Objectified

"Every object tells a story, if you know how to read it." -Henry Ford

In everyday life we are surrounded by the most elementary objects of design. The toothbrush sitting in our bathroom, the alarm clock near our bed stand, the shower curtain, and chairs at the dinner table all are exemplary structures of design. When you initially see an object you make assumptions, whether or not they are subconscious judgments. We look at an object and estimate its height, weight, form, architecture, and assume its texture whether it is haptic or optic. Each and every objects speaks to the individual differently, despite our willful intentions, we as humans cannot help but judge the functionality and value of the object.

The challenge most designers face, is to create a functional design that can be mass produced while maintaining a long - served purpose in society. The goal of industrial design has always been mass production. The best examples of industrial design are the most basic and elementary objects of everyday life. Different qualities of objects have specific cultural purposes that may not apply universally. When such objects become mass produced and sold universally, such cultural functionalities of the design become impractical.

Good design is "innovative, aesthetic, honest, unobtrusive, long lived, consistent, friendly, understandable, and lastly, possible." The above characteristics embody the necessary qualities of successful design. As designers, we are in a sense cursed. Designers walk through life meticulously analyzing and taking apart the aesthetic aspects of objects. Searching for the problems within the design, and then seeking to resolve the issue through subtle improvements. Frequently, form bears no solution to the function. For example, apple's newest design for the macbook and iphone bears sleek and simple design elements, while the functionality of the products are revealed through the internal software rather than the form. Removing the frivolous components of the design leads to overall success.

The consumer often feels they know what they need, but in reality the designer knows better. The key is to remove everything unnecessary in order to achieve unity, and melody. The process of design is analogous to the creation of music. All of the components must work together simultaneously to achieve the harmony that the final product is equivalent to. In present society, good design is a mark of class, a mark of progress. The products we buy as consumers indicates personal statements about ourselves and our tastes. Designers throughout history have continued to develop the initial archetypes through constant redesign. This process allows for minimal change, designers of the future must be more innovative and determine whether mass communication or mass production is more powerful.

image courtesy of http://bestchairsdesign.blogspot.com/2008_10_05_archive.html