ObJeCTifiED

Objectified is the sort of video that highlights the various design processes different designers undergo to develop products and services. This is very interesting because every designer is familiar with a different process as it is made evident in the video. However the basis of design was quoted in the documentary where good design is innovative, makes a product useful, aesthetic, understandable, honest, consistent in every detail, environmentally friendly and last but not least good design is as little design as possible. This is a very useful quote for me as a designer because it really gives me a guide line when designing a product. When doing studio projects I’m always looking at ways to make my design idea different but this video makes it seem like it is not important to do that in your products. I always had the tendency to design very complex products but this video allowed me to see how successful designers do it.
When I use to study at UWS the teachers always wanted us designers to understand the importance of semantics. I feel like this video is talking about integrating product semantics in a very detailed manner, by showing examples of designers doing this in various products where “products speak for themselves”. I think every product any designer designs, reflects their ability to convey a message to a consumer by using different method such as aesthetics, innovation and etc. By watching this video it allows me to develop my own understanding of what I want my product to convey when designing. What I really found interesting is Jonathan Ive’s designing style in Apple, because his forever pushing himself by reducing the amount of materials and parts they use in their products. As he stated by asking “can we do the job of six parts in one?” he has developed very simple successful products. I think his style of having no design on a product is very interesting by integrating all these product parts and developing a very basic product is advantageous for the user, the environment and the company. This is what I call successful, smart and sleek design.
As a designer myself I want to give products very basic forms that get better with use, so that consumers gain that emotional attachment towards the product. This methodology would be effective if i apply this to all my products because I feel like I am designing a useful product that will last a life time and will not remain on the shelf for 11 months like electronic goods.