Assignment 6 Part 2: Reading

<Thoughtful Interaction Design By Jonas Lowgren and Erik Stolterman>

What is good design?

This question stood out to me because as a designer, I would often ask myself this question. It is interesting to realise how the idea of “good” design is never definite, or rather, subjective. Along with this, it changes with time as we grow as a designer through our different encounters and experience. Hence, I agree with Lowgren’s statement about how we cannot reach a simple definition of what constitutes “good design”. Such a definition is too complex to formulate once and for all.

While i believe that “good” design cannot be measured, it can be “accessed” through certain factors e.g. how functional is the design? Personally, i believe that “good” design has to be honest as it communicates solely the functions to its user and is valued through “emotional experience” with the user.

“A good design is always the simplest possible working solution” – Dieter Rams

Next, the author mentions that the design process is a complex process, consisting of errors and mistakes. On top of this, I feel that the design process is also the most valuable part of design. It is the crucial process where understanding and communication between the designers, suppliers/makers, product developers or even everyone who are involved in the design making in their various respective fields. The video that i have attached illustrates my point about the importance of team work in the design process. I find this video interesting in giving us a glimpse of how real-life design process in major leading companies like Ikea is like and most importantly, how a successful product can only be made possible through team works from people of different fields.

 

The next point that i find interesting is design includes responsibility.  The common situation we find ourselves in as designers is how we tend to push the responsibility to clients. The complex relationship between the client, designer, and the user in the design work is indeed hard to grasp and as a designer, i find this is the most challenging part of design process. Yet, it is also the most valuable lesson/skill that every designer will learn along their design career path.

Qn 1: How do we strike a balance between the designer and client’s requirements during the design process?

Qn2: Can something be considered a “good design” if it is not ethically/environmentally responsible? (assuming if it is an ingenious or possibly useful idea)