Design Confusion

For this task i chose to analyse the stove top which is in the on campus apartment where i live. The stove top is confusing to use and often results in the user being almost burnt or the user experiencing a delayed dinner due to the confusing layout of between the hot plates and the control nobs. Another confusing element about this design is that the paint which has been used to label high to low on the control nobs has come off due to cleaning. This is again confusing to new users as they do not know which setting the stove top is set to.

Video Reflection: The Secret Life of Things

This video raises many good points about the consumerism and life cycle of mobile phones. The video has been created as a cartoon to engage the audience and easily express the undermining messages of the video. The mobile phone is no longer a luxury item but a necessity. Due the continual technology upgrades and new designs, mobile phones are being replaced on average, every year. The responsibilities of mobile phone designers is increasing as the number of mobile phones which are discarded increase very day. The video makes not of the responsibility of designers to ensure that mobile phones are designed in an environmentally friendly way such as designing for disassemble. Throughout the video it is mentioned that consumers are addicted to mobile phones which is the driving force behind the creation and design of phones. Consumers are not only addicted to the function and aesthetic appeal of mobile phones, but the social image which is associated with particular phones.

Currently one percent of one billion phones created are recycled! This figure is alarming and emphasises the environmental impact of mobile phones, enforcing the message of designer responsibility. The video makes mention of the 'irresponsible parents' of phones, referring to the designers and the ways in which mobile phones are designed and manufactured. There is currently a push for sustainable design, in which designing for disassemble is a key factor. Designing for disassemble refers to the ways which products can be designed to ease the disassembling process at the end of a products life. Mobile phones contain many valuable components and minerals including; gold, palladium and silver. recently companies and organisations have recognised the recovery value of mobile phone components and have begun to disassemble the phones and recover theses components and sell them.

Designers and consumers both play a key role in the environmental impact of mobile phones. The addiction and push for upgraded models of phones displayed consumers require designers to meet the consumers needs and design more and more phones continually. This type of design is referred to as consumer led design or marked led design. Designer led design is where designers design products which are not essential for consumers but more of a luxury. This type of design leads to the addiction of products and their technologies which is increasingly evident in mobile phone design.

Mobile phones will continue to be an issue for the environment unless sustainable design is practiced across the world. The components of phones can be used to create many different products including cameras, USB sticks, computers, radios, etc. Through the practice of sustainable design and 'cradle to grave' life cycle analysis mobile phone waste can be significantly reduced.

Video Reflection: Don Norman, Emotional Design

Throughout this video Don Norman discusses the responses which consumers have with products. Everyday consumers encounter many objects triggering different responses, which is why Norman describes the process of responses towards different objects and products. Norman describes the three levels which humans have in response to products, visceral, behavioural, and reflective. Visceral refers to the initial response which is mainly triggered by the aesthetic qualities. The behavioural response is linked to the functionality and usability qualities and lastly, reflective response is psychological, referring to the link between the product and consumer creating a personal image and identity. Together these three responses provide an emotional connection with the product and defines the ways in which products are used and enhances the experience of the product.

Don Norman believes that for a product to be affective, it must firstly be pleasurable to use and trigger the bodies sensors. While most products are functionable they are not aesthetically pleasing resulting in a lack of pleasure. In the twenty first century, functionality of a product is a given, however the experience involved with using many products often lacks pleasure. With this in mind, designers need to become aware of the response which consumers have with products and begin to design products which not only offer a function but a stimulating experience whcih engages the consumers emotions and creates a connectedness between the consumer and the product. Norman points out that if a product appeals to the consumers sensors than it has a great chance of success. A good example of this is Philippe Starck's Alessi Juicer. This design captures the consumers emotion and creates a pleasurable experience just through its aesthetic appeal. While the juicer is able to create this connection with the consumer, it is not designed to be used as a juicer, stating on the packaging, "do not use as a juicer". This shows how on a scale of usability and pleasure, functionality comes last.

The experience which comes through the use and connection of a product is a very powerful tool which creates a pleasurable experience through the use of addressing the three responses. Designers are able to influence the response which we have with products through the use of aesthetic appeal which then leads to further designs and further connectedness between products and consumers.

Task 4: Design Excellence

For this task i was assigned the award winning design, 'Smartbins', designed and manufactured by Smartstreets LTD. Through my research into this product i was able to understand the product and developed an apreciation for the product. This product is a revolutionary product as it is an environmentaly friendly way of addressing the issue of cigarette butt and gum littler. I found this task very enjoyable and i learnt a lot about the differnt components of designs.

Task 1: Shape of a Scent

human centred Design: David Kelley

The video 'Human Centred Design' featuring David Kelley discusses many important ascpects of 'Human Centred Design' and the role whcih desigeners play in the ever-changing world. As a designer it is important to be up to date with what is happenin gin the world as it is ever-changing and new ideas and technlogies are developing constantly. This video provides designers with an insight into current product developments right across the world. Kelley talks about how rapid developing technolgies are having a negative affect on products as designers are driven by the desire to push new technologies and create products with endless features. he discusses how these new products often lack key characteristics which emotionally connect the consumer with the product. Kelley is descussing the importance of the 'human' element in designs and throughout the video he addresses the importance of 'human centred design'.

Through kelley's discussion he informs the audience how his company is addressing the need for 'human centred design' and demonstrates how his approach to creating a connection between the consumer and the product is being formed. His 'Prada' project is a good example of how he is desiging products with personality and emotion. The 'prada' project showes how he has been able to enhance an everyday experience such as clothes shopping. He has been able to transform this experience into and exciting and engaging on through the use of innovations such as a tag and scanning system which would allow the customer to view the various colour and size options for particular items of clothing. This project demonstartes how Kelley has been able to enhance the experience of clothing shopping through the use of engaging the consumer with the products as he has successfuly created a bond bteween the consumer and the product/ experience. Such and expeirience can enhance the consumers quality of life.

Through viewing the video 'Human Centred Design' the audience is able to better understand the different concepts and ideas within products and allowes the audience to become engauged in the design world. This video is an important source of knowledge for designners as they can apply these ideas to their own products and inturn benifitting the outcoem of their designs.

My Design Career

I have always had an interest in all forms of design from domestic products to commercial architecture. My first inisght to design and architecture was when I was about ten years old and my parents were renovating our family home. I was intrigued by the floor plans and from then on I was continually designing floor plans for houses and buildings.

While at high school, I studied Woodwork, Visual Arts, Design and Technology, and Hospitality. Through these subjects I was able to explore and express design even through the preentation of food in Hospitality. It was through these experiences at high school which lead me to consider a career in design and study Industrial Design at UNSW.

I Would like to become a qualified industrial designer so I can further explore my passion for design and produce products which have a positive impact on society and improve the quality of life for people all over the world. Exploring a career in marketing and advertising revolutionary products is also of interest to me. Inittially I was thinking of studying landscape architecture at either UNSW of the University of Canberra (UC) as I have a passion for plants, the natural environment and how humans interact within certain environments. It was at an open day for UC when I descovered the Industrial Design course and I became particularly interested in the design projects and carerr opertunities following the course. I chose to study Industrial design at UNSW for a number of reasons including, I recieved the necessary marks to gain entry into the course, the university has a high level of prestige, the course is highly recognised at an international level and also as the university was closer to my home town of Wollongong than The University of Canberra. My inspiration to study Industrial Design came from my succesful results and Major Design Project in Design and technology in the HSC, which saw my Major Work nominated for the 'Design Tech' exhibiton at the Power House Museum in Sydney.

I am currenty living on campus at UNSW which has given me an insight to living independently and exploring all of what Sydney has to offer socially, academically and career wise. My current feelings about choosing to study Industrial Design at UNSW are very positive and I am confident that i have chosen the right course and career path for myself.