Product Pitch
This design project is focused on the development of a new, multifunctional sofa, Vert. It will be designed for contemporary, quality-driven, forward-thinking and environmentally-aware customers whose primary needs are excellence in terms of aesthetics, ergonomics, and many other furniture properties; and ecological sustainability of utilized materials and all involved production processes.
Moderate price is important for them as well yet they see a purchase as an investment and, thus, instead of looking for just a cheap item, they search for optimal cost-benefit ratios. As for the product’s market category, Gray (2010) notes that it “gives an important frame of reference for the target customer, from which they will base comparisons and perceive value” (para. 2). Thus, Vert, which means “green” in French, will fall under a broad market category of home furniture, yet its intrinsic characteristics will link it to a narrower niche of wood-based, designer furniture.
The key benefit and the main value of the product is eco-friendliness as it is meant to make target customers buy into the idea of Vert. The main competitor that currently offers similar product benefits is IKEA, and its main advantage is affordability of the furniture provided by the company.
Nevertheless, IKEA designs are mass-oriented and produced by using inexpensive materials, while most of its products have traditional, Scandinavian style. At the same time, unique aesthetics, combining wood and certified organic textiles in emerald green tones, as well as simple yet modernist shapes, will differentiate Vert from everything else existing in the market.
Product Implications
Vert will be developed in accordance with the principles of human-centered design and will aim to accommodate all possible human needs associated with the everyday use of the sofa. According to Norman (2013), a good design implies smooth object-user interaction and communication, “indicating what actions are possible, what is happening, and what is about to happen” (p. 8). In the case of Vert, its primary functions will be easy to comprehend because the overall structure of the sofa will be similar to the one observed in traditional furniture designs and will invite users to sit and relax.
Some of the furniture properties will be hidden and, therefore, it may be difficult to discover them at first sight. For instance, one may be able to transform Vert into a bed and make use of two retractable side shelves for placing drinks, books, and other items on them. Small grips will indicate places from where different parts of the sofa will be pulled out, but they are indented to be organically integrated into the design and may thus be unnoticeable. To facilitate and increase users’ control over Vert’s multiple properties, removable, before-use signifiers explaining how to transform the sofa will be placed on the grips. Additionally, the explanation will be given in the product description brochure. In this way, it will be possible to achieve maximum utility without compromising the aesthetics and produce a highly successful design.
Cultural Implications
Design is frequently used as a method to communicate different ideas and messages. As an example of the 20-century urban design in Stockholm described by Nyström and Lundström (1978) demonstrates, streets and buildings were arranged in a way that encouraged and facilitated commercial activities in the area and, thus, it was in line with the capitalist culture. According to a similar principle, Vert’s design conforms to the environmentalist culture and certain green values (sustainability, slow and conscious consumption, and so forth), and it places the product in a broader social and even political context.
As Sierra (2015) states, people do not just want to use tools but also desire to be successful in that what those tools help them to do. In this regard, Vert may be viewed as an instrument for active participation in environmental protection endeavors or merely for making a statement about one’s values.
At the same time, aesthetic properties of the item, such as color and shape, will allow transcending social and cultural barriers. For instance, a green color is associated with something positive in most of the cultures: eternity and vitality in many of Asian countries, respect and honor in the Muslim world, and so forth (Pastoureau 2014). Moreover, environmental sustainability is currently a global trend while the use of natural materials is highly valued and revered in many craftsmanship traditions around the globe. Thus, it is valid to say that Vert will be accepted within many different cultures.
Summary
This product design project was developed based on the knowledge acquired throughout the course, which was extremely helpful in gaining an understanding of how users perceive various objects, places, and online platforms.
The information retrieved from multiple sources during studies also supported the development of insight into the role of design in human lives. The topics of user experience, human-centered design, and its attributes were particularly interesting and useful. By learning about such concepts as affordance, discoverability, mapping, and others and analyzing their influences on the way people interact with different items, one becomes able to create successful designs. Product created when considering these design principles and concepts may favorably impact individual lives and make users return to the band/company. In this way, good human-centered design becomes a prerequisite for brand profitability.
References
Gray, D. (2010). Elevator pitch. Gamestorming. Web.
Norman, D. (2013). The design of everyday things. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Nyström, L., & Lundström, M. (1978). Sweden: The life and death and life of great neighbourhood. Built Environment, 32(1), 32-52.
Pastoureau, M. (2014). Green: The history of a color. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Sierra, K. (2015). Badass: Making users awesome. Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly.