The Red Dot Award judges product design by criteria such as degree of innovation, functionality, formal quality, ergonomics, durability and ecological compatibility. The jury tests each product live, on site. According to the organizers, the jurors care not only about appearance but also about function, ergonomics and durability.
Another German prize, the iF design award, has been given since 1954 by an organization founded in Hanover in 1953.