Category Industrial Design

Entries 18 Total

The Power of Gray.

Apr 14, ’09 10:13 PM

Starting anything from nothing can be overwhelming enough to not start it at all.  In the art and design world, ideas usually start with a sketch, and if you can’t start a sketch, you’re pretty much stuck.

One of the reasons why artists find it difficult to start on any given piece is because the “canvas” is pure white.  Starting with paper that is already gray (of any shade) can help reduce the “fear” of making a mistake and thus increases the artist’s confidence.

A recurring assignment that I have been working on for the past several weeks in Design Drawing I involves sketching twenty objects (of varying types) using proper perspective, gradation, line weight and shadows.  One of the challenges that I have faced – and will likely face forever – is deciding what to sketch.  Interestingly enough, I’ve found that the shade of the paper helps me feel more confident and allows me to get ideas on paper much more rapidly.

There are times when even lightly shaded paper doesn’t do the trick.  You then have to resort to other methods.

Thumbnail sketches are a second option – i.e. smaller, rapid sketches that convey the general concept.  I’ve found this to be extremely useful for generating many ideas in a short period of time.  Not all ideas will have “merit” but for the remaining that do, it provides a good basis from which to create larger and more refined sketches.

There are times however when you run out of ideas even at the thumbnail “stage”.  Excluding the obvious solution – which may very well be to run out to the library or other research outlet to find new inspiration – one idea is to just draw anything, and I mean ANYTHING.  Random lines, circles, or any other primitive shape.  In a word – scribble! Once you have something down on paper, your brain will naturally start to find “meaning” in what you’ve drawn (more on this concept in a separate post).  Think of this concept as a “creativity primer”.

This technique is actually used by many artists, including Nicolas Bouvier (or “SPARTH” as he is better known in the concept design community).  His book Structura is an excellent compilation of his concepts, many of which were started from random lines and scribbles that were transformed into truly amazing illustrations.  The phrase “building something from nothing” is clearly evident here!

There are of course many other techniques that can help artists and designers increase their idea generation “potential” and give them the confidence to get beyond their fear and START being creative.  This “creativity generator” concept is very interesting to me because I feel it has applicability to many other areas outside of the art and design arena.

If you feel that you are struggling getting started with anything – think of how you can apply the “gray paper” concept to that particular challenge.  What can you do to help you get over your fear of the unknown?  You may not know what is blocking you from moving forward.  Therefore, think about the problem in a different way – think about ways to eliminate the barriers vs. thinking about the underlying activity.  You may find that this technique allows you to go past the tipping point which will allow you to move forward more easily.  If you find another barrier along the way, think of additional ways that can boost your confidence.

Start with the minimum to get the maximum.

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BP’s “Living Lab”.

Mar 28, ’09 10:31 PM

One of the challenges with introducing new products and concepts into an environment is that one never knows how the “customer” will react.  There are, of course, many ways to ensure that new product and service offerings are accepted more readily.  Some basic methods involve customer surveys and usability studies, while more advanced examples involve in-depth “anthropology” – i.e. studying how people behave and react to challenges and designing appropriate solutions to meet their needs.

BP has taken a unique approach to this “anthropology” concept through another advanced concept known as the “Living Lab”.  Instead of simply designing what a “next-generation” gas station could look like, they actually built it.  The formal name of this innovative gas station is the “Helios House”.

In terms of the objective, BP’s web site says it best:

It’s not a prototype “station of the future.” It’s a station for today that’s a little better, a living lab where we can try out ideas for other stations and where people can find ideas they might want to bring into their own lives. It’s a kind of a conversation between BP and people who come into the station, a conversation about how we can both move up a notch on the greencurve.

In looking at the associated PDF (also on the web site) and visiting the station in person, it’s clear that BP met its objectives.  While BP staff may not emulate IDEO’s staff in terms of pure anthropology, the concept of the “Living Lab” has its share of benefits.

helios_2helios_3helios_13

Instead of deploying this new design across the board, they built just one.  This single unit allows them to test in the real-world which will allow them to make better long-term decisions later on.  Another benefit is the “osmosis” effect – the sheer presence of the building can encourage customers (and even competitors) to think more carefully about their environmental footprint, which ultimately benefits everyone.

The numerous concepts employed in the “Helios House” are interesting by themselves, and even more interesting when combined.  Is there a way where you can design and deploy your own “Living Lab”?  What concepts would make up the larger puzzle?  What should the puzzle look like, and can customer interaction with the “lab” allow for the creation of a new puzzle?


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Lessons in Efficiency.

Mar 10, ’09 9:33 PM

I am currently taking “Design Drawing I” – a foundation Industrial Design course at the Academy of Art University.

One of the interesting aspects of this class is that while I am gaining considerable knowledge about perspective drawing, sketching and rendering, one of the foundation lessons involves the development of an efficient sketching workflow.  Understanding the reason behind the prescribed workflow, working within that workflow, and streamlining all aspects of the workflow is key to succeeding in the course (and beyond).

The workflow conveyed in the course typically involves the following four steps:

  1. Thumbnails – very small sketches designed to be created in five minutes or less to determine composition.
  2. Sketching from still life – a loose sketch designed to distinguish light and dark areas.
  3. Drafting – drawing the objects in proper perspective using the life sketch as a reference point.
  4. Final Render – transferring the draft to charcoal paper for the final NuPastel render.

The first several weeks of the course were very challenging for me because while I understood the workflow in principle, I didn’t really grasp the importance of each step until fairly recently.  Because of this lack of awareness, I started to work outside of this workflow.  Not surprisingly, I was less efficient and early on I began to see the class as a “means to an end” vs. the true learning experience I originally signed up for.

Ironically enough, one reason why I originally worked against the workflow was to try to be more efficient.

One of the early lessons in efficiency (i.e. overcoming procrastination) is to “work on the most difficult task first”.  The reasons for doing so are obvious: eliminate your main barrier and everything else will be much easier to complete.  Because of this lesson, I focused on the drafting and render first (the most difficult steps in the above workflow) before spending time on the thumbnails and life sketch.

After realizing my error, I decided to abandon this early efficiency lesson and instead work within the defined workflow.  Due to this change, the past week has been significantly better both in terms of overall (sketch) quality and personal satisfaction.

This concept has applicability to the workplace as well. In general, companies that operate efficiently do better than those that do not.  This is one reason why companies focus their energies on process engineering and process improvement methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma – i.e. highly efficient processes mean the company can do more with less (e.g. time, money, resources, etc.), and this makes them more competitive.

As with my experience in the classroom, associates who work outside of or against these established processes (for various reasons) can frequently find this behavior to cause them (and others) greater dissatisfaction and efficiency loss in the long-run.

Perhaps the lesson here is not really about efficiency gain – it’s about understanding what you hope to gain from the experience.  If you are treating the activity as a “means to an end” (e.g. a specific result, grade, etc.) then you will likely be less efficient in the long-run, and you may never achieve your objective.  In contrast, if you operate with the mindset that you are working solely for the experience, your satisfaction will increase and you will be efficient by default.

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New Book Additions.

Feb 17, ’09 10:52 PM

I’ve added three new books to my reading list:

Industrial Design

1. The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman

Genres: Business and Investing, Health, Mind & Body, Professional & Technical, Science

Product Description: First, businesses discovered quality as a key competitive edge; next came service. Now, Donald A. Norman, former Director of the Institute for Cognitive Science at the University of California, reveals how smart design is the new competitive frontier. The Design of Everyday Things is a powerful primer on how–and why–some products satisfy customers while others only frustrate them.

Science

1. The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge

Genres: Health, Mind & Body, Medicine, Professional & Technical, Science

Product Description: An astonishing new science called neuroplasticity is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the human brain is immutable. In this revolutionary look at the brain, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Norman Doidge, M.D., provides an introduction to both the brilliant scientists championing neuroplasticity and the people whose lives they’ve transformed. From stroke patients learning to speak again to the remarkable case of a woman born with half a brain that rewired itself to work as a whole, The Brain That Changes Itself will permanently alter the way we look at our brains, human nature, and human potential.

2. The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky

Genres: Health, Mind & Body

Product Description: A groundbreaking, practical guide to attaining happiness based on innovative scientific research, The How of Happiness is a powerful contribution to the field of positive psychology and a gift to people who have sought to take their happiness into their own hands. Drawing upon years of her own pioneering research with thousands of men and women, psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky reveals that much of our capacity for happiness is within our power. Detailing an easy-to- follow plan, including exercises in new ways of thinking and understanding our individual obstacles, The How of Happiness offers a positive and empowering way to sustain a new level of joy in our lives.

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Building the Design “Foundation”

Jan 2, ’09 10:46 PM

In order to excel at anything – particularly over the long-term – I believe it’s critical one construct a knowledge “framework” which can represent / encapsulate topics that you’ve learned and those yet to be explored / understood.  At the base of this framework is a solid knowledge “foundation”.

As it relates to understanding good design, I feel the time is right to build my own “design foundation”.  While classes and video tutorials have definitely helped in this regard, there are two books that fit well into this “foundation”.

The first is called The Universal Principles of Design and is written by William Lidwell, Kritina Holden and Jill Butler.  In my opinion, this is a key reference guide (or “rulebook”) for all things design.  One of the primary drivers behind its creation is to ensure that all designers (regardless of specialization) have easy access to a common set of design principles.

While the principles are listed alphabetically, they are also categorized into the following five categories:

  1. How can I influence the way a design is perceived?
  2. How can I help people learn from a design?
  3. How can I enhance the usability of a design?
  4. How can I increase the appeal of a design?
  5. How can I make better design decisions?

As I get further into the text, I am sure that I will pull out specific extracts for further expansion.

The second text is by John Maeda and is called The Laws of Simplicity.  I purchased this book not necessarily to contribute to the “foundation”, but to gain a better glimpse into Maeda’s mind.  After reading the first twenty pages, it’s clear that “simplicity” is a fundamental design principle that warrants investigation and awareness.

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Inspiration: John Maeda

Dec 12, ’08 8:17 PM

Background: (from the Rhode Island School of Design website)

John Maeda has a distinguished career in humanizing technology for creative endeavors. He has been a professor at MIT since 1996 where he is currently the Associate Director of Research at the MIT Media Lab, responsible for managing research relationships with 70+ industrial organizations. He has also been a practicing designer since 1990 and has developed advanced projects for an array of major corporations including Cartier, Google, Philips, Reebok, Samsung, among others. His early work in digital media design is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Since 2001, Maeda’s works of contemporary art have been exhibited in one-man shows in London, New York, and Paris to wide acclaim. His highly regarded fourth book, The Laws of Simplicity has been published in fourteen languages and has become the reference work for discussions on the highly elusive theme of “simplicity” in the complex digital world. Maeda has lectured at numerous conferences, universities, museums, and to corporate audiences throughout the world on his philosophy of “humanizing technology.”

Related URLs:

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“Designers Anonymous”

Nov 21, ’08 2:10 AM

The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) publishes a quarterly magazine entitled “Innovation”. In the Spring 2008 issue, Craig Badke and Stuart Walker contributed an article entitled “Designers Anonymous” which compares Western society’s consumerism with that of an addiction. After reading this article, I was able to uncover additional insights which I’ll share here.

By making a comparison with the twelve-step program found at the core of Alcoholics Anonymous (which addresses the cause of the problem, not its symptoms), the authors present a similarly structured program for both designers and consumers that encourage sustainable design and purchasing behaviors.

As it is with every addiction, people will need more of what they are getting, or something new to satisfy their desire. With fewer resources at our disposal and an ever-increasing focus on the environment and our planet, I believe that we’ll eventually reach a tipping point where consumers will come to realize that their purchasing behaviors ultimately impact the environment, and are temporarily satisfying a need that could be fulfilled through other (positive) means.

Because the vast majority of consumerism is driven by credit, credit card companies and other lenders can start moving towards a business foundation in which sustainability is an underlying goal. Today, these companies are focused primarily on providing the customer access to credit based upon their needs. This may not be enough for the long-term.

In the future, I believe it’s the lenders responsibility to provide the customer with a “model of sustainability” that can perhaps alter their spending habits for the benefit of the planet.

A similar “model” exists today in the fast-food industry. Think about how traditional fast-food establishments are making incremental changes for the health benefits of its consumers. By providing customers with clear nutritional information about each of their products, they are providing a “model of health” that was unheard of five years ago.

Due to the pervasiveness of fast-food in today’s society, companies such as McDonald’s were “required” to make necessary changes in order to adapt to growing demand for healthy eating choices. Consumer credit is just as pervasive, which is why I believe that lenders will eventually have to promote positive change.

However, this is not to suggest that consumers do not have a responsibility to fulfill.

While following a twelve-step program is a bit extreme and perhaps “prescriptive” (to use the authors’ words), I believe that eventually all consumers will need to pay close attention to what they are buying and decide whether their purchases are truly adding value to their lives at the expense of the environment.

I believe a fair number of consumers are more aware of the impact they have on the planet and are taking steps to make appropriate corrections. Replacing traditional light bulbs with CFCs, and increasing recycling efforts are good practices in themselves, but omit many other aspects of true sustainability – including the core social impact.

Today, most companies are unable to (either due to lack of knowledge, or desire) provide consumers with a true impact assessment of what it took to produce their product and deliver it to the consumer. Likewise, most consumers do not have the knowledge yet to think about these factors, nor are they necessarily ready to alter their lifestyle even if this information was presented to them.

Given this information, I believe there are numerous opportunities in the sustainability arena. Here are a select few which I think may be of interest:

  • Think more about the “twelve-step” program concept and employ its use in other areas – i.e. use it to focus on the cause of a given problem and less about the actual symptoms.
  • Employ the use of “models” that truly add value to the customer’s life in the long-term, and encourage companies to build strategies around this mindset.
  • When working with lending companies, encourage them to re-invent themselves for the long-term benefit of the planet by promoting better purchasing decisions through a “model of sustainability”.
  • Take sustainability to the next level by utilizing and implementing sustainability frameworks (e.g. Environmental Footprint, Cradle to Cradle, and LCA (Life-cycle Assessment)) in companies who may be unfamiliar with these frameworks and require expertise to integrate them into a long-term sustainability strategy.
  • Think about sustainability as a never-ending goal and remind companies that implementing small changes over time can make a significant impact over the long-term. Short-term (incremental) solutions do not have to be perfect.
  • Encourage greater transparency with customers – especially in this area. By being transparent, customers are more likely to be accepting (at least temporarily) of a company’s current flaws and are likely to remain customers over the long-term (assuming steps to correct these problems are made). From a sustainability perspective, providing information about how products are manufactured, and clearly displaying their “sustainability” label are two good examples. Treat customers as business partners.
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Design Sketching.

Nov 21, ’08 2:01 AM

When looking for new ID books online, I stumbled upon a book entitled “Design Sketching” and decided to purchase it. The book, written by Erik Olofsson and Klara Sjolen, is an incredible compilation of product and transportation design sketches created by students at the Umea Institute of Design in Sweden.

The book starts with the basics – using line weight for object emphasis and placement, perspective, etc. – and then proceeds through numerous examples highlighting key aspects of each sketch.

A simply incredible text – one I highly recommend.

http://www.designsketching.com

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