On Yves Behar on designing products that tell stories

In February 2008 Yves Behar spoke at the annual Ted conference on 'Designing objects that tell stories'. The talk can be accessed at http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/yves_behar_on_designing_objects_that_tell_stories.html.

Yves draws from his own career, as a young designer in Silicon Valley to starting his own consultancy (Fuseproject), and the shifting importance/awareness that companies have started to apply to design.

Yves notes that all too often design has been seen as a finishing touch to existing products. He notes that the computer companies in Silicon Valley restricted design to the exterior 'skins' of the computers, rather than integrating the design process into the development of the computer's functionality.

However, Yves points out that the qualities of objects (sustainability, functionality and beauty) are all brought together through design. In this sense, design is a key element to creating a quality product.

As such, many of Yves recently successful projects have been 'partnerships' with the producer of the product (rather than a design consultancy arrangement). This has allowed the design process present throughout the development of the product. The success of these projects has resulted from the functionality and unique/beautiful of aesthetic value in the finished product, such as the jawbone bluetooth, and the XO Laptop.

Yves also highlights the significant influence that design makes. He notes that the NYC condom, and condom dispensers designed by Fuseproject, have not only created a more appealing product, but the design has also created a value change on the part of the public. The aesthetic design of the dispensers has allowed the dispensers to be placed in public areas, and this has gone toward removing the stigma attached to condoms, and condom vending machines.