Blog 1 What The H#ck is Product Design?

Week 1

Hi, I'm Mikey, and I'm the author of this blog about contemporary design culture. When looking at my new modules, I was curious about this contemporary design culture module as it is different from any module we have had. The class was introduced with the question 'What The H#ck is Product Design' this is the question I get off all my friends and family when they ask what I study. I find it difficult to explain what Product Design is? When family visit it always seems like a strenuous task trying to explain what it is we do. Sometimes I think it would just be much easier to say I study engineering or art. It wasn't until the start of my new module 'Contemporary Design Culture' that the question was probed to us is Product Design more art or engineering.

Choosing a side of view between art or engineering was not easy, and there was no middle ground. I chose engineering, which at the time, I thought, was definitely the right answer. I would try to see why art is more like product design, but I kept coming back to the point if a product can not perform its function and be engineered to work it would not be a super investment for any customer. Friends tried to talk friends into switching opinions, but most were unsuccessful. Aesthetic is a massive part of product design, don't get me wrong a simple form or colour difference could change the way we look and think about specific products. But beyond aesthetics lies the inner workings and engineering in our products. Imagine a case where you buy a new smartphone, it looks slick and fresh, and you can not wait to use it. You charge it up and realise the touch screen will not work. You ring up the phone company and ask for a new phone. Now imagine you just bought another new phone one not so slick or fresher and you take it and start using it. The touch screen works tremendously and all the other features too. Would you ring up the company asking for a new phone because you don't like the look? Customers presume products at the very least can function and perform the task they claim to do. That is the number one pillar to product design and comes before any art or aesthetic pillar.

We were also asked to comment on "Me, Myself and Design". I like simple design, simple things and simple life. I thought about why and how I like minimal design and how that impacts my life. We then developed our own design philosophy, "I want to design for all, things that make peoples life easier through simple and effective design. I also hope to challenge my skills and learn something new everyday". At the end of the semester, I will review my design philosophy and make changes that I have discovered with the help of this module!

Thats all for now!!