The Creativity Post: Over the past 20 years, we’ve seen a radical shift toward design as a fundamental source of value. It used to be that design was a relatively narrow field, but today it’s become central to product performance and everybody needs to be design literate. To get an idea of where its all going, I looked in on how Autodesk is promoting design as a basic skill.
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What’s interesting about this is that focus on design came after functionality for most products and software we interact with that was originally made a decade or two ago. Cellphones and the internet didn’t use to be design-centered, but you’d be hard pressed to find an ugly smartphone or a new hip website that isn’t built around an aesthetic or specific navigation style. What I mean by that is that we use things now that were once not design-heavy because they were made a while ago, but everything that is invented and created today integrates design right from the start, because that is what our society’s consumers now expect. I was actually just thinking this morning that it’s crazy to me that so many websites are still nowadays unattractive and hard to navigate, and it’s generally because they’ve been around for a little while, or they are not catering to the young crowd that now demands well-designed products, physical or not. It shows that yes, design is increasingly integrated with functionality, but the move is happening at different speeds among different social groups.
To begin, I just want to say that I'm really happy that more and more people are moving towards the idea that design is critical. As programs like AutoCAD and Vectorworks become more and more available to the average Joe, the masses are going to be able to have a say in what they design. I totally agree with the author when they say that more and more consumers are sticking with products based on an emotional feel rather than actual use. Personally, I can attest to this. In Media last year, I had a much better time working in Aftereffects than Millumin. Why? I couldn't put my finger on it. Overall design and the emotional feel of the program led me to use it more often. And yes, the more people who have a chance to take a design course, the more people who will be successful. Hands down.
A sign of intelligence in animals is their ability to make tools. What I love about humans is that tools don't necessarily need to be utilitarian. We value aesthetics as an important part of our lives. There's a cool evolutionary concept that says that people create art when they have a society advanced enough to be able to expand beyond the necessity of survival. Once basic needs are met, we have the ability to expand and grow. if we have this extraordinary gift to design and make beautiful well designed things, why would we let things be simply utilitarian? Art and design is a wonderful aspect of being human, and ignoring it is sad.
So being a designer, I should think, wow yay! Design take over!! But this is actually kind of scary. The article talks about how in the past "Design" was more about creating the product and making cars go faster for less or creating something that will better our lives rather than something that connects with us emotionally. But it's almost as if we've reached the end of innovation (which I know is not true) and all that's left to make things new is by changing the aesthetics! I mean, let's look at the iPhone for a second. Now I don't really know anything about iPhones (I have android so....) but it seems to me that every new iPhone is just like the one before it. And whatever that NEW feature is, even if it's just a layout, no actual improvement. But everyone still wants to buy it. I think that's our world today, we want it if it's called "new" but we don't care what's new about it... I wonder if that's what it is... It's not that we don't have anywhere else to go, people have just realized that we don't need to move forward, we can just change the appearance and everyone will think it's different.
But don't get me wrong, I don't think design should be taken out of the picture, I love design and I think design is an extremely important part of everything. I just think that we use our view of "design" to take replace real innovation. Whether that a good or bad thing, I don't know.
In reference to Becki's comment above, I think the iPhone (and apple in general) is actually the only true example of how design has met functionality in a way that people are dependent on the presence it has in their everyday life. When the iPhone first appeared on the market it was revolutionary. Each new model since then has come with more and more criticism from consumers. For apple, their products are so much more about the subtleties of their design and how iOS and OS X can further create a seamless blend between design and functionality. With each new IOS and OS X there becomes a stronger link between products. They have designed a system in which it feels necessary to own a macbook, an iPhone, and an iPad because only by having all of these apple products will you reap the full benefits of the software. It is DESIGN that has made these products so desirable in a way that people feel like they need the entire apple package. I would go as far to say that they have created an "apple world" in which it is necessary to have all of their products in order to be full immersed in the experience they are trying to sell. This mindset was all a part of the design. By far, apple is the only company which has fully embraced what Greg Satell has discussed in his article. It is a little frightening to think how apple's design method has made so many people dependent on their technology, but that is what good design is supposed to do; it is supposed to make us not only want to use the product but feel like we NEED to use the product.
When talking about design in a daily life situation, it is interesting to look at it's value. Pragmatically, there should be no difference between an ugly car and an aesthetically pleasing car if the two function the same, but obviously in the culture we live in there is a significant difference to a large amount of people. There is something about the human element that thrives when utilitarian and aesthetic aspects of a thing yield something synergistic. Incorporating design in everyday life will lead to happier and more productive people, so I think that this trend can only be a good thing.
My only worry with design eating the world is the pendulum swinging so far to the design-centric that it actually limits functionality. I don't think this period of history is particularly unique though. We seem to always oscillate between new technology and making the current techonology more attractive, see pottery, tools, boats dog breeding etc.
I begin to have trouble with the increased importance of design when it starts to impede my understanding of how something functions. I have never liked Apple computers because, while they're simpler to operate, it takes me forever to find what I need. I may eventually need to switch, however, because Windows 8 has taken "simplicity" to such an extreme that I can hardly understand it. It's similar to how I feel about IOS vs. Android. I understand the technology I use better when I can see into the underbelly of how it functions, and it seems as though designers are trying to take that away from me.
The future is now and the future needs designers. To me, the idea that design is much more heavily stressed because things are mass produced is extremely exciting. Attention to detail and detailed models of every product are more important than ever. And the process of designing products is becoming more accessible every single day. I feel that with every update, CAD software is easier to manipulate and more intuitive. It is fantastic that as these software tools become more usable by general consumers, there are hardware tools that can help them realize their visions, such as 3d printers and laser cutters.
I Think this article is spot on. Yes, its a little scary to think that there is any one specific job area will consume all others, but in many ways the perspective of this article makes perfect sense. In our time there is a new engrained place for the aesthetic now that we have passed the age of pure functionality. In modern times we judge the worth of an object based not only on its capability but also the appearance and ideas that inform them. If there are two objects that complete the same exact function the one with the sleeker and more universally appealing design will sell much better. In many cases design can be even more important than functionality, as we see with products like apple where consumers see it being necessary to buy the next new device despite its limited greater functionality, simply because its thinner cooler and more interesting. As we see with products like the iPhone, design is becoming an essential factor in discerning success.
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