Project1 Trials - Mortar and Pestle

This is my new design concepts for project one.. The tools i chose to redesign is mortar and pestle. Here is the rough sketch and some notes explaining it's design.

(Click the image to get better resolutions)

In this concept my focus was more on its aesthetics, even though ergonomic and other important things are also considered. I was imagining how it's gonna stand in the kitchen. When it is not used (the pestle isnt turned over), it will stand on the kitchen shelf more likely as a sculpture. It's not like the way a normal mortar-and-pestle looks like.


P.S. If you can't read my yucky handwriting (so sorry!), don't hesitate to ask :)
Feedback would be awesome :D

ciao!

Project 1- Experience Enrichment

In this second semester we have this first project which task is to redesign an everyday hand tool (no electricity is allowed) into a more pleasurable one that enriches and enhances the experiences of the user while engaging in its use.

I found it harder than i thought it would be.. but actually it's kind of challenging since this is the first project we have that we actually designing a real product. This is my first 3 rough design concepts..

Measuring cone

Chopping board

Pasta strainer

Critics : 

- The measuring cone isn't gonna work because it will arouse leaking problem and it's complicated to use since there are lots of steps we have to do to use this product.

- Chopping boards with chute are already out there in the market.

- The pasta stainer have the same problem as the cone as there are so many steps to use this product, making this strainer impractical. The bowl isn't necessarily needed. However there is a good opportunity for improving the pleasurability of preparing the pasta, with less equipment to use.

The critics remind me that the main aim of this project is to redesign a pleasurable hand tools.. And my problem is that those design is impractical and impractical product is not fun and enjoyable, instead it makes the user feel 'obligated' and confuse what he should do first, next, etc. to use the product. After all,  even though i feel sad, i kno those critics is not to make us feel down, instead it helps us to create even better design (hoo i sounds like mommies lol)

WARNING. Read if you want to kno the story behind my ideas. if not, you better scroll down  coz it's gonna be freakin long story hahaha

The thing is, i thought we have to make 3 concepts with new function, new products that never existed! hahaha thats why I spent so much time thinking.. what doesn't exist out there?! Every time i had an idea, i googled and turns out it's out theree. Finally i got the idea of measuring cone when i'm trying to found other product that can replaced measuring spoon (usually have 3 sets of spoon consists of 6 measurements). I thought measuring spoons are boring and it will attract people's interest if there is a new model of measuring spoons.

The design process of the chopping board has different story. I got the idea from my own experience hehe. Every time im using my chopping boards, i find it difficult to collect the chopped objects. I have to direct the food to my plates using knife and it usually ends up messy, that's why i got an idea that it would be really nice if at the end of the chopping board there is a chute to help us pour the foods easily. While the strainer at the other end is based on my observation that people sometimes wash their veggie or fruits first before they chop them..and i thought if i attach a strainer in my chopping board, people won't have to use two different tools and hence they will reduce the time washing dishes hehe.

The strainer has long story as well. Shortly (I began to feel tired of typing hahaha), i thought it would be pleasurable if i could eat the pasta straight from the bowl. So after it is strained i just have to flip the handle, add the sauce, give it a shake (it would be easy because the shape is like a ball haha), release the bowl..and tadaa your pasta is served. But after i saw his facial expression when i was explaining the concept and heard my tutor's comments.. i realised the concept is too complex and maybe i'm the only one who can enjoy using the tools hahahaha.

Bottom line : No matter how hard that day and how sad it is that 2 of my 3 designs were rejected, i learnt so much about designing a product AND...about me! After thinking a while and I look back to my past design works, i realised i tend to make something that is complex and complicated (you could take a look at my past works in this blog and you'll find it true :D). From this moment onwards i'll train myself to be more minimalist!

Omg that's a long writing. Sorry, such a waste of your time hahaha

READ THIS. Dont hesitate to drop any comments if you want to. It's okay even when it's a bad feedback, i won't kill you :D

ciao!

Emotional Design

Don Norman on 3 ways good design makes you happy | Video on TED.com

Don Norman mainly talks about how emotions affects the success of a design and he also points out the idea that a good design is not just about its function and its beauty but also it has to make people feel the story about it.

To convey this idea, one of the products that Don Norman uses as an example is Philippe Starck’s lemon juicer. What’s really interesting is that Starck’s lemon juicer actually can’t be used to make a juice. In fact Don recalled that on his Starck’s gold pleated special edition lemon juicer, there’s a tag saying ‘Don’t use this juicer to make juice as the acid would ruin the gold pleating’. This product is clearly not functional but aesthetically, it’s really beautiful and it has a story that makes it still attractive. Same goes with the Mini Cooper car that Don uses as example, even though this car has lots of faults, people keep buy buying them because they are so much fun to drive.

One idea that Don tried to convey through those examples is that pleasant things work better. It reminds me that as a designer we often put too much focus on function or how a product looks like, we often forget to put some ‘emotions’ to our product, which actually is important as well. It is really challenging to design something that is creative, innovative and at the same time gives users a fun filled experience.

Lastly, from this video I also learned that when we are as consumers considering whether to buy a product or not, we go through 3 level of subconscious processing; visceral, behavioural, and reflective level. On visceral level, we tend to pay more attention to the appearance of a product; whether it has bright or dark colour, if it’s decorative enough for us to collect, et cetera. When on the middle level of processing; behavioural level; it is all about feeling in control which include usability and understanding. It’s like when we are using a neat, sharp knife; we feel the control of the cutting and it gives a satisfying feeling to the user. Finally, the last level of processing is reflective level. At this level we are more concerned about our image, less about the product. There’s ‘a little voice in our head’ watching and saying ‘it’s good, it’s bad’. For example, when we buy something expensive not because that product is better but because it will gives us a luxurious image.

Overall I found this video quite helpful as it gives me a valuable knowledge about human emotions and their correlation with the success of a design.

Shake Shake Shake!

Inside-out salt shaker made from hand-blown borsilicate glass.

Saltside Out by Jason Amendolara for Fred 2009.

ciao!

Feel Like Spinning?

Spun chair by Thomas Heatherwick. Manufactured by Magis, Italy.

 

 

 

 

ciao!