Design Is
The other day I had a fairly frustrating conversation with a client trying to discuss the merits of a design. In hindsight I think the frustration boiled down to our different interpretations of of the word 'design.' I was talking about design as a mix of form and function while they were talking almost exclusively about form.
Over my (short) career as a designer my own philosophy has shifted further to the function-first side of the form vs function debate. Which is saying something, since I was never really one for pointless eyecandy when I started designing.
To me, design is about problem-solving and effective communication. Something needs to work first and foremost, and the style comes from (or after) that function.
The iPod's iconic design is driven by a clear function: it plays your music, and the design of the iPod aims to make achieving that task incredibly simple. The Eames Lounge Chair, easily one of the most famous chairs of the last century, is at heart an incredibly comfortable chair (if you haven't had the pleasure, track down a showroom and try one out). London Underground's geography-defying tube map makes understanding a complex network of train lines easy by adopting the visual language of circuit diagrams, and in the process created a new standard for the presentation of route maps across the world (and even for showing the mixing of music genres).
Me? I think in most instances form should follow function.
So then, what does design mean to you?
Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 and filed under Chairs, Work.
Comments
To me its easy, look at nature, it is based on form following function?! Natures form often evolves for survival by changing the function, It could be argued life would not exist without form, however without function there is no real purpose. Therefore in theory you can't have one without the other. If you design starting from function it is going to work for its intended purpose but may look ugly. If you design from form it may not have its intended function or will be limited.
So in practice as technology advances form and function start merging as in nature, E.G. Moving printed adverts targeted to users interests, Custom ergonomic products tailored to the users behavior and sense of style...
Posted by: Cameron Campbell on August 18, 2006
