Archive for September, 2009
Design Practice, vers. 4.o
We started the new term last week with a new version of the class ‘Design Practice.’ It used to be called ‘Design Principles’, in the sense of learning how to apply some enduring ideas (ie. ‘principles’) to the process of design. Then as now, we’ll look at a variety of products and services and try to critique the elements that contribute to successful designs.
The class is part of two Masters degree programs; the MA in Creative Digital Media and the MSc in Digital Games, both in the Dublin Institute of Technology. It is great to have a mix of some technical types and some less tech-y people.
So for the first class I wanted us to critique something most everybody has owned or used at some point: the multi-tool/Leatherman/Swiss Army knife. Some of these tools are great, some are terrible, and some are just too fancy for their own good.
Consequently the first assignment is: create your ideal multi-tool. We broke up into groups and 20 minutes later, ta dah! Great stuff. I liked the drawings so much I thought we had to share them with the world. So in no particular order…
The Light Sabre
Note the umbrella, the flotation device, the electronic attachments for heating and cooling drinks.
The Man’s Tool
Useful, effective, everything I’d need except a bottle opener. Notice the combat knife inspiration.
The Party Girrrl-illa
The first group to explicitly target a specific audience. Includes hair-straighteners, speakers, bottle opener and a disco ball, to liven up those impromptu Friday parties.
The “Succi” (I can’t remember what that is supposed to mean)
My notes fail me here: knife, mp3 player, usb stick, and don’t forget “it has bluetooth”. In an easy, pocket sized design.
The Survivor
Clever disc design, the essentials like knife, scissors, and spork. Handy dandy laser pointer and what every pocket tool needs, an inflatable pillow. Now that is improved functionality.
and finally, The Student
Every college should hand these out and failure rates would drop to zero. I won’t point out anything but the ‘neverending teabag.’
