Introduction
The primary focus of the video series “Objectified” is the impact of design on the everyday life of an individual. It analyzes different perspectives of the importance of design and how it influences perception, innovation and above all changes in the way in which people interact with objectives in their surroundings.
Furthermore, it questions the logic behind the production of goods with design features that neglect aesthetics, comfort and usability when the implementation of design features that complement the usability of a product is not all that hard to do.
In fact it is implied in the documentary that effective product design involves not only aesthetic quality but usability as well which results in greater consumer patronage for a particular type of product.
Current Trends in Aesthetic Design
What must be understood is that based on the documentary it can be seen that one of the current trends in society today is the proliferation of poorly designed items that have usability but neglect to take into account comfort, aesthetic quality and how a customer feels about using that particular product.
The documentary implies that a large percentage of people are inherently uncomfortable in using a lot of products in the present due to poor design quality yet put up with it due to the lack of alternatives.
What must be understood is that based on the views of author and columnist Rob Walker people inherently desire good design in the products they buy and utilize and as such it is this very perspective that is the secret behind the success of Apple and Target in that they incorporate elements of good design into their business procedures in order to come up with product line ups that appeal to the aesthetic desires of consumers.
Current Perspectives Regarding Design
It is interesting to note that another view expressed by the documentary is the fact that the despite human society advancing into a whole new stage of technological development people still cling to old design perspectives in the products they develop.
The example given is the standard shape of most digital cameras today that conform to a basic flat rectangular shape despite the fact that digital cameras no longer require film that the classic rectangular design was built for. The documentary goes onto imply that people tend to cling to old design elements despite advances in technology that have taken away the necessity of such classic designs being implemented.
Despite the presence of new polymers, resins, plastics and metals that make it so that everyday household items such as chairs and tables can now be redesigned into configurations that promote both comfort and aesthetic quality people still apparently cling to the old ways which are quite surprising to take into account.
Importance of Effective Product Design
It must also be noted that based on the views of Rob Walker, an author and columnist for the New York Times, it can be seen that effective product design is an important aspect in selling any product yet due to the nature of innovation products keep on changing and improving on a daily basis resulting in the need to change and reevaluate the way in which current design methods are done in order to take into account new technological innovations which shape the way in which people live.
In fact, such a viewpoint is expressed by Jonathan Ive in which he says that design innovations help to change the way in which people perceive the world that they are in at the present. In that effective design incorporates an aesthetic perspective along with functional usability in order to create a product that goes beyond being just a product but a way in which people begin to define how products in that particular category should look.
Elements of Good Design
Towards the end of the documentary, the views of Dieter Rams are taken into consideration as to what constitutes effective design. He elaborates on his views that from advertising to architecture, there are far too many added aspects to their overall design, which detracts from the finished product as a whole.
For him good design is innovative, makes a product useful, has a certain degree of aesthetic quality, makes a product understandable and lastly good design incorporates as little design as possible. In other words for Rams, a practical design project includes as small obtrusive additions as possible and in effect is simple, clear, direct and is able to bring about a certain degree of aesthetic appreciation in consumers.
It is based on this that he states that the most innovative technology company at the present that takes such factors into consideration is Apple due to its utilization of a design scheme that is not only simple but is aesthetically pleasing due to its simplicity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the entire documentary presented various interesting viewpoints regarding the types of design schemes that go into particular products. It is an enlightening look as to how aesthetic design, functionality and simplicity work together to create an effective design scheme that entices consumers to buy a product not only for its usability but due to its aesthetic quality and the ease by which it can be utilized.