Should a designer have a style?

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At the basis of all 6 of these simple machines, is a nearly perfect (if not absolutely perfect) design solution.

I’m going of topic here…srry

But shouldn’t we design products that aren’t perfect? And by that I mean products that need us. If you saw Objectified you know what I mean: Dunne & Raby (Dunne & Raby) They made a series of robots and one of them needs the operator to move it. Therefore creating a relationship between the user and the product. A sort of tamagotchi-effect.
I like this idea since we people fall in love with other people not for their beauty but for their little mistakes -so they say-. I do hate perfect girls …they seem to miss something.

Just wanted to share this…

So back on topic

Grtz

Jeez, if the world were full of perfect design solutions we’d all be out of a job! Luckily, trends shift and tastes change. Which explains why its harder to find avocado green appliances now than it was in the seventies.

Lets see…A perfect design that can’t be improved…Socks? Cereal bowls? Firecrackers maybe?

@ Atohms
Dude, nice style. Just checked your stuff. Clean and no BS. Schweet.

Argh… :smiling_imp: :angry: please stop saying that I don’t want to have a style :smiley:

But if you are talking about my presentation-style then; Thanks alot :wink: Much appreciated
I just hope my products don’t have a style.

It’s funny but, in the past, most of the time I was frustrated about the idea/product starting to lead it’s own life during the development-cycle. But it’s like a child growing up. You can’t make it do what you want. You can’t stop it from having a mind of their own. And that is a good thing. The dream changes when it becomes reality. Now I go with the flow. To where the whole process leads me. So hopefully there’s not much of a style to be seen in the end. :wink:

Anyone else thinks of his products/projects as embryo’s/babies?


grtz

I’ve experienced two extremes:

Intuitive-Driven Cultures: Hire hipsters who’s style matches the target market. I consider this “styling.” I worked at a company like this once. Designers who stay in touch with the culture can do quite well, but it’s definitely risky for the employer and can deliver very inconsistent results. But in the fashion industries where you tend to see this, their low-cost and fast turnover distributes the risk. Work on a multi-year, multi-million dollar project and you’re less likely to see an intuitive-driven design.

Process-Driven Cultures: Hire designers that are process-oriented and can design any product for any market. I consider this “design.” It’s less risky, and sometimes essential if you’re designing for a niche market. When I worked at Cardinal Health, my boss (non-designer) asked me if I could hire designers who were former Nurses! Yeah right. I hired good process-oriented designers instead.

Trying so hard not to touch this… but… just… can’t… resist…

Really this is the old argument between Raymond Loewy and Dreyfuss all over again.

I think your wrong here Chris. BOTH are design, and they need each other to make truly great product.

As designers we are very diverse, and we should be open minded to other people’s ways of working, taking what we can, and building on each other’s strengths, not putting each other down. What matters is the results.

Right now, in addition for the highly trend based stuff I’m doing full time, I’m doing a bunch o medical work for these guys: http://www.keytechinc.com/

You need to change your process when needed to get the job done. I don’t want to be locked into a method.

For Atohms: I love your style. It is so unique and amazing. As they superficial say, its ALL about style.

Like I said, extremes. But I see it a lot. Ever watch Project Runway? There are always those that come on the show with a strong personal style, but utterly fail when the design challenge is outside their comfort zone, like having to design for kids, or a client that wants to have input on the design. I think this is a very small minority, simply because they’re not very marketable. Most of us fall somewhere within the continuum, and can flex our styles.