Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Task 6b

Introducing, Don Norman: New, beautiful and a self proclaimed positive being.

Norman’s discusses his view on ‘emotional design’ – how a product can create emotion with the end user, and how that effect’s the view on that product and the ‘why’.

Fun design – Products which may not ‘work’ but play with your mind enough that you want it! Just like Alessi’s Juicer. Interesting, fun and a conversation piece – but not very effective at juicing. I reckon that’s a pretty cool thing to be able to achieve – to create a product that doesn’t work very well but everyone still wants it – and coming from me who is equally driven by function vs aesthetics’ is quiet a big thing. Same goes with the mini cooper – not the best – but the funnest – therefore the best. This concept of fun design is something I’d like to follow and brands such as Volkswagen with their fun theory already have!

Saying all this, the ping pong table with water and fish is just plain and simple awesome and really proves that ‘pleasant things work better’ That itself is such a bold, but alas – seemingly true statement. Making the end user WANT to use a product through the joy alone – that’s something worth designing for.

Fun products not to be outdone by beautiful design – The global knife, brings all elements of design together to create a ‘perfect product’. As a designer I hope to be able to create at least one of these. It’s the little touches which make this the ‘ultimate’ knife. Simple and subtle designs; such as the google ooooo’s is also a great idea. Simple and subtle things definitely make a great product better, in my opinion.

The psychology behind this I find personally interesting. Already aware of some of the work Alice Isen has done, I enjoyed Norman talking about the said experiment. Learning something new is always fun!

Continuing on the theme of psychology and the spiel about how our brains works under pressure (to a deadline) vs having fun and its affects of creativity was personally interesting and has explained the way I tend to work,

Summing up, this video has broadened my thinking a little, in a good way for sure. Whether it be the clever teapot which just urges to be used or the water bottle which you’re using for a vase, you know, because it looks pretty cool and you don’t want to chuck out – the invitation of emotion into design, and its effects on products because of basic human thinking (the way we are hardwired) is something of worth.

As for the chair, losing its ball – priceless.

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