Design Intelligence #4

1. I felt that the author had a few main points in this chapter. I thought that the physical attraction between the person and the object was very important. Humans are attracted to things that are pleasant to our senses. We enjoy sweet fruits, soft materials, and pleasant odors. Our initial perceptions of an object are very important because it is usually the only chance we get at evaluating an object. Therefore it is extremely important that companies make their products stand out and catch our eye. Another key point that came up during this chapter was the function of a product. I think that function is a key point because if a product does not do the job it was created to do then the designers have failed and the product will not sell. I was not surprised to learn that most designers do not actually test their products on real people. I thought that the story about the cup holders was very interesting. I thought that the automobile companies were idiots for ignoring the need for cup holders in their cars. It should be obvious to them that the consumer must be comfortable in their product and not giving them such amenities as a cup holder seems somewhat mean.

2. This chapter is similar to the previous chapter that I read because it provides pitfalls in design that companies fall into. The chapter reflects on previous ideas given in the previous chapter such as the importance of feedback. One thing that the author touched on that he did not before was why companies usually fall into the design traps.

3. To me, a good visceral design is a car that everyone thinks looks cool. I think that when people turn their heads to look at a car going down a road, the manufacturer has done their job pretty well. When a person steps into a show room and sits in a car and they are so comfortable that they can actually see themselves driving in it, the manufacturer has done their job. There are many products that I think succeed very well as visceral design but I wanted to think of a product that did just one thing only. It seems very hard; multifunction products are omnipresent in this age. A lighter is a product that just does one thing, it lights fires and it does it very well. There are also design enhancements to this product. There are simple lighters that are made out of plastic and disposable and the more elegant Zippos that are made out of metal, some even have intricate designs carved on them. Again I will have to use a car as a reflective design success. Driving an expensive car is a status symbol everywhere in the world. Luxury automobiles are not the only type of cars that send a message. Driving a hybrid is making a statement about how you want to help the environment. Driving a sports car may send a message that you enjoy driving. Different cars can send different messages.