mean and how they can help you as a footwear designer. 

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