Task 5: Video Reflections, Yves Behar: Designing objects that tell stories

One of the major take home messages from this video is that sometimes designers have to break away from what other people want them to do, in order to take the design process further. An example being that the design firm Behar was with wanted him to basically only change the outer appearance of a product, as opposed to all aspects of the product, which made him leave the firm and create all these other products, becoming way more involved in his design practice.

The extent to which the user interacts with the product totally influences the product. For example, in the Swarovski Chandelier, where the person uses their finger to trace the desired shape onto a tablet, in turn causing the chandelier to change shape, makes the user more involved with the product, as it is entertaining and people would notice it more throughout the products lifespan. It is also a great talking point as it is so interesting and unique that other people would not have seen before. Another example of this is the Y-water, and how it allows the user to get more out of it. When part of the product is gone (the water), the life span of the product can be extended, as it can be used for other purposes. ie. A toy.

We as designer’s have to become passionate about the project, in order to make it push the idea to its fullest potential, as shown in the $100 laptop project. The people involved with this product were so passionate about it, that they fought with the suppliers and manufacturers, until the end of the design process. You could tell they were emotionally attached to the product, and making sure that it would be affordable to heaps of children, like in Nigeria, or else it would be pointless, as creating affordable laptops was one of their initial goals. They took into consideration the environment in which a child  may be using the laptop, such as being able to read the screen in sunlight, and coating the laptop in rubber to protect it from the environment.

This video has caused me to realize that designer’s have a responsibility of improving people’s lives. Through the products we design, we can affect the way in which people perceive something, through the values that we add to the design. For example, if designers make their products environmentally friendly, then this could in turn influence users.