Design Matters

Does the average person realize they have needs that are met be well designed products?  In Garr Reynolds brief 2004 online article “Why Design Matters“, he states, “…design is about humans creating great works that help or improve the lives of other humans, often in profound ways, and often in ways that are quite small and go unnoticed.” Design has the ability to change human lifes, what a great statement. What a true statement.

Although it may not be obvious to most, the manner inwhich an object, product or service is designed is one of the main reasons individuals consume  items, products or services. Cars are sold based on the exterior design. Typically, it is what attracts the customer to a particular vehicle; however, the components underneathe the hood are also designed to be just as attractive and efficient to the customer to enhance the driving experience.  Another example are one to two year trade programs designed to educate and equip students with the knowledge needed to begin  successful careers.  These programs are planned to get individuals trained in a designated period of time and to almost gaurantee a promising future in that industry. Then there is the ergonomically designed iPhone that can has several capabilities that is designed to allows users to call or text friends, play video games, send and receive emails, take pictures and even record and upload video. This nifty gadget met a need millions of people did not even know they had.  However, they bought into it because of its design, functionality and its ability to meet several needs.

Design matters because of the planning and organization necessary to identify peoples’ conscious and unconscious needs.  It must be done well, as Reynolds points out, to change people’s lives.  Poorly designed products have no use.  Almost overnight the ipod replaced the Walkman because it was light weight, easy to carry, and could store more songs than people could ever imagine possible.  The ipod revolutionized the way active individuals ran and exercised.  The Walkman was just too bulky with limited options.  This just goes to show, a well designed product not only meets a conscious or unconscious need, but its buying benefits are more readily obvious to the consumer.

We as humans and consumers are attracted to those items that seem to have some sort of buying benefit. In the apparel manufacturing and retailing  components of the fashion industry a buying benefit is the positive result a customer should receive when wearing a garment.  Wise manufacturers and retailers place those buying benefits in the description of the garments, when possible, along with selling points to bring to the shoppers attention the positive aspects of the garment’s design when the customer is considering purchasing and wearing a garment. For example, a one piece bathing suit designed to camaflouge the adominal area or not so toned “tummy” may be advertised to women who are conscious about that area of thier bodies.  The garment may be described as rouching in the side seams to minimize and flatter body curves. The rouched side seams is the selling point while the effect of minimizing and flattering the body curves are the buying benefits. This is important to understand because during the design process the “designer” thought about the needs of the intended user/wearer of the garment and sought to satisfy those needs. Good design (and good designers) do just that– satisfy the customer’s needs in a positive manner, which is done correctly will change lives.

So yes, design matters in all fields, industries, and trades. A well planned and organized product that is appealing to the consumer because of its appearance (design) and ultimate ‘buying benefits’ will change that individual’s life because the designer planned it to meet that consumer’s conscious and unconscious needs.

Photographs tell the Story

Pictures are visual cues that can never be substituted by words.  Printed media such as newspaper, magazines, and even books understand the impact a photograph has on the reader which is why the text or content of the story is usually supported by a photography.  Without the photograph the cover story or headline would not be as impressive or memorable.  The main character of a book could take on any appearance the reader could imagine. Would we be able to image Harry Potter as J.K Rowling indented without the cover illustration? The truth of the matter is that pictures are needed to support the content and to guide (not necessarily to sway) readers’ thoughts.

Great headlines… Hurricane Katrina Devastates New Orleans,  The New Orleans Saints Win the Superbowl, September 11th,  all supported by a memorable photograph that in essence summarized each story with visual emotion that told the story to the reader needing olny the headline text to support it.  It is the picture that can become more memorable that the text itself.  Some readers will study the picture in detail before and after reading the text. It is the picture that stays with the reader longer than the words.  For individuals that were not first hand witnesses of Hurricane Katrina, the mere mention of the hurricane evokes visual images of the devastation shared through photographs that are stored in their memories.  The same is true for September 11th.  The image of smoke billowing from the Twin Towers prior to their collapse for many calls back to mind the entire episode that is 9/11.

Photographs are necessary to tell the story. They connect emotionally to the reader and leave a mental imprint that is lasting.

New Thinking has to Wait on Today’s Users

After reading “Old Thinking Permeates Major Journalism School” a blog post by Alana Taylor that very candidly expressed her thoughts on a NYU undergraduate journalism course  that focuses on electronic reporting used by Generation Y.   Miss Taylor, who admits that she is more involved and interested in social media than most of her peers and classmates, is definitely an innovator and supportive of journalistic change.

Innovators of new directions are often the more opinionated people. They are also the persons that will have some sort of input in the direction in which that new direction will take. I hope she will become one of the pioneers of  mega blogging networks.  And years later when yet a new form of media is introduced and embraced by “generation futuristic”– the grandchildren of Quarterlifers;  when Twitter and blogging and the like will be viewed as ‘old school’ or ‘dinosaurs’ of media, will the opinion of Miss Taylor change?  Will she see herself as Professor Quigley, merely trying to understand the behavior and mind-set of the  newest generation while at the same time attempting to show the parallels of traditional blogging and the new media platform that will be emerging.  Will she require her students to carry a bulky iPhone  so that they may be able to access certain apps?  How many blogs will she require them to read as examples of prize-winning blogging?  Miss Taylor need only take a step back and realize that she and the other NYU students and the NYU journalism program is in a transitional period.

Staying Connected with Friends has Meaning

The ability to electronically stay in touch with friends is great. We can share pictures, send jokes, and even quick updates about some personal situation. However there are times when a phone call or a face-to-face conversation is needed to connect friends. It does not matter how many emotional icons are placed into a message, they can not replace true emotion and personal interaction. Personal interaction keeps us human. It opens up opportunities for us to easily and freely communicate.

My Thoughts About Technical Journalism

Honestly, my current understanding of "technical journalism" is limited
to online newspapers, magazines, and websites that I regularly use for
information. I am not one for reading online publications regularly, I
still enjoy the old paper copy (it is better on the eyes); however I
understand the value they have and the ability to reach individuals
across the globe. I look forward to learning more about creating,
designing and maintaining blogs, websites and other related techniques
and software.
From this experience I expect to learn new software and how to edit
video. I guess learning about the ethics of journalism would not be bad
either. Gaining a good foundation in the technical side of journalism is
a good idea. I hope to one day be more involved in journalism. It is my
hope that this experience will give me the technical foundation
knowledge I need.