Jeff's Take on Design
Design is "utility enhanced by significance" - Daniel PinkThe first of the six senses highlighted by Daniel Pink in his book A Whole New Mind, is Design. He maintains that we are moving from an era which stressed functionality, to an era which stresses creative design.
Functional DesignThe creation of inexpensive mass production has resulted in cheap, functional goods available to the masses. It has also resulted in the movement and loss of jobs to overseas production. Daniel Pink states that creative design is part of what will propel us into a more creative age where products become more "beautiful, whimsical or emotionally engaging."
The Democracy of Design"Today we must all be designers"
- Daniel Pink Daniel Pink highlights a charter high school CHAD (Charter High School for Architecture) where all students apply architectural design to all subjects they study. If Daniel Pink were writing his book today, rather than in 2005, he may well be citing the ability of anyone to design, create and market objects from jewelry and art to tools and household items. These objects can be printed on one's own prototype machine, or at a facility such as Shapeways above. According to Ray Kurzweil, current efforts to incorporate electronics into designs will result in the ability to design and email a toaster, or other product to another who can then print it. Functionality + Personal Design! 3 Reasons for Design1) Thanks to increased prosperity and advanced technologies, good designs are widely accessible by the public, and more people can take advantage of superior designs.
2) Abundance creates pressure on businesses to differentiate their products from purely functional products, by combining superior design with functionality. The Nest thermostat at right is one such product. It learns your temperature patterns over time and adjusts automatically. 3) As more people embrace a sense of design, we can use this to "change the world." Design Means Business / Business means DesignDaniel Pink expands on the 2nd reason for design listed above by highlighting companies in traditional industries that view design as the one element that differentiates them from the competition. Although Pink highlights GM, Sony and BMW, Apple is clearly the star of this category.
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The Design Portfolio
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Kristen's Take on Design:
"Design is a high-concept aptitude that is difficult to outsource or automate."
Daniel Pink
Everyone is a Designer
"How many artists are there in the room?"
Pink's take on design focuses on how we as a culture need to change our perceptions of what design is and who is a designer. Pink argues that everyone is a designer, and everything in our life is a designed concept. From your cell phone, to the chair your sitting in, everything was designed by another person. It seems like a simple idea, but it is one that is often forgot among the us in education and careers.
Pink's take on design focuses on how we as a culture need to change our perceptions of what design is and who is a designer. Pink argues that everyone is a designer, and everything in our life is a designed concept. From your cell phone, to the chair your sitting in, everything was designed by another person. It seems like a simple idea, but it is one that is often forgot among the us in education and careers.
A real life example of the progression of mobile phone design.
Courtesy of my good friend Danielle Busch
Design is More Accessible
"Today utility has become widespread, inexpensive, and relatively easy to achieve --
which has increased the value of significance."
Good (and Bad) Design Changes the World
"Beauty can improve people's way of life and thinking."
It is important to remember that everything is interconnected in our world. This is definitely Buddhist mentality talking here, but when one object gains something, another loses it. Good design (such as modern windmills pictured to the left) which is designed to improve the quality of life on Earth, can in fact negative consequences. For example, with the windmills presented to the left, what about the animals homes that were destroyed to create them or the birds that died flying into them. Survival of the fittest? Maybe. Or perhaps not everything is designed without flaws, and the purpose of design is to just continue to create something "better".
It is important to remember that everything is interconnected in our world. This is definitely Buddhist mentality talking here, but when one object gains something, another loses it. Good design (such as modern windmills pictured to the left) which is designed to improve the quality of life on Earth, can in fact negative consequences. For example, with the windmills presented to the left, what about the animals homes that were destroyed to create them or the birds that died flying into them. Survival of the fittest? Maybe. Or perhaps not everything is designed without flaws, and the purpose of design is to just continue to create something "better".
Design for the Future
Design Journals
This is an idea Pink had that is concrete, easy, and anyone can do it starting today. Create a design journal. Create a compilation of ideas, innovations, thoughts, designs, etc. Anything that excites the R-directed side of your brain. Figure out what interests you and start collecting. Design is a process and this is a great stepping-stone.
Charter Schools
Pink uses CHAD (Charter School of Architecture and Design) located in Philadelphia as an innovative school honing in students' design capabilities. As someone who attended a charter school for high school, I am definitely an advocate for more of them! I am well aware of some limitations of having charter school in our education system, but I applaud the concept behind CHAD. I see them as a pathway to future successful charter schools.
Design Detectives
I final thought that Pink talks about being the detectives to our own unique design.
We need to participate in the coming "third industrial revolution".
Visit museums, keep upto date with your design journals, read design magazines, and lastly BE CHOOSY.
What is unique to you? What interests you? Choose things that will endure.