Yves Behar: Creating objects that tell stories

 

A very useful aspect of design is to create things that transforms and under-goes changes as you use it. Instead of just colourising the outer layer of a product, designers must also reach into the thinking for the use of the product after it has served its main purpose, just like Yves Behar’s “Y water” which turns the packaging of kids water into a toy. It is also about creating value, such as environmental issues and low powering consumption to certain objects and being able to bring these values to certain people. 

 

Yves Behar also brings to us a the idea that a design will never be in its true complete form, therefore the work of a designer is never complete, as design is ever-improving, ever-changing and always transforming. But most importantly if we all work together on creating value and keeping in mind the value of the work we do, “together we may change the world”.

The Don Norman Video, “Emotional design” indeed challenges us to think “practicality” and also beauty, but also using beauty as practicality to sell. Don Norman states that sometimes products just need to be designed beautiful, but not totally great in practicality, because the beauty of the product is inviting, exciting and makes the experience “fun”. Hence the most important  thing about using a product is really the experience. 

 

In the video Don Norman demonstrates this trend through examples such as the gold plated phillippe Starck juicer, which is beautiful itself, but its not practical as a juicer as the acid corrodes the gold plating. Another example is the Mini Cooper, though its advertised as a car full of faults, people are still gushing it’s sales because the car is “Fun”, the car is rounded, its playful and looks exciting to drive. Don Norman compares this to an experiment to two groups of people, where the first group is to solve a problem without any encouragement or reward and the second group was given candy before they started solving it. The first group got frustrated and never solved it, but the second group were enlightened by candy with a little “happy” and they solved it.

 In summary, the design of a product and how it will sell is like social popularity, the one with the most appeal and personality usually becomes the centre of the crowd. It is also very true that designs with more appeal becomes more inviting to use, but on the other hand, if the product is interesting and appealing, but doesn’t function as well as how it looks then it becomes a disappointment to the user. Therefore, designers all should cater for both sides of the product’s visual aesthetics as well as its operation and handling.  

Task 2: Good Design

David Kelley: Human centred design Video Reflection

It is indeed true that the future of design revolves around the functioning of our society and also human to human interactions established as the centre. As we come across new ideas, new services and new products, design has slowly drifted toward a human centered approach allowing products to appeal by giving them behaviours and personalities.

The PRADA store approach is an excellent way to integrate this human to design interaction and putting design to use in a way that allows us consumers to shop and pick products with ease and comfort. Also to note that the staff devices not only aids store assisstants but also acts as a non-intrusive way to make keep record of what products have been taken off the shelves with this centralised computer system. The installation within the London science museum is surely another design which involves human interactions through displaying people’s typed messages over a simulated map of London’s  rail system.

 Though design seems to be just for recreation, design is capable of generating more companies, more jobs and opportunities just like the company “approtec”, started by Dr.Martin Fisher, who is working on a project that requires the designing of cost-effective water pumps to allow Kenyan people to grow crops during the Monsoon season.

Through this video i have realised design does not necessarily be related to as a leisure thing like shopping and entertainment, but important as a role in growing the society and even possibly improve living standards in countries just like Kenya. As a designer, i believe video will be beneficial to share amongst other industrial designers, as it has allowed myself to see new lights in the capabilities of design.

Here's the link, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXndL3TNCmo