The golden mean is the desirable mean between two extremes, one of excess and the other of deficiency. It is the very definition of Yin-Yang or the word Harmony.
As Einstein said:
“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”
Einstein is sometimes misquoted with the above as some people have interrupted it as “keeping things as simple as possible” or what some people call Occam’s Razor. But I do not agree. When he says about “but not simpler”, he was actually referring to the golden mean.
As Aristotle said about the Spartan lifestyle; How men trained, not women and how they trained for war but not for peace. Aristotle knew that this is not a good way to live. If there were no enemies to fight, what would happen? Such disharmony creates greater difficulties in the future.
What does this mean in design and development?
The structural design of ancient Greece is based on symmetry and proportion. Modern research also suggests that people whose facial features are symmetrical and proportioned according to the golden ratio are considered more attractive than those whose faces are not.
the golden number
The Golden Number has been much publicized in the fantastic book, “The Da Vinci Code”. Phi, (1.61803…etc) appears throughout life and the universe. Some believe that Phi is the most efficient result, the result of natural forces. Others believe it is a universal design constant and the signature of God’s handiwork.
Phi is used in Art; masterpieces such as “The Last Supper” by Leonardo Da Vinci, The Parthenon, the famous Greek temple built for the goddess Athena, Biology; proportions of the human body and faces and Mathematics; Phi is found within Geometry.
What does this mean in life?
There is a word that is constantly used today that (apparently) if we can achieve, we will live a happier, longer and more fulfilling life; Balance. Balance is the mean of the average or the golden mean. A healthy and balanced diet, a balanced work life, being within the average weight for your height. Pleasure / Bread? Obtaining the Golden Mean allows us to enjoy all the pleasures of life without becoming obsessed, for example, with Chocolate or Rabbit food. Enjoy both!
Resume
Life is a balance and if we stay within its limits, we will fully enjoy what the experience of living can offer us. Look to the Golden Ratio (and its applied use) for inspiration when developing an “experience”, be it life, a work or design, or a movie. Exploring all the different nuances but getting the “Medium” provides us/the viewer/the user with the balance that we/they require.
As a side note, when it comes to functional results, we should look at Occum’s razor. That we return to another appointment:
“When you have two competing theories that make exactly the same predictions, the simpler one is better.”