PROJECT 3, PEER COMMENTS

Nielsen, Chelcie
Taouk, Danielle
Chow, Julian
Darmawan, Stanley
El Khouri, Valerie

Upcycling Unwanteds

Materials used for this product:
plastic bags
Cardboard
Leather belts
Cloth
One biscuit can


Did you know?
The plastic bag is an accepted part of Australia’s shopping culture, but it shouldn’t be. Each year we use 3.92 billion new plastic shopping bags, many of which remain in the environment.

_ The average Australian household uses 502 plastic shopping bags every year.
_ Australians dump 7,150 recyclable plastic bags into landfill every minute or 429,000 every hour.
_ It takes 21,540 tonnes of plastic to produce 3.92 billion plastics bags.
_ If 3.92 billion plastic bags were tied together, they would circle the globe 24 times.
_ Plastic shopping bags can be returned to your supermarket for recycling. Currently only approximately 3% of bags are being recycled.

Impact of plastic bags on the environment:
Natural resources
Persistence in the environment
Litter
Clean up costs
Marine life
Landfills
Greenhouse gases

The main purpose of this product is to give a coat to an original biscuit can and make it much more like a vase and can help to slove the problems related to plastic bags.

The weaving part of this vase is totally handmade. It can really add traditional elements to this product and makes this product friendly. The biscuit can inside it is for containing water and when you need to change water, you can take the can off from its ‘cloth’.

Richard Seymour + Dick Powell: Designing dream machines

The video gives me a main idea of how an industrial design company works and the stress of communication makes me to realize the significance of communication.

Not only the communication among our fellow designers is necessary, but also our target market, which means we should always communicate to our fellows to develop our ideas and then communicate our developed ideas to our clients to have a check of whether our ideas can meet the need of our clients or target market to the maximum. Visual communication is also important, we should always combine our hand drawing and computer modeling to better express our ideas.

As an industrial designer, communication can improve our ideas, improve our personal skill, satisfy our target market to the maximum, and attract more clients. I think without communication, our product may like a ‘dead’ thing.

STORY OF STUFF -- ANNIE

Annie Leonard makes some great points about the untenability of running our linear "materials economy" system on our finite planet, and she offers a little hope and a somewhat scattershot sense of direction at the end of her lecture.

The text book says “stuff move through a system: extraction – production – distribution – consumption – disposal.”

Annie spent 10 years travelling the world, tracking where are all the stuff come from and where the go and find what the text book says in not the whole story.

Here are my impressions on each aspect in The Story of Stuff:

EXTRACTION: She mentioned resources are limit to us and we are running out of resources. “Only 4% forest left in the USA, the USA is 5% of global population, but uses 30% of resources.”

PRODUCTION: Annie said “toxic in, toxic out” which means toxic produced in industrial production can result in toxic in home which is quite harmful to our body. Then Annie Leonard raised the freak-out level: We dip our pillows in BFR (brominated flame retardants), a horribly toxic man-made chemical, and we sleep on them! Now, The Story of Stuff said that women in the USA (and Canada, which the video didn’t mention) have the highest amounts of BFAs in their breast milk, compared to other countries.

DISTRIBUTION: A $4.99 radio – how is it so cheap? So many parts and processes to make the radio MUST cost much more than $4.99! What are the true costs of production?

CONSUMPTION: SHOP! We can always keep using 1% of our products and 99% will be trash. More consumer goods leads to less health care, less education, less safe transportation, less sustainability, less justice… People feel like they are in a circle that they always feel the products they currently have are bad and they need to buy some new products after watching so many advertisements on TV, then they go back work, trying to earn more money and go back shopping and watch TV again. I do feel like it is a true phenomenon, I just how silly we are we waste our time and do such a useless thing.

DISPOSAL: We burned some trash or did land fill which lead to the changing of our climate and we had created super toxic at the same time which is dioxin. Recycling is one way to protect the environment, but not enough.

After watching this video, I do realize the relationship between our products and our environment or the relationship between our products and us. In such a rapid developing era, technology is important, pollution is avoidable, but this is not an excuse. We should develop our economy build on how we can do best to protect our environment. Just as what Annie said in her video “people create it, we are people too.” People are smart, but I think we are over smart on this issue, that will be silly. Resources are limited; people’s health is the most important. Without people, money means nothing. Without resources, we will have few materials can be used to produce. If we choose to destroy the relationship between the environment and us and if we always choose to put profit at the first position, do not care people’s health. We must have to face the consequence one day. Everyone has the responsibility.

ASSIGNMENT2 PEER COMMENTS

Arezzi, Guida
Soares, Emily
Walker, Nicholas
Li, Xiao Ling (Susanna)
Lee, Fiona

Postal Presents

When the product is taken from the envelop, it looks like this:

This product – pencil vase (BUTTER~OWER) is designed for children between 6 to 12 years old.

From a child’s eye, things with a shape like butterfly, flowers are so elegant, so I decided to use butterfly as the main shape for my product and when you look at the pencil vase from a distance, you may surprisingly find it like a flower.

The materials chose for this product are polypropylene and foam, considering these two materials have low cost and cannot injure a child easily. Other material, mental may seems more serious for children. Wood is more traditional. And I just considered that plastic is the main material used for toys, so as foam. Children may get familiar with these two kinds of materials. They can regard the pencil vase as a toy. This can really add fun in their use of this product.

Bright colors chose for children. The foam has two layers with two different colors, so children can choose the color according to their favor.

The way to set the pencil vase is easy. It can be concluded to put the foam between two plastic pieces, just like the way to make a sandwich, then assemble all the ‘sandwiches’ together. Don’t you think it will be interesting for children?

ROSS LOVEGROVE : THE POWER AND BEAUTY OF ORGANIC DESIGN

Ross Lovegrove's lecture is mainly about 'how form can touch people's souls and emotions' and all the products he made were always focus on his concept ‘DNA’ which is an abbreviation of ‘Design, Nature and Art’. His organic design get inspiration from nature and explore the forms and shapes of natural things. As he talked in the video‘nature improves with ever greater purposes.’


With seeing most of the products which have modern shapes in our lives. Ross Lovegrove’s concept of ‘DNA’, ‘fat-free design’ and ‘healthy products’ remind me our distance from nature is getting far and far. We always trying to pursue perfection, but when we go back to the nature, we may find some really beautiful things are just around us and some artificial things which are considered beautiful before may seem silly at that time.


Having a look at of what Ross Lovegrove produced, I was amazed by his products which are so natural, so fresh. His use of different organic shapes can really change a normal product. The examples he showed to us: supernatural – chair, 'ty nant waterbottle' for ty nant, the concept of water drop car, car on the stick, the table which can grow legs out of surface, biolove’ bicycle for biomega and DNA staircase' really prove that orgnic shapes and materials can really add elegance to a product. Just as what he said to us ‘morden materials allowed to do morden products’ and ‘how form can touch people’s souls and emotions’.

'ty nant waterbottle' for ty nant, 1999-2001

'car on a stick' by ross lovegrove, 2008
detail of ‘DNA staircase'

‘supernatural - chair.’ for moroso, 2005

imagies from: http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/lovegrove/dbportrait.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/lovegrove.html&usg=__lX3c4V-kleVWaOHWo9PA2o6896Q=&h=305&w=401&sz=13&hl=en&start=11&um=1&tbnid=U06riRHQvDVUIM:&tbnh=94&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dross%2Blovegrove%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

BAD DESIGN

I bought myself this alarm clock several months ago. I thought I just need an alarm clock which can tell me time and wake me up, so I chose this simple and cheap alarm clock at the end.

Actually, after using it for several days, I realize it is quite inconvenient. Just look at its switch. I can use this switch to turn on or turn of the alarm. It is at the back of the clock and so tinny. Every morning, when the alarm rings, try to find the switch to turn the alarm off really drive me crazy. You know, people are always unconscious when they are suddenly waked up by the alarm clock. The normal way is to turn off the alarm quickly, go on sleep for several seconds, then get up. But this alarm clock can really become a headache. I have no idea to turn off the alarm quickly. I always grab it in front of my, trying to find this tinny switch. This can take me several minutes.

And the position of its battery is also strange. We get used to put the battery on the bottom of an object. But for this clock, the battery is on the top. And there is only a narrow raised thing to open the cover of the battery. Can you imagine when you have no idea to turn off the alarm; you also have no idea to take the battery out.

In addition, the words on the back of the clock are transparent. I always need to have a very close look to distinguish which button is for changing time and which button is for changing the alarm time. I also get very confused why the clock needs a cover…

PEER COMMENTS

PEER COMMENTS:
Chen, Wawen (Sarah)

Wang, Fanru

Rushbrook, Brett

Cho, HyoJu

Park, Maria

PROJECT ONE: CHOP-CHOP

My target market is female between 20 to 30 years old, who lose their fun of their traditional chop boards.

'CHOP-CHOP' is a product which can be considered more functional than the traditional chop boards. It has four separate legs. Each of them has a magnet inside. I just find that we have magnets which can hold maximum 8kg in the market. That is enough for a chop board. I choose to make it have a large hole on the right, this hole is used to push your chop things into a bowl or dish under it. A screen is used to change the width of the hole which can fit your bowl or dish. You can cut maximum two things at one time. Just chop it then push it. It is quite convenient. When finished cutting, you can put a knife shelf above the hole, then put your knives through the given sew, just as the pictures show. The knife shelves most people use today are not convenient for put our wet knives in immediately. Water left in the shelf can damage the wood; it is also not good for your health with using this kind of knife shelves for a long time. ‘ CHOP-CHOP’ knife shelf enlarges the touching area of the air, which can dry your knife quicker. The water will not remain in the shelf. You can put a tray under your knife, then the water will remain in the tray.

Build up your chop board by yourself can really add fun to your boring cutting process.

Also, as more and more plastic used in nowadays products. The almost totally wood used product can recall your feeling of close to the nature. Wood material is also a kind of environment protect material.

‘CHOP-CHOP ENJOY IT, CHOP-CHOP BUY IT.’

FOUR PLEASURE ANALYSIS:

Physio-Pleasure:
● Feel close to the nature
● Multi-functional
● Easy to set, easy to clean

Socio-Pleasure:
● Talking point
● Indicates a special life style

Psycho-Pleasure:
● Fun to disconnect chop board
● Convenient to use
● Satisfy this unique and special design

Ideo-Pleasure:
● Environmental protection
● A good helper in your life, you will much more like cooking

Yves Behar: Designing objects that tell stories

Before watching this video, my thinking is people love things with emotions and always curious to find the story behind it. I realized that it’s true and quite important for every designer to think about to design objects that tell “stories” when I first saw the title of this video. I think objects only with elegant shapes or functions are just like false blossoms. It is lack of the communication between the objects their selves and their users.

After watching this video, I wonder I have some misunderstanding the world “story”, maybe it is not only refer to an experience but its value. Just as what Yves Behar mentioned in this video “designers should always think about to create a different relationship between our work and the world.”

From the beginning of the video to the end of it, I notice that the lecturer always mention a word “value”. He mentioned designers’ works can bring value to the users and business. We always try to put more and more values to our products and try to make our products have greater values.

There is another concept in his video “design is just like glue, bringing low power consumption, environmental issues, function and beauty, business strategy…”

The Y Water bottle, which has a second life as a children’s toy.

The idea to create the product “The Y Water bottle” which can create healthy drink & organic drink is great. “The Y Water bottle” is completely symmetrical every dimension and can be connected together to create different shapes. The creative thinking of its name comes from kids always ask “Y” or “Y not”. Simply saying is just a bottle, no matter from which view you look at it, but don’t you think that it is impossible there are so many “stories” behind it. The designer considers environmental issues, function and beauty, business strategy… That’s why I consider it as an excellent design…

One Laptop Per Child

What I get from this video is that we should always thing about what “stories” we can give to our products. How we can reach a greater value of our product. The value of our product can really create a “soul” for the company we work with and we can use the value of our products to change people’s life and the whole world.

images from: http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.notesondesign.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/olpc2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.notesondesign.net/people/interviews/yves-behar-designs-on-a-better-future/&usg=__Wx-aY003Xah5Lpl8i6FgIfE6uIU=&h=360&w=380&sz=36&hl=en&start=30&um=1&tbnid=gYccG9dpahAh5M:&tbnh=117&tbnw=123&prev=/images%3Fq%3DYves%2BBehar:%2BDesigning%2Bobjects%2Bthat%2Btell%2Bstories%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18%26um%3D1

Don Norman: Emotional Design

In this video, Don Norman points out our new life is try to understand what beauty is about, pretty and emotions. Pleasant things can help us work better, because they can make us more creative. Why we love of hate everyday things, proposed three levels by which humans holistically analyze aspects of products. This three levels are visceral level, behavioral level and reflective level.

At the very beginning of this video, there is an example of gold plated jucier. This jucer is not meant to squeeze lemons, it is meant to start conversations. Another example is a global cutting knife which is made in Japan. Don make comments on this product from 3 aspects: shape, blance and sharp. He think it is a beautiful and functional product.

He also shows the other examples like PingPongPlus, a digitally enhanced version of the classic table tennis. This design help to add fun when people playing table tennis. The example of special designed teapot, it can tell people the tea is ready with its changed movements. It is quite a clever idea, which make the tea pot like a naughty person. We can say it is now can be considered as an emotional product. Another example which give me a big empression is a designed chair 'who' loose his ball. This design really gives a chair life, which make it emotional.

The three levels at play in design: visceral, behavioral, and reflective. Visceral design is about how things look, feel, and sound. Behavioral design is about getting products to function well, and about making that functionality easily accessible. Reflective design is about the meaning of things, about message and becomes more important as products mature. In the early days, it may be a struggle to get something to work well - the first cars, and the first computers. But when you can take functionality for granted, how do you choose between different products?

Don Norman's framework provides a method by which designers can develop a richer understanding of users and their experiences.

image from: www.sd.polyu.edu.hk/de2008/speakers.php

David Kelley: The Future of Design is Human-Centered

David Kelley: The Future of Design is Human-Centered

David pointed that design now is more focus on human centered behavior and personality. Designs give their products emotions, related to the man-machine relationship. David shares several examples of the designs IDEO in his talk at the TED conference.

The idea used in Prada New York is quite a fancy one. They take their consumers’ shopping habit and convenience into account. From the staff device – a data gathering and managed machine to the liquid-crystal glass used in the change room, the magic mirror. This design helps all staff develop better understanding of future client needs and seems more considerable towards their consumers. It adds fun to the shopping process. Prada New York can be considered more human.

London Science museum is a museum involves interactive installation. Different kinds of interactions make the museum become lively itself, make the youth better understand some knowledge and deliver a good mood to all the visitors.

The flower example used in the Dilbert based office cubical is one of the designs I like best in this vido. This flower design is a good example of well combine the emotions of a product and its owner.

The work of Dr. Martin Fisher in Kenya with deep well, low cost pumps to enable farmers to grow crops in the off season. That amazing one person can increase 0.6% GDP in Kenya.

As an industrial designer, I feel like we should not only consider to create a product which has a well-looking surface or consummated functions. We should give it an emotion. We should consider more about how to make the relationship between the product and human closer.