Designing and designers Looking at the different approaches to designing. Brian Russell Nicola Deacon
How Design Evolves Technology Push and Market Pull Technology Push is a process by which the advances in science and technology are used to create new products that consumers might want. For example, mobile phones have developed from a simple communication device for making calls to personal computing devices or ‘personal digital assistants’ (PDAs). Market Pull describes how the inspiration for new products often comes from the needs of society. Market research and analysis of existing products can help manufacturers improve their products. A good example is the development of gloves that allow you to still use a touch screen phone. Environmental, Social and Political factors might also influence the need to develop new products. For example Fair Trade chocolate and electric powered cars.
The Influence of Fashion The influence of fashion and trends on product design cannot be over-estimated. Many manufacturers employ agencies to predict trends in colour, pattern and style. Many products will have seasonal changes, with customers changing their wardrobe on a annual basis and their home interior every 3-5 years. Fashion can be influence by changes in society and the economy. For example: During the 80’s the UK economy was booming and there was a rapid increase in demand for ‘designer’ products to furnish the city apartments of upwardly mobile consumers. Modern high-quality leather and chrome furniture was popular and fitted well with the money-driven business-like ethic of young, ambitious professionals. Today people generally have more eclectic tastes and demand products that will enable them to achieve a more individual look. This poses a challenge to manufacturers, who have to respond quickly to market pressures.
Design Methodology Empirical designing Intuitive designing Systematic designing
Empirical designing Trial and error designing Modelling most likely route Dyson use modelling and testing as their preferred method of designing
Intuitive designing Sum of past knowledge Often very specialised areas
Systematic designing Separate discreet stages Sub-systems often dealt with by others Teamwork most common
Where do we get new ideas? Nature Geometry/mathematics The man made world Other designers Other products Rarely from looking at a piece of blank paper!
Nature Patterns and texture Structure and form Colour
Observational work of plants Designers such as William Morris have used detailed drawings of plants to create new designs
Looking at anatomy George Carwardine designed the first Anglepoise lamp in the 1930s based upon how the human arm works
Geometry & mathematics Geometry and mathematics is all around us
Islamic design Mathematics is a strong influence Based on grid patterns
Celtic design Still a popular influence today Based on geometric grids
Fibonacci series A series of numbers to create well proportioned rectangles 1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89 Any adjacent numbers
Geometric form Particularly used in architecture and some domestic products
Grids Often the starting point for textile designs
Geodesic domes Very strong structures based on geometric shapes
Existing products Which came first? Ideas are often developed from existing products
Retro design Modern products based on styling from the past
Philippe Starck Often unusual Always fun Not always practical
James Dyson Best known for the innovative cleaners Strong use of colour and form
Jonathan Ive Senior VP at Apple Innovative styling and micro electronics
Robin Day World’s best selling chair Developed polypropylene moulding techniques
Mary Quant Led the sixties look Short skirts Geometric designs
Philip Treacy Unusual forms
Richard Sapper High Tech Post Modernism
Giorgio Armani Softer suits Lightweight fabrics Well tailored
Charles Rennie Mackintosh Mix of geometry and stylised natural form
Vernon Panton Exciting plastic furniture
Henry Beck London Underground map Format copied around the world
Arne Jacobsen Futuristic at the time Laminated plywood
Design movements Arts & Crafts movement Art Nouveau Art Deco Bauhaus Modernism Memphis Post Modernism
Art Nouveau Nature a strong influence
Art Deco Geometry a strong influence High glamour
Bauhaus First real attempt to train product designers Form follows function
De Stijl Absolute abstraction Simple slabs Primary colours, black & white
Memphis Surface pattern Strong colours Rebellion
Design task Research and undertake a study of a 20th/21st century designer and their designs which have an impact today’s society. Materials Influences Technologies Presentations in one week’s time