Don't Design the Box: Merchandising

Here is a warning provided by designer Christopher Fahey not to miss the point of product packaging by getting carried away with the marketing aspects of presenting a product to the consuming public.

Don't Design the Box

"Merchandising can be defined as the strategy and implementation of how a product is presented to customers as they decide whether or not to adopt or purchase. It is the aspect of design that focuses on a product’s desirability (as opposed to its utility, price, usability, etc.). It is where product design and advertising intersect...

Merchandising is the strategy and implementation of how a product is displayed in stores, how it shows up in photography, how it is described on a web site. It’s a consciousness of — and responsibility for — the final step in the product supply chain."

- Christopher Fahey

The video below is a parody of Microsoft's packaging approach if it was applied to the iPod.

Technology: E-Ink

Esquire Magazine introduces the first E-Ink (electronic-ink) cover on newsstands in October.



How E-Ink Works

Design History: Yves Saint Laurent

This reflection on the career of YSL, repeats a conclusion I mentioned a week ago on how important it is for a designer to understand SHAPE.

"More particularly, in St. Laurent’s work, while this change was in part one of fabric and visual reference, it was most significantly one of geometry, of form, of shape, of profile. That first post-Dior collection essayed a sort of triangular dress sillhouette, followed by something linear, then by something convex, and on and on. One quality that ostensibly distinguishes “designing” from its sister “styling,” as modes of applying form to objects, is the seeming constancy of the former, and the seeming changeability of the latter. A good design solution is a good design solution, goes the argument, regardless of the calendar or clock. But as for style, what’s lively in April is deadly in September."

- Thomas de Monchaux

Thomas de Monchaux Remembers YSL

Apple: Upgrades its IPod Franchise

How does a company who has arguably the most successful consumer electronics product introduced in the last generation maintain its relevance?


NYTimes Article

Interface Design: Google's New Web Browser-Chrome

Google introduces their new web browser using illustrations to communicate the story of its latest product. Do we need another browser? Well if Google thinks it has value then could it be that the web browser will become the new operating system?


NPR's: Audio Review

Chrome Comic Book

Analysis: Poplar Mechanics

Article: How Google Will Change the Users Experience on the Web

Article: Industrial Design and Human Factors

Appliance magazine has a great online interactive magazine. This month it features an article on Industrial Design.

Appliance Magazine

Interactive Article on Industrial Design

Design Educator: John Meda

"A designer is someone who constructs while he thinks, someone for whom planning and making go together," says Mr. Maeda, cocking his head, widening his eyes, moving his hands as if he were shaping a pot. Mr. Maeda considers himself post-digital; he has outgrown his fascination with hardware and is driven by ideas. "I want to reform technology. All the tools are the same; people make the same things with them."

Illustration by: Ismael Roldan

WSJ Article

Interview

Boston Globe Article

The Shape of Things

On a recent trip to NYC, I realized how important it is for a designer to understand shape. In this case I am thinking of shape as the form or outline of an object.

This was a conclusion that was partially formed by seeing the popularity of the converse sneakers on so many New Yorkers. I thought how well the low profile of converse "all star" worked with the slim leg/ saggy bottom jeans that so many new yorker's have adopted. And so, the look (shape)that these two pieces of clothing create is part of their overall appeal. The the slim slacks and the low profile of the "all star" make a union that highlights the owners legs and feet, allowing them to be visually connected in away that works so well.

Shape is also a concept that I am currently teaching in my Typography class. And so, I realize how one most develop the ability to see figure and ground relationship such that beyond seeing the object one can also see the space around it.

Pharell talk and sings about his Chucks.



Converse Video

Marc Newson Strikes Again

Design superstar Marc Newson reworked Quantus airlines new jumbo aircraft.

I marvel at the scale of the project he and his team undertake, before this he took on Virgin's space flight aircraft (see posting 2007)

NYTimes Article

Article: Virgin Spacecraft

Flight Global Article

Auto Design: New Leadership at Mercedes and Chrysler

The poor performance of auto companies of late seems to be helping to move the design managers into retirement. Both Ford and Mercedes design directors have moved on to be replaced by new blood. Chrysler has moved Ralph Giles into the position of Director of Design, making him one of two African American's currently leading design at a major American car company, the other being Ed Wilbun at General Motors.

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Ralph Giles

Peter Pfeiffer

Design as a Business Strategy: Coke Considers Design

Coke takes a serious look at how design can extend and already successful brand.


BusinessWeek Article

Technology: Touch Screens

The touch screen technology delivered to the consumer market in the iPhone is now coming to other products.


NYTimes Article

Intel's Touch Screen Tablet

Package Design: Tide Detregent

Rob Walker in The New York Times offers an analysis of a branding icon -Tide.

(illustration by Peter Arkle):

"the effectiveness of the original Tide package, which communicated “cyclone in a box,” he says. “There’s this great dynamic tension there. The word ‘Tide’ is bursting out of the circle, and the circle is standing out of the box. It’s almost a baroque composition; it’s like what Steven Spielberg would do if he were designing a brand.” The idea was that Tide is “a force of nature — it’s a phase shift.” After all, an effective synthetic detergent was a real innovation in 1947, a result of years of expensive research and development. The bull’s-eye look was actually borrowed from earlier P.&G. products, Dash and Oxydol. But in his memorable culture and design book, “The Total Package,” Thomas Hine noted that “some sophisticated color research” — involving a psychologist who specialized in such things — went into selecting a bright scheme that would suggest “sufficient power,” tempered with the “likable” blue that had a more “sensitive” connotation. Reaching the market just as automatic washing machines were catching on, Tide was a sensation; anecdotal accounts from the time suggest people lined up to get hold of the stuff — as if it were an iPhone."

NYTimes Article

Design History: Typography in the Publishing World

In preparation for a new semester teaching Typography course, I discovered this interesting history on type used on the magazine Vanity Fair.

Design Observer Article

New Concept: Design- art

Design-Art is a new marketing construct created by the big auction houses to boost the sales of one kind or limited edition pieces often created by Designers. Much like in the "Art" world the value for a work is created by a few well-heeled, self-appointed purveyors of taste whose opinions can create interest were there was none the day before.

Marc Newson's Lockheed Lounger (pictured) fetched just shy of $1 million at a Chirsite's auction, making it the high price piece sold by a living designer.

For this designer, this new phenomenon will make it a little more difficult to educate the uninitiated as to what design is and the value of good design to life and culture.

IHT Article

Business week Article

Fashion Designer: Patrick Robinson

The Gap has entrusted its brand in the hands of designer Patrick Robinson.

For years Gap sales have been shrinking from the highs reached in the 90's as retailers like Abercrombie and Fitch have grown in popularity. Robinson has the task of introducing the Gap brand to a new generation of shoppers.

NYTimes Article

TV Program: Architecture School

As evidence of the growing national conversation around Design, the Sundance channel brings to television a program that focuses on the process of designing homes for the Katrina damaged area of Louisiana.

I have not seen the program but I have seen comments that state how surprisingly interesting it the process of designing and building an practical homes is.

Series Video

Episodes

Product Design: Vertical Ice CubeTray

Here is a cleaver solution to making, chilling and storing ice.

Iceorb Site/ Video

Sketching Demonstrations

Being able to visualize one's thoughts is the basis for design thinking, drawing by-hand has been losing to computer generated images to the point where many design students graduate lacking the confidence in the drawing skills, fortunately employers are not holding this against them.

But, for those with basic drawing skills in place will no doubt be found more equipped to perform basic generative development sketches if important to the employer.

Sketching Site

Black Designers Summit

I had the pleasure to attended a gathering of designers brought together to discuss the value of developing a network of black designers, and how it might offer something different than the other design organizations that currently exist.

The working title for the group is BD-13, representing the thirteen designers able to gather at this meeting held at the University of Illinois at Chicago's campus.

One common concern was the need to address the declining numbers of black design professionals. The group asked how might we work to increase the ranks of blacks who select design as a profession. It was a day of good dialog, teaming exercises that began a conversation among designers who see a problem and are ready to use their skills to find a solution.

Fashion Design with a Political Message

Tracey Reese and other fashion designers have been asked to produce politically inspired pieces for the Obama campaign. Does this recognition of the fashion industry as a means of communicating a message mean that an Obama presidency would bode well for the profession of Design?

Washington Post Article

The Brand Called Obama

Website Redesign: IDEO

One of the worlds leading design consultancy's launched its redesigned website after more than a half-dozen years. Do take a moment to see what they are up to and how they do it.

IDEO.com

IDEO: Design for Social Impact

Typography Websites

The coming week bring with it a new semester in which I will return to teaching a course in Typography.

The following links are a resource to demonstrate and better define what type design involves.

I Love Typography Site

A List Other Sites

Automotive Design: Ford GT

Recently I had a chance opportunity to whip around downtown Detroit in a Ford GT, a 500 hp high-end muscle car, with its designer Carmilo Pardo. I would say "thrilling" is a word that best describes the experience of riding side-saddle in a supercar.

Video Interview

Carmilo's Website

Ford GT Website

Fashion Design: "The Sneaker Freaks"

There is a fascinating underground world, at least it is to this baby boomer less than hip person, the sneaker design/entrepreneurial culture.

I recently saw a news piece on the demand and design of one of a kind limited edition sneakers, shops that sale them and customers that fuel this booming business. So forgive me for being late to the party and less than fashionably dressed.

I can say that I had noticed the number of colorful and coordinated outfits on city streets, but that was as far as I thought about it. But, it appears to be one more example of the hip-hop generation's aesthetic being expressed and its power to finance new businesses who cater to this market.


Jeff Staple Interview

Staple Design

Jeff Staple's Blog Site

New Nikes by ?uestlove

International Design: Plus Minus Zero

I long for the opportunity to visit Japan just to see the quality and range of products available. I have a belief that the products are of exceptional quality and styling.

Plus Minus Zero is an example of the design consciousness around product design I believe I would find in Japan. The TV's in the 1st collection are so very cool.

Their Collections

Product Design: The Machine that will Strenghten Starbucks

Like the Dyson vacuum, the Clover (a commercial single serving coffee machine) was developed by a product designer who applied his skills to improving an existing device and in-turn moves an entire industry forward.

How it works: The Clover looks like just another countertop coffee machine. But peek under the hood and you'll find an innovative brewing system. Here's how it works: 1. A barista selects dose, water temperature, and steep time. 2. A piston pulls down the filter platform while freshly ground coffee is poured into the chamber. 3. Hot water flows into the chamber. 4. The barista briskly stirs the grounds with a whisk, and the water and beans steep for several seconds. 5.The piston rises, creating a vacuum that separates the brew from the grounds, then lowers, forcing the joe out of a nozzle below. 6. The piston rises to the surface again, pushing up a disc of grounds, which are squeegeed away. (wired magazine 2008)

Wired Article

NY Times Article

Fashion Observation: What User Research Isn't

We have visited this topic before, but in light of a recent posting on ethnographic research, this video from the NY Times is a fitting example of how one observer, though untrained, seeks to understand and find meaning in the dropping waist lines of young men.

The point here is that user research isn't simply an untrained observers opinion, but a structured approach to uncovering the deep seated meaning behind people's thoughts and actions, as it relates to the products they purchase and how they use them.

NYTimes Video

Design Research: Video Primer

Here is a really great introduction to the basics user research presented by students at the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology. The techniques of getting people to talk are discussed and demonstrated in a first rate video production.



Getting People to Talk: An Ethnography & Interviewing Primer from Gabe & Kristy on Vimeo.

2008 IDSA/BusinessWeek Design Excellence Awards

The expanding influence of design is clearly evident in resources below. The greatest expansion has been in the support and understanding coming from the business community. Design seems to be finding its way into the business mind set especially for those in the tech industries where innovation is a common buzz word.



Awards

BW's Videos, Podcasts and Articles

Typography: Font Play the Video

This staged video of a play on typefaces as people is admittedly corny but it does offer a view of the variety of fonts available to designers.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Does America Need a National Agency to Create Innovation Policy?

I remember how surprised I was to find out, in a Design Policy class (2002), that America was the only industrialized nation without a government led, formal institution or stated policy around design. Other countries like Japan and China had very formal approaches to ensuring that their national resources were all directed at addressing the opportunities that technological innovation would offer, by crafting policy that included refocusing its entire educational system K thru University.

The report sighted below presents a case for a government led initiative for America.

"In the last decade, an increasing number of economists have come to conclude that innovation—the creation and adoption of new products, services and business models—is the key to improved standards of living. The United States has led the world in innovation since World War II, and it continues to have many strengths, including entrepreneurial culture and expertise, a strong science base, healthy technology companies, protection of intellectual property, robust financial markets, relatively good working relationships between business and universities, and leadership in constructing and managing complex technology-based processes and organizations."

Industry Week Article

The Information Technology and Innovation Report

Obama's Technology Policy View

UK's Design Council Strategic Plan

Postal Stamp: Charles and Ray Eames

The USPS has released a sheet of 16 Eames inspired stamps.

This design couple known most for their furniture, also created textiles, graphics, film, exhibits, architecture and more.

USPS Site

Architectual Record

NYTimes Article

Design as Business Strategy: Method's Household Products

From its start Method embraced the power of design by hiring designer Kahrim Rashard to design its original packaging.

The organization has continued to produce ecologically friendly household cleaning potions in innovative and distinctive packages.


Methods Website

Interview with Method Designer: Danny Alexander

Design Honored at the White House

The Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum honoree's for 2008 were acknowledged at a White House ceremony with Laura Brush officiating.

Industrial Design pioneer, Chuck Harrison was awarded with the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions which includes 30 years at Sears, Roebuck and Company where he was responsible for shaping hundreds of American made household products, though he is most recognized for his redesign of the Veiw-Master.

Unfortunately, one of the take aways for me was recognizing that the Head Quarters for the nation was not as finely appointed as I would expect. It appears this is yet another design opportunity waiting for an answer. And so, my humble recommendation as a designer is that the White House should incorporate consciously some of the great design pieces created and produced in the U.S. over the last century.

Washington Post Article

Cooper Hewitt Slideshow

A Life's Design

What Laura Said...

Product Design: Personal Climate Control Device

The furniture manufacturer and design leader, Herman Miller, has extended its business strategy to include consumer products that focus on the users personal space within the work place.

The C2 climate controller joins the Babble noise cancel device, both designed to offer the consumer personal control over their environments.

Video

C2 Product Page

DesignExhibtion: PreFab Dwellings at MoMA

I am looking forwarding to making a trip to NYC to take in this exhibition and Design for the Elastic Mind. Both are looking at the direction design is moving and its potential of shift our thinking.

Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling

NYTimes Article

NYTimes Article

The Parking Problem in Search for a Solution

San Francisco has taken a bold step to provide citizens a way of locating available parking by employing available wireless sensor technology to its curb sides. This represents one part of the proposal I offered in my graduate thesis project- theLINC Parking System(2003).

The real opportunity to address the issue of managing the physical space within cities will be found in a systematic solution that is linked to a boarder definition of public space. Cities most at the same time search for solutions to managing their virtual (digital) spaces as they continue to rethink their approach to managing the physical parking spaces. In doing so, municipalities will be able to truly discover and provide for their citizens a sustainable solution that offers access, control and new revenues to fund the upkeep of public spaces.

NYTimes Article

Streetline, The Company

RFID Technology

Reflections on the Creative Process: Ira Glass

I found this series of three Youtube videos inspiring to know that it is a time consuming and difficult process to find and master your creative voice but it is a beautiful thing once it is formed.

Ira Glass is an award winning radio personality/ journalist and force behind public radio program,This American Life.

A List of 30 Books for Product Designers

This list is not meant to be exhaustive, I know I would add "The history of Industrial Design" by John Heskett.

The List - Design Sojourn Blog

The Meaning of Modern?

The article linked below discusses the often misunderstood meaning of Modern as it relates to the aesthetic movement that took hold in America in the 1950's.

Washington Post Article

Mies Exhibitions'

Wikipedia

Professional Design Organization: IDSA

I am at a point where I can better appreciate the value a professional design organization like the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). My past experience with the organization led me to view it as irrelevant for its failure to address the issues facing design and designers, admittedly this was my humble opinion.

But recent changes in the organization give me new hope that it will live up to its potential to serve as a positive force in the promotion of design.

But with a talented new executive director I have a renewed hope that the organization's potential will be realized.

IDSA'S Homepage

2008 Conference

Frank Tyneski Podcast

Book: Emerging Technologies and Housing Prototypes

New materials offer designers new avenues to explore and provide opportunity to add interest if not functional charcteristics to a design solution. This book looks to explain some of the opportunities that technology is currently offering design professionals.

Book Review

Chicago: A Great City and Creative Hub

My second home and "the best run city in the nation", which is my personal opinion of my old stomping grounds - Chicago; is now making the best of list more often.

Fast Company Article

Buisness Week Article

Design History: R. Buckminster Fuller

Richard Buckminster Fuller can not be easily defined as a designer per se but he was a visionary that tried to link the future, science with the now through the architecture and products he proposed like the dymaxion car.

NYTimes Slide Show

NYTimes Article

Whitney Exhibition

New Yorker Profile

What is Package Design?

I will be looking into the elements of good package design in preparation for teaching a class on the subject in the fall. There are many influences involved in the package solutions we see daily.


Who is responsible for the package design:does it fall under the marketing umbrella,what role do graphic designers play; or does the manufacturing process determine the package type?

Examples of Package Design

More Examples

New Magazine: Apartmento

The spaces we live in are rarely as perfect as the slick styling found in the pages of the glossy publications like dwell or architectual digest, apartmento's plans to profile real spaces.

Apartmento

Reality TV Show for Designers

Phillip Starck is looking for young product designers in the UK to participate in a new TV show.


Design Week Article

Reality Show for Designers

Application

Auto Design: Why Beemers are Beautiful

I will hopefully own a BMW one day because I love what Chris Bangle, BMW's design director, has done to refine the form language as well as the technological advancements that is extending the tradition of BMW's as the ultimate driving machine.

Bangle has codified the driving (pun intended) philosophy that hold within it a vision of the future of auto design.

"Successful design arouses desire. In order to achieve this, it is more crucial than ever before that car manufacturers create the conditions that allow customers to establish a close relationship with their cars. Therefore, designers seek ways to promote and intensify people's identification with their car that reach beyond pure aesthetics. In the premium segment in particular, customers demand cars that stir emotions and allow them to express their individuality. BMW Group Design has set another deepened objective for designing new cars that moves today's consumers and their demand for enhanced utility and more versatility to the top of their agenda. An innovative concept introduced by BMW Group Design prepares the ground for this new approach: the GINA (Geometry and Functions In "N" Adaptions) principle grants more freedom for car design. It allows the creation of products with a design and functional range that express individuality and meet the wide variety of requirements of those who are using them."


--Auto Channel

BMW's Design Philosophy

Wired Article

Design and the 2008 Primary Campgain

It is nice to see how literate America is becoming on the role design plays in our lives.

The following media reports take a looked at design and political messages.

Video:ABC News Report

Business Week Article