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.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
On Don Norman on 3 ways good design makes you happy
In February 2003 design critic Don Norman adressed the TED conference with a talk entitled '3 Ways Good Design Makes You Happy' (see video at http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/don_norman_on_design_and_emotion.html).
Norman identifies three elements that interact to shape the emotional response that people have toward products. These three elements are Visceral, Behavioural and Reflective.
According to Norman, the Visceral element is a subconscious response that is concerned with the visual representation of an item. This involves the typical qualities associated with visual response, including colour, symmetry and line. The Visceral element is what attracts people to visually pleasing objects. Howver, it may also work to simply meet a person's expectations of an item. For instance, a train passenger may be encouraged by a solid/sturdy looking railway line, without finding the railway visually attractive.
The Behavioural element is also a subconscious response. This element is oriented around the sense of control that a product conveys to the user. At one level, this can refer to the actual feel, and useability of an object. Is it easy to operate? Does the user feel they can control it?
The Reflective element is a user's conscious response to an object. It deals with a user's image of themselves and their surroundings. The Reflective element is, in some ways, refers to a wider sense of control, beyond the functioning of the object. It refers to the user's sense of control in the wider world. For example, an expensive watch may provide no more functional control than a cheaper watch, but it conveys a social status that provides the user with a greater sense of control of their surroundings.
Norman goes on to explain that these three elements are all considered (consciously and unconsciously) when a user interacts with an object. In some cases they may provide conflicting repsonses in a user. In this sense, it would seem that better design will occur when all three of these elements are satisfied in one object.
Norman identifies three elements that interact to shape the emotional response that people have toward products. These three elements are Visceral, Behavioural and Reflective.
According to Norman, the Visceral element is a subconscious response that is concerned with the visual representation of an item. This involves the typical qualities associated with visual response, including colour, symmetry and line. The Visceral element is what attracts people to visually pleasing objects. Howver, it may also work to simply meet a person's expectations of an item. For instance, a train passenger may be encouraged by a solid/sturdy looking railway line, without finding the railway visually attractive.
The Behavioural element is also a subconscious response. This element is oriented around the sense of control that a product conveys to the user. At one level, this can refer to the actual feel, and useability of an object. Is it easy to operate? Does the user feel they can control it?
The Reflective element is a user's conscious response to an object. It deals with a user's image of themselves and their surroundings. The Reflective element is, in some ways, refers to a wider sense of control, beyond the functioning of the object. It refers to the user's sense of control in the wider world. For example, an expensive watch may provide no more functional control than a cheaper watch, but it conveys a social status that provides the user with a greater sense of control of their surroundings.
Norman goes on to explain that these three elements are all considered (consciously and unconsciously) when a user interacts with an object. In some cases they may provide conflicting repsonses in a user. In this sense, it would seem that better design will occur when all three of these elements are satisfied in one object.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Poster of Springfree Trampoline
This is a mock up poster that I ccreated for the Springfree Trampoline. The product was designed in New Zealand by the University of Canterbury. The design won the Sport and Leisure category in the 2009 International Design Awards.
Monday, August 3, 2009
On David Kelley on human-centered design (Ted.com)
In February 2002, David Kelley gave a talk at the TED conferences entitled 'Human Centered Design' (http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/david_kelley_on_human_centered_design.html).
Kelley is a leader in the field of industrial design, and a founder of the design firm IDEO. As such Kelleys thoughts on the trends and developments in industrial design are of immense value to anyone involved in the industry.
In his TED talk, Kelley notes that product design has developed from a focus purely on products, to a focus on personality and behaviour, and how a product can suit the user. This is what Kelley terms 'human centered design'.
'Human centered design', although not stated by Kelley, seems to have two components. The first is product development, while the second is product/design marketing. The product development phase is continually considering the end-users. Thus the final design should not only perform a required function, but it should perform this function in a manner that is compatible with the style and environment of the end-user.
An example of this end-user consideration the Pavillion outside the Millenium Dome that IDEO was commissioned to design. The Pavillion celebrates the water recycling performed by the Millenium Dome, while educating visitors on the process of water recycling and promoting environmental awareness. The Pavillion meets the requirements of providing information, but it's effectiveness is in the way it engages visitors. The architecture of the Pavillion is sleek in keeping with the Millenium Dome, while the internal exhibit utilises interactive lights and visual displays to interest viewers.
The product/design marketing phase refers to the need to demonstrate human interaction when marketing/pitching a design. Kelley notes that this element is so important that IDEO now has internal production groups to prepare video productions to convey how a product will be used. He regards this as a powerful method of conveying a design, likening it to architects showing people in houses as opposed to empty rooms.
The IDEO video of the Prada showroom in New York, provides a great example of how effectively videos featuring user interaction can convey the merits of a design. Even in the TED audience cheers are audible in response to features of the store.
David Kelley's human centered design encourages designers to focus on end-users during the design process, as well as during the pitch/marketing.
Kelley is a leader in the field of industrial design, and a founder of the design firm IDEO. As such Kelleys thoughts on the trends and developments in industrial design are of immense value to anyone involved in the industry.
In his TED talk, Kelley notes that product design has developed from a focus purely on products, to a focus on personality and behaviour, and how a product can suit the user. This is what Kelley terms 'human centered design'.
'Human centered design', although not stated by Kelley, seems to have two components. The first is product development, while the second is product/design marketing. The product development phase is continually considering the end-users. Thus the final design should not only perform a required function, but it should perform this function in a manner that is compatible with the style and environment of the end-user.
An example of this end-user consideration the Pavillion outside the Millenium Dome that IDEO was commissioned to design. The Pavillion celebrates the water recycling performed by the Millenium Dome, while educating visitors on the process of water recycling and promoting environmental awareness. The Pavillion meets the requirements of providing information, but it's effectiveness is in the way it engages visitors. The architecture of the Pavillion is sleek in keeping with the Millenium Dome, while the internal exhibit utilises interactive lights and visual displays to interest viewers.
The product/design marketing phase refers to the need to demonstrate human interaction when marketing/pitching a design. Kelley notes that this element is so important that IDEO now has internal production groups to prepare video productions to convey how a product will be used. He regards this as a powerful method of conveying a design, likening it to architects showing people in houses as opposed to empty rooms.
The IDEO video of the Prada showroom in New York, provides a great example of how effectively videos featuring user interaction can convey the merits of a design. Even in the TED audience cheers are audible in response to features of the store.
David Kelley's human centered design encourages designers to focus on end-users during the design process, as well as during the pitch/marketing.
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