Task 5: Design confusion

For this task I chose my mini handheld vaccum cleaner as it really confused me at my first attempt to use it. As mentioned in the poster the design is simply going against the usual logic, well in my terms at least. The catcher, bag or collecter is actually catching dusts using its convex part or bottom which is also a pain when emptying the cleaner as all the dust spills out when I try. I really suspected the design so I tired loading the catcher the assumed way and of coruse it failed. I also realised that while I'm carrying the cleaner around bits of dust manange to pollute my clothes which really confused me. I later realised this occurs as the direction of the plastic rim of the bag create gaps which lead straight to the gap where the front detachable part meets the end half.

So in order to solve or prvent this enigma for users I have decided to simply reverse this irrational design making it clear which direction it operates. I also decided to add an additional handle to the product which makes it clear which way to unload as well as making it easier to unload not having to fumble with your fingers trying to pick the plastic edge to be rid of the catcher. To solve the dust slipping out I also encorporated a plastic or rubber rim around the bag so no dust manages to exit due to the direction of suction. I hope this succesfully solves the problem!

Experience enrichment stage 2: sketch model

Video reflection 3: The story of stuff

The story of stuff at first reminds me an important part of our everyday behaviours. Simply to raise our attentions to the environment sounds simple as described in the video however hard to achieve. With US as an example, it clearly shows what has been told and warned isn’t enough to change our attitudes on everyday consumptions.

From the beginning of the video I thought this was just another greenie production to point out the obvious as it began by retelling the basic assumed processes and stages of a product which eventually ends up as waste. However the story builds as further emphasis and elaborations have been included about who is causing this inefficient and unsustainable cycle. To just an individual making a difference doesn’t seem to have one slightest chance, especially as mentioned throughout the video; the major causer or players to this wastage system are the government and the corporations with the power. But it reminds us that if each and one of us all think as such there will be no change as we as a world play part to the change.

As the video continues it gives more in-depth definition to this production and consumer cycle however the result is always the same. It concludes to say no matter the power spend to extract resources, the workers labour and the money spent by consumers it all ends up being trash within 6months. This made me think closer about the product than our behaviour. Ultimately I realised design does have a major impact on how the user will treat it mentally and eventually determine how he/she will use it and throw it away. As mentioned in the video this doesn’t count the disposable items such as paper cups and plastic bags, it was bigger products like electronics and other large material demanding products. If a person treats the product depending on its value then it is possible to design things to make people treat it better.

In essence the biggest heads up from this video is to relate this known sustainability problem to our design career not just our daily lives. To be aware of our impact and ability to change a person’s judgment on a product can most definitely affect his/her options on treating a product well and the desire to keep it for longer. This might be a first thought for us against planned obsolesces.

Video reflection2: Emotional design

Don Norman makes the message clear to me that design isn’t totally about function anymore. For something to work is already taken for granted in this day and age so the new idea now is to look at the spaces for work there are in functional products. Throw his speech he gives a great many examples of products which don’t necessarily work one hundred percent efficiently but simply pleases people whilst they interact or visualise it.

Fun and beautiful in essence, is purpose of emotional design. Don Norman mentions the famous lemon juicer by Philippe Starck; it doesn’t work too well and he clearly stated that he doesn’t have it in the kitchen but instead at the front door. To why people would even want to buy it may be simply the fact that it’s different to other lemon juicers. Don explains that it’s simply good to look at, putting beauty at first makes people have an emotional response that the product is fun or pleasant to have due to the fact that we’ve never had one as such. Similar explanation was given to the Hummers which remind me the importance of how a design can stand out amongst the experiences of each person with past products.

Don mentions behavioural responses created by design is what makes people enjoy using it as they feel in control and quite frankly people become satisfied or pleased when we feel we are in control of things. But in my opinion an even greater pleasure is being fun by being aesthetically pleasing; if two of the same products do the same job except one is ugly and one is not, the answer is obvious that the aesthetically pleasing one would be more popular. It is very natural that our minds react in such a way; always hoping to enjoy what we do so if our minds tell us the item in hand is special and stands out of those usual impressions we should enjoy using it (depending on whether it actually is pleasing to look at or interact with).

This Ted talk has raised my attention to every possible reaction a product has to us when we look around. I hope to be able to use these experiences and apply them into my future design practices to attempt to join the pleasurable design hype which I believe to be the vibe of modern product designs.

Sydney design Sketches

Task 4: design exellence

I was assigned the Syreen syringe pack by Cambridge Consultants. This is a green medical design which utilises more recycable plastics as well as reduces material demand by shrinking the size. Its aesthetic also takes away the original sharp, needle impressions, essentially easing the fears and turning the product into a friendly and safe to use medical equipment. This I believe is a great example of successfully intergrating fucntionality and practicality with aesthetic factors.

The poster design was simple, I consdered the factors of a clear poster, within a medical context i thought a clean white background would be apprepriate. This also allows the hero shot of the product to be clear along with the annotations made aside. The decorative tubes as a background fills the side working as a guidance to prevent blankness also emphasising areas where information is listed in order (in this case the bubbles showing close shots). I also hoped this would balance the poster in terms of proximity.

I found this task challenging to some extent as the poster has to reflect the product and stay within relevance. The biggest challenge was also to produce high quality posteres with limited sources of the product. I could have improved the poster by alternating the enlarged shots (which is quite uniform with the hero shot right now). Cambridge consultants did provide me the images later unfortunatly after the due date, so I will acknowledge them of their generosity.

2010 Workshopped Exhibition

Just wanted to post my favourite design displayed at the Chifley PLaza 2010!, This is bowl is called "Trinity" by Adam Cornish. The design in brief is beautiful, elegant, has a hollow or ether like appearence. Full of movement, its lines carried my eyes with its twist. How he did it was puzzling at first, but with explaianation its in fact all simple and clever; from largest to smallest, the same shape was placed at different degrees to form the shape. Indeed very interesting, great food for thought about simple but effective design.

Video reflection1: Human centred design

This TED talk gave clear definition and examples to the differences between a function centred product and a human centred product. Sometimes when looking at our surroundings numerous products don’t seem to blend or belong there, in many instances I may find some products aren’t there for us at times of need. In contrary this video gives examples emphasising products specially designed for the user.

These human centred designs are possible in almost any environment as demonstrated in the public space, Prada shop and individual cubical. The Prada shop essentially shows a world making shopping easier and more interactive to both the customers and shop staff. Be it the barcodes making every single process possible with simply one scan or the liquid crystal changing rooms; making life easier so one doesn’t need to walk in and out to be approved of the items tried on. These designs are strongly tied to the user making a multitude of complex processes simpler and more interesting. Having demo screens within the environment allows customers to quickly expand their understanding on a product of interest, which may in fact determine their decision to buying it.

Another point of interest was the individual office space. A cubical when I think of it is just an independent space made for some working privacy. The video without doubt changed my thought about the cubical having saw the juxtaposition of the human centred one and our usual impression. The design has shown how an attempt to lesser a stressful environment could be done. Regardless of the general aesthetics of the walls some heart touching decorations and gadgets were incorporated. The punching bag for example; might just be the break a work tired business man needs. The resting flowers as one exits and welcomes you in a new day. Even just the tinniest bit of playfulness makes a dull working space more comfortable to be within.

From David Kelley’s presentations I have gained a clearer understanding of methods to making a design more human. Human centred design to me in essence is the vibe of all product designs; we as designers must understand how to make a product enjoyable and helpful to the users satisfying their expectations and needs of a product. I interpret human design to be designs which not only does its job, but also interacts and influences the users emotions or daily life habits, that’s is what I believe to be important in the contemporary world.

My design career

Amongst the many things during my childhood I could only remember drawing to be the most enjoyed. I cannot recall when my passion for drawing began but it is what I still call today my best skill and has always been my personal pride. Despite my love for drawing I also disliked particular ways of drawing, especially copying, recreating something on paper while starring at the object which already exists. Essentially creativity was the vibe to my drawings, through the years all my works be it scenes or objects are all made up; the only copies of existing objects are only done when I am forced to (i.e. at school). This naturally kept my interest away from art classes even thought I later found artistic relevance and value when applied in design.

My decision of future career initiated during my late middle school years.
Obviously a drawing chance in subjects namely maths and sciences were minimal. Naturally I chose the options of graphics and technology design simply for the sake of maximising the opportunity to draw within an academic environment. I never regretted such options, not much of the “design” factor was actually marked; more often the key procedures within a design practice. I enjoyed it nonetheless, having the freedom to use creativity and personal hobby in a school subject made me decide; this shall be my future. Naturally most my effort is put to these subjects; I was satisfied by the rewards I gained (not only academically), which arguably became part of the signature of my decision. Subsequent to this decision the passion for drawing has now evolved to designing as I now enjoy not simply creating a compilation of random but also the whole process; how it gives a reason and defines why I did such. The term for me is now “design”.

The actual designing side during my high school days were in fact very functionalist, I found myself good at following a set process and meeting a brief. Making sure the product works occupied the majority of my explanations however the aesthetics of the actual product was always a side term, barely reasoned and always strongly tide to the function. I saw this to be an issue and tried to overcome it, putting thought into the actual beauty of a product and not just making it look like that because its “cool”; that I believe would make me more a consumer than a designer. Doing so however proved me the difficulty of describing a good design, giving a reason for its looks. I carried this thought to my first year in uni and hope to enter a more serious phase of my designer development. Again I found myself to be in the right place at UNSW. It was just the break I have been looking for; lessons on how to reason a good looking design. It’s an extremely demanding course but it’s also the first time I felt welcomed to real life design, excitement and passion continues to grow.