What we were asked to do for the make a better design project?
For this project we were asked to find poorly designed objects that were five dollars or less and bring them into class. In our groups we then had to pick which poorly designed object that we wanted to redesign and make better. As a team we had to brainstorm and bounce ideas off of each other so that we could come up with a whole new idea. We asked questions like what makes it a bad design, who is the ultimate consumer, what are the good aspects of the object, what aspects can we improve on, and does this object follow all 10 rules of good design. After we sketched out some initial ideas we kept expanding on them and finally came up with final design. Next we were asked to make 2 prototypes of the object, one initial and one final. Finally we had to present a pitch to our audience for our object and include all of our steps and a final poster.
Reflection of Objectified
This movie was very interesting because you learned the perspectives of different designers and what they really believed what good design was and what designs they made. I really liked the point that they made in the beginning saying that everything in the world had been designed in someway one way or another. When thinking about it, it is true. Everything from the shoes on your feet to your toothbrush has been thought about and analyzed to improve it in some way. One of the examples of a good design that was shown in the begging of the movie was a toothpick. At first sight what you see is what you get. Then you notice the little ridges at the top and part of the ridge allows you to snap the end of toothpick off and it is then used as a little holder for the used toothpick. This comes from Japanese culture because once a toothpick is used it is not proper to leave it on a table unless it is propped upon something. This design aspect is not only resourceful but shows that the Japanese culture was kept in mind while designing it. When designing something big questions to keep in mind are thing like “What do people need?”. After you figure this question out then you go to the next step. “Who are the extreme users that need aid in using this product?” By asking this question you are improving daily life without people even realizing it. A study shows that humans react positively when things are clean and simple verse complicated and messy. A good example of this is the company Apple. Their logo is very clean cut and simple as with all of their products. This makes it very visually appealing to the consumer and easy to understand. You also have a very clear sense of the people who made and designed the products. In the world today other designs have been becoming intangible and their form has nothing to do with their function. This has been challenging the good designers to keep their ideas formal and keep it towards the technological side. In essence we have learned that design is the search for the perfect form. What types of things make people feel safe and happy? What will stand the test of time? And what is not necessary? These are all questions that a designer must ask himself or herself during the brainstorming process. Your design should be making a statement about your self to yourself and no one else. It should be different from everyone else’s and should have meaning to you. At the end of the day you have to sit down and ask yourself what has value to you?
Reflection of the IDEO Movie
I had actually all ready seen the IDEO video before in a class that I took in high school. The project that I was assigned in high school was to make an object out of cardboard. This is very similar to the project that we were assigned for this class. The purpose for watching the IDEO video was that so we could see how they work in teams and how the group dynamic functions. Some of the big rules that they have at IDEO is to never shoot down anyone else ideas because better ideas come from ones that are crazy and out there. Another rule that they had was to always let the other person finish their thought first and do not interrupt them in the middle of it. At IDEO staying focused on the topic was one way that they worked as fast as they did. After going through the initial parts of the process the group tried to stay toward making something that was both realistic and build able even though some of the other ideas where very interesting. A good technique that they used in their teamwork was taking the good aspects from every teammate’s prototypes and putting it all in one. Something that I found very interesting that they do at the company was how they encourage creativity and things that are different even if they are a little out there.
Reflection on the Writer's Toolbox
The writer's toolbox helps you work through the process of a visual project and serves as a reflective tool for the completed project. I learned that a private act that can lead to more public expression so talk to your group and let yourself be heard. Writer's toolbox helps you find approaches to generate ideas, support process, and reflect on finished work. you learn different styles of thinking and learning. By using a mind map this can help you have visual forms of ideas. There are some basic rules when sharing ideas in the group. One of the most important would be let the speaker finish talking about their idea before you say something. When writing things down while brainstorming use colored images and dimensions. This will help you work out the process in your head and will also contribute to all of the work that has to be organized and managed nicely. Try being quick and spontaneous when you're in your brainstorming secessions. Ask questions like "Are there any patterns or relationships?" or "Does anything need to be remapped?". You can also use ideas like a concept map to organize what goes on during your brainstorming and connect the different relationships and investigate the meanings.
