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Yanko Design + Design Sojourn
2009-02-22 14:15:00 First off I like to say a big HELLO to all visitors coming from Yanko Design ! Secondly I like to announce to all Design Sojourn readers that I have accepted an invitation by Takashi Yamada (The Publisher) to join the Yanko Design team an industry consultant. I know some of you may be wondering "Why?", so I thought I would share with you some of the background of this partnership.
Yanko Design + Design Sojourn
2009-02-22 14:15:00 First off I like to say a big HELLO to all visitors coming from Yanko Design ! Secondly I like to announce to all Design Sojourn readers that I have accepted an invitation by Takashi Yamada (The Publisher) to join the Yanko Design team an industry consultant. I know some of you may be wondering “Why?”, so I thought I would share with you some of the background of this partnership. Takashi had contacted me sometime in the middle of 2008. After a few rounds of getting to know each other better and sharing our views on design, he asked if I would like to join the YD team. However at that time I was going through a transition phase (who’s life isn’t eh?) and was too busy to take our discussion any further. Earlier this year, I had blogged about this transition and celebrated it with a new look Design Sojourn 4.0. After getting settled in my new role, I got back in touch with Takashi. One of our key discussion points was how to differentiate the content ...
Quality Control at Mcdonalds Sucks!
2009-02-21 13:44:00 Every second French Fry is either burnt, has a harden end or too short for satisfactory consumption. Did you know that there are people who go around checking that this does not happen? More About: Quality Control , Control , Quality , Sucks , Mcdonalds
Quality Control at Mcdonalds Sucks!
2009-02-21 13:44:00 Every second French Fry is either burnt, has a harden end or too short for satisfactory consumption. Did you know that there are people who go around checking that this does not happen? Posted via email from TDOET: The Design of Everyday Things More About: Quality Control , Control , Quality , Sucks , Mcdonalds
The Design of Everyday Things at TDOET.com
2009-02-20 16:15:00 I have to say, that I have been enjoying the use of Posterous a lot recently, especially the site's ability to publish my stuff via email. They can store, re-size and present your media (pictures, music, video etc.) very efficiently. So I have been racking my brains to figure out how I can better utilize this wonderfully simple micro-blogging site. And now I have! Enter my new micro-blog called "The Design of Everyday Things " or TDOET.com.
The Design of Everyday Things at TDOET.com
2009-02-20 16:15:00 I have to say, that I have been enjoying the use of Posterous a lot recently, especially the site's ability to publish my stuff via email. They can store, re-size and present your media (pictures, music, video etc.) very efficiently. So I have been racking my brains to figure out how I can better utilize this wonderfully simple micro-blogging site. And now I have! Enter my new micro-blog called "The Design of Everyday Things " or TDOET.com.
Quantity Equals Quality if you Fail a lot!
2009-02-05 15:32:00 The ceramics teacher announced on opening day that he was dividing the class into two groups. All those on the left side of the studio, he said, would be graded solely on the quantity of work they produced, all those on the right solely on its quality. His procedure was simple: on the final day of class he would bring in his bathroom scales and weigh the work of the ?quantity? group: fifty pound of pots rated an ?A?, forty pounds a ?B?, and so on. Those being graded on ?quality?, however, needed to produce only one pot?albeit a perfect one?to get an ?A?. Well, came grading time and a curious fact emerged: the works of highest quality were all produced by the group being graded for quantity. It seems that while the ?quantity? group was busily churning out piles of work?and learning from their mistakes?the ?quality? group had sat theorizing about perfection, and in the end had little more to show for their efforts than grandiose theories and a pile of dead clay. Get on with your De... More About: Design , Equals , Quality
Quantity Equals Quality if you Fail a lot!
2009-02-05 15:32:00 The ceramics teacher announced on opening day that he was dividing the class into two groups. All those on the left side of the studio, he said, would be graded solely on the quantity of work they produced, all those on the right solely on its quality. His procedure was simple: on the final day of class he would bring in his bathroom scales and weigh the work of the ?quantity? group: fifty pound of pots rated an ?A?, forty pounds a ?B?, and so on. Those being graded on ?quality?, however, needed to produce only one pot?albeit a perfect one?to get an ?A?. Well, came grading time and a curious fact emerged: the works of highest quality were all produced by the group being graded for quantity. It seems that while the ?quantity? group was busily churning out piles of work?and learning from their mistakes?the ?quality? group had sat theorizing about perfection, and in the end had little more to show for their efforts than grandiose theories and a pile of dead clay. Get on with your De... More About: Design , Equals , Quality
Chris Bangle quits BMW!
2009-02-04 03:03:00 Chris Bangle has left the building and its all over the Auto blogs and news websites! The fans are sadden, and the critics are cheering. Hmm... More About: Design , Chris
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
2009-01-29 16:25:00 Probably the thing that irks me the most [in car design] is when I see this repetition of the known, because it shows people have comfort zones that are too tight to themselves and they?re really afraid to walk out of those. And then somebody comes up with a new idea, and then everybody follows ... More About: Zone , Comfort zone , Comfort
Beautifully Simple Staple-less Paper Holding Solution
2009-01-28 14:25:00 Once in a while I would come across a design idea that is just pure brilliance, I just have to share it here with you. The sheer simplicity of the solution is just mind boggling. So much so that it sends tingles down my spine. Furthermore, when you start to bring the potential environmental impact into the picture, you can really see that this is just "great design" in action. More About: Paper , Simple , Holding , Industrial Design , Solution
5 Secrets of Strategic Designers
2009-01-27 17:28:00 The background of this article stems from my interest in how Strategic Industrial Design forms the backbone of thinking in the very best designers in our field. Therefore I have been quietly spending some time studying and observing strategic designers and their ?modus operandi?. In the process, I have been fortunate to meet, attend lectures, interact and share ideas with such talented strategic designers and design leaders. These 5 secrets of Strategic Designers have been derived from some of my conclusions, and I would like to now share this with you. More About: Secrets
Happy Niu Year!
2009-01-25 17:01:00 Image by: Inobras, via HongKiat. Gong Xi Fa Chai! Design Sojourn would like to wish all Chinese readers a Happy Lunar New Year , good health and happiness!
What is Strategic Design?
2009-01-20 16:35:00 Recently Raph, from the very excellent Design Droplets blog, wanted to know how I define Strategic Design. I never had to consciously apply strategic design and thinking methodologies as it was something that I just did through my daily design activities. It was, in a way, second nature to me and a somewhat automatic response when I have to deal with problems. So I have to admit when I was asked this question I was momentary stumped.
Bridging The Language Gap: Who Cares about My Design?
2009-01-15 17:14:00 Designer: Designers need to loosen up. Me: Yeah? How so? Design: We are taking our design work too seriously. Our clients just take our designs at face value. Me (In a philosophical voice): This organic form reflects the beauty of natural elements that are found in plants and nature… Design (In an ... More About: Design , Language
Question of the Week: My non-designer boss thinks I suck!
2009-01-13 14:46:00 This question of the week by reader Jane is delayed, in fact much delayed. Apologies as I have been caught up with work! She writes: I’ve been working at a product design company for almost a year and a half. Meeting new friends, colleagues, clients, manufacturer and people from different walks of life ... More About: Design , Question , Boss , Designer , Week
Design Sojourn Version 4.0!
2009-01-03 03:03:00 Wishing all readers a HAPPY 2009! Wow oh wow. Three full years of me being online and ranting and raving about everything industrial design! I have to say it was a bumpy ride from the start and while looking back to see how I can improve I have to say that my older posts were really poorly written. Hopefully the posts are a lot better these days? With the constantly evolving nature of the Internet, and perfectly reflecting the growth of an individual, I thought it is about time I update this website. This update is also significant as it represents my transition into my 4th year of blogging and also some changes in my personal career goals. More About: Design , Version
Stuffing myself with Wine, Turkey and Ham!
2008-12-24 11:02:00 I like to wish all readers a Merry Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! More About: Turkey , Wine
Design Gone Wrong 2!
2008-12-21 13:04:00 Someone in the Transformer Brand Licensing department is not doing their job. More About: Design , Wrong
Design Gone Wrong 1!
2008-12-21 12:56:00 This has to be the world’s most useless hook. This hook, I noticed on a tour bus, does not stick out far enough nor is it deep enough. Feels very much like an afterthought. More About: Design , Wrong
Researching Products should be for Foresight not Hindsight
2008-12-18 02:35:00 I was doing my usual weekly ?talk back? engagement session by answering my reader?s comments and questions when I stumbled over this. One of Design Sojourn’s readers left a question in the ?comments? section of my design article “25 Bad Habits of Industrial Designers“. The reader Rogue asks: DT, I was curious to know if ... More About: Products , Foresight
Penguin Books cover Design
2008-12-16 06:40:00 Image from YES Design The books, reissued as part of the Penguin on Design series, include Munari?s 1965 book, Design As Art; McLuhan?s 1967 classic, The Medium is the Massage; Berger?s seminal Ways Of Seeing from 1972; and Sontag?s 1977 essay, On Photography. Penguin has republished 4 great books on design with new covers with the help ... More About: Books , Cover
Experience a Brand for Real
2008-12-13 03:11:00 Many brands are seeing the light. From Nokia, Apple, Levis, Nike, Nintendo, to Bose, Samsung and Sony, companies today understand the power of branding and know that to allow consumer to fully experience their brand they must create an environment where the consumer is surrounded by the brand experience. Nothing does this better ... More About: Experience , Real , Brand , Business Management
The Best Designs come during Tough Economic Times
2008-12-10 06:32:00 Image from BusinessWeek, original camera image comes from Ralph London of the London Collection. Check out this interesting article on Wired.com on how Bill Buxton, a Microsoft Researcher has complimented Jony Ive and how Jony has learn from the success of Kodak’s Vest Pocket camera line. In a letter published by BusinessWeek.com, Microsoft Research’s Principal Scientist ... More About: Times , Economic , Tough , Designs
Are you Reading, Thinking or Doing?
2008-12-09 14:59:00 We can?t get good at something solely by reading about it. And we?ll never make giant leaps in any endeavor by treating it like a snack food that we munch on whenever we?re getting bored. You get good at something by doing it repeatedly. And by listening to specific criticism from people who are already ... More About: Reading , Creativity , Thinking
Kenya Hara on ?Designing Design?
2008-12-08 13:41:00 As part of Google’s Authors@Google, Kenya Hara discusses his awesome book “Design ing Design” and his new book “White”. Warning, it runs for 53 mins and is about 78 MB! If you have not already get the book here on Amazon: Designing Design - Kenya Hara Designer Kenya Hara visits Google’s Mountain View, CA headquarters ...
Acquisition of Industrial Design Companies, a Good Thing!
2008-12-05 11:23:00 I received a few blips of news in my inbox telling me that HTC has purchased 100% of One & Company Design Inc for $USD 4.82 Million in Cash. One & Company Design was involved in the Touch Diamond series of HTC Smart Phones in 2006. I am always excited to hear of such ... More About: Companies , Industrial , Good , Industrial Design
TED Talks: The powerful link between creativity and play by Tim Brown
2008-12-04 02:28:00 If you cant see the player please visit the original site here. At the 2008 Serious Play conference, designer Tim Brown talks about the powerful relationship between creative thinking and play — with many examples you can try at home (and one that maybe you shouldn’t). I love the idea of creating an environment where people felt ... More About: Link , Creativity
iPhone vs E71: What a Tough Choice?
2008-12-02 16:01:00 What started with a number of Plurks and Twitter messages, snowballed into what you see above. I now have in my hands a very tasty E71 Steel White which I shamelessly lined up next to my equally tasty white iPhone 16GB! Alright I know you want details. So here it goes! I Plurked ... More About: Iphone , Choice , Tough
Behold The Ocarina! The First Musical Instrument for the iPhone.
More articles from this author:2008-12-01 18:33:00 Check out this amazing iPhone application, called Ocarina, that has currently got all of us in stitches or in awe! I have come across Guitar and Drum applications or simulations for the iPhone, but this has to take the cake! To get it to work, the program requires you to blow into the ... More About: Musical , Iphone , Instrument , Behold 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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