Japanese people ask for very little from the world but offer a lot in return – in terms of culture and of course industry. As a designer I owe my living to Japan and I know a lot of other designers owe the same. But more than that I owe the friendship of its people as well as the tastes, sights and sounds of its culture. I encourage anyone who visits Japan, makes money there or just likes the place and the people, to show support in whatever way you can. People have a big desire to talk after these events.

I would also urge the West to not view Japan as they may view their own country. Its a different culture with a different way of dealing with events and we need to respect this to be the case. The media here and Japan seems to be conflicting at the moment but I am sure we would all like to tell the Japanese people to not worry, things will improve and become more settled.

If you are from the West please add comments and support, if you are Japanese and want a place to talk please do…..日本語でどうぞ

しひんぱいしないでください。がんばって日本

David

There are many charities working at this event, if you feel inclined to give there are some addresses here :

http://www.redcross.org.uk/Donate-Now/Make-a-single-donation/Japan-Tsunami-Appeal

http://www.justgiving.com/shelterbox-japan

And if you want to watch the coverage from this event (its tough going) you can find some feeds here :

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-world-tv

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-gtv2

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/annnews

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/tbstv

http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv43120232

In short his argument is that the old ways of approaching Industrial Design – form follows function are no longer relevant in a world of flat display dominant devices. This is the same principle we touch on in our article ‘design is dead’ in this blog. In that, tackling design using a methodology developed in Europe during the first half of the 20th Century is no longer totally relevant. We need a new way. 

Alexander goes on to talk about how behaviour (movement, sound, haptic qualities) and on-screen personalities (skins, look and feel) of these new screen based devices are ways of differentiating, not by shape. The implication for Alexander is that in order for the consumer to decide on what to buy, they need to try them out. Experience them not just look at them. 

As industrial designers (if this is a relevant title) we need new ways of thinking of how to design, communicate and sell these kinds of devices. For me it raises questions about how to build levels of differentiation within a product range. It used to be that finishes, features and accessories would create the difference between the lo and hi end. In a sense the ‘all-display products’ have democratised the technology for all. This is why we see so many people with elaborate cases to put their i-phone into. On-screen Skins etc do create differentiation but I don’t think have a discernible value compared to say the brushed finish, versus the plastic finish. In fact many people expect software to be free…..why pay for it ? 

So, as designers how do we build value into these devices ? It will doubtless be a combination of software apps, behaviour, physical design and some kind of broader retail experience. But we believe now is the time to throw away the ideas of the last century and find a new way to design and experience these technologies. What do you think ? 

David

In 1996 I was asked to join IDEO in San Francisco as the Industrial Design leader. We had a wonderful team of international designers and a very forward looking design process. It was, compared to the UK design scene I left, unique and advanced by many years. It was a special time for IDEO and design in the US and we knew it. 

After working in this environment, gaining exposure to research, interaction design, engineering and business factors it was hard to imagine there was any other way to do it. It made complete sense to us and to the companies who worked with us. 

At The Division we have been able use this ‘bay area’ experience customised to assist our clients. We use a bespoke process designed to fit the clients goal, rather than a ‘cookie cutter’ process than many big firms will evangelise. 

At the same time we have spent a huge amount of time working in Japan with companies who while perhaps don’t quite understand this research, prototype, test process (its culturally opposite to the Japanese way) do know that its something they should be trying to use to improve how they design. 

Fast forward to 2005. Arrived back in the UK with a now successful company and I am shocked. Partly because 9 years away is a long time and I felt like a foreigner and partly because having missed the Blair years of Cool Britannia I couldn’t marry the public image of all things creative in Britain and the reality of design life here. And I am afraid I still can’t.

Every time I try to use a train ticket machine, travel around London or want to buy a British made product I am astounded by the feeling that things are designed with a complete absence of understanding of how they will be used, and by whom. Alongside beautiful posters, graphics and slogans we have hideous and crude product experiences. And many companies seem to still have a completely non integrated approach to product development meaning the designer adds some shape, rather than being at the centre of the product concept and its relationship to users. Hence the ‘get the big designer name in’ to brand the product, not design it. 

As a backdrop to what I read about our position in the world rankings of design it leaves me feeling a little bemused and asking some questions : Am I getting this completely wrong ? Am I missing something completely ? Was it worth spending a decade learning new ways of practising, working with companies all over the world to then not be able to utilise these in the UK ? 

In reality it means life is simpler. For our overseas clients its utilising the skill sets we have discovered on our travels in addition to raw creativity but for many of our local clients its a more basic offer. What is difficult about this is the feeling that surely UK companies should be using the skills we and people like us can bring to the party ? As well as the raw, craft, creative skills that I feel are a given. 

Still, the sense of humour, music and fashion are unbeatable !

So is it backward or just different ? thoughts on a postcard please.  

David

Ever noticed that everything looks the same these days? there is no differentiation, no progress. At the division we are worried about the future of our profession and we want to explain why we believe that DESIGN IS DEAD. And hence why we believe a new conversation should begin……..

In architecture the Unique has become Commonplace (we all have a Koolhaus). In retail we have lots of Choice but no Difference. In products New ideas are Old ideas (white modernist objects are not new folks). The media is just making us all Stupid (see Britain’s got talent). So, how did we get here ?

1. Research is making us stupid. ‘Capitalism survives by forcing the majority, whom it exploits, to define their own interests as narrowly as possible’ – john berger. Corporations propogate ideas through the media and then understand the reaction to these through focus group testing. This is the gradual dumbing down of everything from politics, design, breakfast cereals, movies, consumer electronics. For designers and their individuality this is a vicious circle of mediocrity

2. Design is a commodity. The last 20 years have seen huge developments for designers. CAD has liberated designers to create ideas previously not possible and reduced time scales, but has also fostered a copy and paste culture. User centred processes have allowed us to focus on customer needs but now democratised has encouraged us all to find the same solutions. Design popularity has reduced the quality of design graduates, turned universities into revenue streams and encouraged mediocre output.

3. Design thinking has not changed. Art and design training has always been about copying the steps of the masters but it seems that many understood the copying, but not how to develop their own thinking. Design principles (modernism) have not changed since the 1920’s when it was a european intellectual movement to escape the victorian values that came before. In 2006 we have no new ideas or values even though we face uncertain times, yet design has had no response to this.

4. Celebrity. Promoted by retail and mass media design and design celebrity has become a marketable commodity. Designers, journalists and gurus tell us how to think, what to buy and what is good and bad taste. These same people attempt to mystify past design movements, by renaming them such as supernormal, new-rationalism and therefore imply some ownership and invention. Due to our desire for fame, design thinking is no longer owned by us, but by the media and big business.

The beginnings of a manifesto for change ?

1. design has to redefine itself, we need a new movement

2. research needs to release our creativity not constrain it

3. we need to understand the meaning of objects in our lives today not just borrow from the past

4. design for this century – we need to listen the changing world, culture, ecology, what should our role be?

5. cut the crap, the mediocre and own design again

What do you think ? David