Monday, August 24, 2009

Monday, August 17, 2009

Video Reflection: Don Norman The three ways that good design makes you happy

This video is all about design becoming beautiful. Don Norman believes ‘that pleasant things work better’ as it appeals to people at an emotional level. These emotions include making design fun, simple and subtle. Norman also speaks about the way the brain works and as designers we need to take this into consideration as it has a major affect when designing. For example, if we are fearful or anxious it will paralyse you to design as apposed to when you are happy and able to be creative problem solvers.

3 levels of emotional design:

Visceral experience

Don Norman speaks about the biological factors that affect a human’s subconscious mind. We have adapted to dislike a number of things like extreme hot/cold temperatures. This affects the way we choose colours when designing products as the consumer way associate it with negative feelings.

Behavioural experience
The ‘behavioural’ level is all about feeling in control of your environment as it includes the ‘usability, understandability, feel and heft’ of an item. We can see this in the Global Knife design. Its balance and weights allows the user to manage and direct the knife.

Reflective experience
The last level is the ‘reflective’ one. This level involves the part of the brain in which you have no control of. This part of your brain doesn’t control what you do as it is a ‘voice in your head’ that tells you to purchase a product. An example of this level is The Hummer as it attracts attention due to the image that it promotes.
Don Normans new and positive view on design is highly influenced the way we react to elements. He promotes that emotive design communicates through the three levels, even though at times we can choose to use one level against another.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlQEoJaLQRA

Monday, August 10, 2009

Design Analysis

The award-winning product i looked at was the Hyundai i30cw wagon, a car that incorporates many elements of design and essential features in order to become successful. By researching the car i learnt that these features include reduced fuel consumptions, spacious interior, versatility, and safety due to research and development. I believe this exercise helped me to further recognize the extensive, yet subtle use of the elements of design in a product whilst designing to a target market.
The challenge in this exercise was to layout and visually present the product and information in a way which complimented the design. I chose to emphasize horizontal vectors and simple, sleek design in my poster.

Monday, August 3, 2009

VIDEO REFLECTIONS

David Kelley- The future of design is human-centred
David Kelley, founder and chairman of IDEO, celebrates design by keeping his viewers informed of upcoming ideas and products. Whilst designing products using 3D models and technology is a priority, David Kelley is more focused on human centred design which involves a more interactive approach. This interactive approach is based on the idea of designing products influenced by human ‘behaviour and personalities’.

Prada New York had the need to introduce technology into their retail store, whilst also creating an experience for the consumers. An example of the interactive technology can be seen in their change rooms. Clothing is selected and scanned onto screens where they can be viewed in different colours, sizes and on a runway throughout the store and also in change rooms. This also allows staff to monitor the clothes in the change rooms. Another feature is the use of liquid crystal windows which allows the customer to push a button when they want the window to go dark or clear, gaining approval of clothes from outside viewers.
The Prada store has created an experience in their store by introducing innovative technology and designs into their retial environment.

The science museum in London is another example with demonstrates human centred design focussing on interactive use between the product and its user. The installation allows people who have been to the museum to leave their feedback and share it with others. The walls design was ‘based on the London subway system’.
This tests the validity of design by ultimately questioning and including the viewer’s opinions.

The Spyfish is a video camera which is able to dive into the sea and project a video of what goes on bellow onto a screen above water. The video is a live stream of the experience that scuba-divers undergo. The object is less of a research tool as at each stage of the design process size, shape, colour and finish are incorporated to become a consumer product.
This shows how the needs, wants and limitations of the user are considered in the design of the product.



David Kelley is successful in communicating human-centred design through the use of videos of examples of the latest, upcoming designs. This excites and informs designers as they become more concentrated on the users experience than on technology itself.

Video link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXndL3TNCmo&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fides1031%2D2009%2Eblogspot%2Ecom%2F2009%2F07%2Fvideos%2Dmust%2Dwatch%2Ehtml&feature=player_embedded
Images sourced:
http://www.soue.org.uk/souenews/issue2/spyfish7.jpg
http://www.spyfish.com/resources/fishdiving.jpg
http://www.tracycurrer.com/images/spyfish/spyfish.jpg
http://www.andrewblum.net/photos/uncategorized/kelley.jpg