Contextual Studies
Objectified

In our lesson today we watched a documentary called 'Objectified' about the creativity and thought processes that go into designing everyday objects.  I wasn't particularly interested in the film because most of the examples were able product design, an area that doesn't particularly appeal to me, but some of the principles could apply to my areas of interest, perhaps packaging and branding.  

The film highlights the trend in design, away from the obvious and practical and more towards the simplistic and minimalistic. This is particularly true in the field of technology where design is becoming sleeker and more discrete. Designers are always looking for what is new and the next thing, but the problem there is that the 'new' design soon becomes 'old'. I liked what one of the designers said was that we should like and appreciate what we already have. One designer also made the interesting point that some design improves with age, for example an old briefcase that acquires a certain character through use.  The film also talks about how objects we surround ourselves with become part of us and ultimately the ones that mean most to us are the ones with a history and a story behind them.  Designers often seek to give individual character to objects created in industry.
People are looking to buy things that have character and almost human personalities.
Consumers want objects that show something of themselves to the world. For example people will often buy a car to say something about who they are or who they want to be.  

The other interesting thing I learnt from the film was how designers use mind maps to generate ideas and how one idea leads to another, which leads to another.

Another important issue raised was that of sustainability, how we keep designing and manufacturing new things and the subsequent issues of recycling. This is something that modern designers are considering more than ever before.