For the next exciting instalment!!
I've just noticed how OTT I went with my last post - i couldn't find the word count in indesign
It won't happen again...... hopfully....
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Design Your Life with Ellen Lupton
In this presentation Ellen goes through her new book, summarising the high light for the audience (you and I
). she starts the presentation with a simple yet reliable design of a toaster. And how her husband bough the “ipod of toaster” and how he appreciates beautiful things. This toaster was a pretty little thing however it had so many features that It failed to work or instalize - a toaster that failed to instaize??? what tha!? -
After this Ellen walked us through how designers have been trying to more technology to a tried and tested product and failed. IE: a media loaded fridge and how many of these never managed to take off. She used that phrase that described the designer perfectly “the where chasing the dream of technology in the kitchen”
The next topic in her discussion was “piles”. The visual link the someone’s thinking or mind through the media of stacks of paper on ones desk. She showed a image of Al gore’s desk and how he had piles and equated these piles to his figurative “brain” and how you shouldn’t put these piles away - the reason being that when they are out of site they are out of mind, or not effective for the user.
Ellen used the example of her colleague in marketing and how she “mounted” them on her wall, past and present cooper gallery promo flyers to show how the gallery “portrayed itself to the world”. Which is an effective way in my opinion of doing it, its in front of you and you can see it at all times.
From there Ellen moved on to how design effects our behaviour in the example of a toilet roll and its dispenser - the first issue raised was the replacing of the roll. In the first design you have a spring loaded holder witch takes more to re-load however it is viewed as being secure and therefore more acceptable and widely used than its single arm contrary whist being easier to use and re-load because of its perceived insecure construction the behaviour associated with the latter design make this design less popular even though its a superior design.
The second issue was the round toilet roll that encourages the user to use more then he/her needs because of the shape and the ease of the paper coming off the roll. The solution to this problem was to use a square or rectangle shape to the roll so that it works orquidly and knocks against the wall as it unrolled thus making it more difficult to use and deterring the user from using to much.
The next point Ellen raised was of carrying your or owner luggage around and the use of wheels, and how people that use these suit cases and luggage with the wheel are less aware of there space then someone caring there luggage wit h there own two arms. The design of the “wheeled” luggage bag that the user “forget about the 36 inches of space they are dragging behind them” and the we put up with they’ve effectively forgot about - the coneinece is our inconvenience.
And finally my last highlight of Ellen talk was the ladies toilet users disgruntled letter to other toilet users, and how Ellen made that point that if something isn’t designed and was done on an emotional level - in this case anger - would not have gone down well. So Ellen took it upon herself to re-design it and design it properly and the theory that when along with this was that good graphic design has authority to it and that no one will touch her re-designed sign because it has been done well and with care. Her theory stipulates that the viewer will assume that some more important put it there, even the owner of the building will assume this.
^^^ Well what I got out of this is:
Graphic Design = POWER MY FRIENDS! Use it wisely
). she starts the presentation with a simple yet reliable design of a toaster. And how her husband bough the “ipod of toaster” and how he appreciates beautiful things. This toaster was a pretty little thing however it had so many features that It failed to work or instalize - a toaster that failed to instaize??? what tha!? -
After this Ellen walked us through how designers have been trying to more technology to a tried and tested product and failed. IE: a media loaded fridge and how many of these never managed to take off. She used that phrase that described the designer perfectly “the where chasing the dream of technology in the kitchen”
The next topic in her discussion was “piles”. The visual link the someone’s thinking or mind through the media of stacks of paper on ones desk. She showed a image of Al gore’s desk and how he had piles and equated these piles to his figurative “brain” and how you shouldn’t put these piles away - the reason being that when they are out of site they are out of mind, or not effective for the user.
Ellen used the example of her colleague in marketing and how she “mounted” them on her wall, past and present cooper gallery promo flyers to show how the gallery “portrayed itself to the world”. Which is an effective way in my opinion of doing it, its in front of you and you can see it at all times.
From there Ellen moved on to how design effects our behaviour in the example of a toilet roll and its dispenser - the first issue raised was the replacing of the roll. In the first design you have a spring loaded holder witch takes more to re-load however it is viewed as being secure and therefore more acceptable and widely used than its single arm contrary whist being easier to use and re-load because of its perceived insecure construction the behaviour associated with the latter design make this design less popular even though its a superior design.
The second issue was the round toilet roll that encourages the user to use more then he/her needs because of the shape and the ease of the paper coming off the roll. The solution to this problem was to use a square or rectangle shape to the roll so that it works orquidly and knocks against the wall as it unrolled thus making it more difficult to use and deterring the user from using to much.
The next point Ellen raised was of carrying your or owner luggage around and the use of wheels, and how people that use these suit cases and luggage with the wheel are less aware of there space then someone caring there luggage wit h there own two arms. The design of the “wheeled” luggage bag that the user “forget about the 36 inches of space they are dragging behind them” and the we put up with they’ve effectively forgot about - the coneinece is our inconvenience.
And finally my last highlight of Ellen talk was the ladies toilet users disgruntled letter to other toilet users, and how Ellen made that point that if something isn’t designed and was done on an emotional level - in this case anger - would not have gone down well. So Ellen took it upon herself to re-design it and design it properly and the theory that when along with this was that good graphic design has authority to it and that no one will touch her re-designed sign because it has been done well and with care. Her theory stipulates that the viewer will assume that some more important put it there, even the owner of the building will assume this.
^^^ Well what I got out of this is:
Graphic Design = POWER MY FRIENDS! Use it wisely
B's-log star date 579843
I've landed on a weird and stange blog page, and are confused by buttons like settings,
layout, montize and the like. But I take solace in knowing that if i am successful, in the endevor of makeing scence of it all, and waging war with my confusion and the blog page, all my friends are
able to see me triumph... . . . . . . . . . .
layout, montize and the like. But I take solace in knowing that if i am successful, in the endevor of makeing scence of it all, and waging war with my confusion and the blog page, all my friends are
able to see me triumph... . . . . . . . . . .
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
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