heskett 4-6

These three chapters essentially cover the mediums through which the different types of designers design (industrial/product, VC, and interior space)

Objects:

Something I found interesting in this chapter is the concept that designers have to create products that people relate to. In the case of Jonathan Ives, he was behind the New iMacs of 1998 that introduced the see-through fun plastic casing. In 1998 I remember wanting this computer, not because I knew about its specifications, but merely because I thought it looked cool. Many designers, especially those at Apple understand that there are many products out there that can fit the needs that people have, but to make it so cheap so as to blow their competition out of the water, or to make their product so cool that they blow their competition out of the water (what Apple continually chooses) is the way to win.

communications:

What people don't necessarily realize is that communication is everywhere. Signs, pictures, directions, and if the function correctly, then you hardly notice them and they become a seamless part of your day, but when they don't work is when they begin to stick out like a sore thumb. An example of bad visual communication that I've experienced recently was at the Paris Charles DeGaulle airport. Exhausted from our trip, all we wanted was to get home seamlessly. Unfortunately, the directions and airport employees were not at all helpful in navigating from one terminal to the next in order to make our connecting flight. Even though many of the signs were in English, they were still not sufficiently clear, especially when traveling with an elderly person who is not able to walk quickly, or for long distances.


environments:

I always find it interesting the differences between the homes of people in America and in other cultures and continents. In america, our houses have grown since the last generation, and all we want is more...
In places such as Europe and Asia, rooms are smaller and space is used more consciously. I've seen modest apartments in Spain and i've noticed how their space and energy resources are used more efficiently, even in hotels. I think America needs to take a cue from other parts of the world and attempt to scale down from our 'supersized' lifestyles.

When re-doing our kitchen, we attempted to get help from an interior designer to help figure out the colors for paint, tile and granite, but we were not satisfied with the fact that we as the clients were not being listened to, but rather given what the designer wanted us to have.