designBytes 06.28.10

06.28.2010
Welcome to designBytes, the electronic newsletter of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). Here's the latest design and design-related news we've collected from around the Web.

• Impressions of the iPhone 4: The iPhone 4 was a popular subject around the blogosphere last week. Its design received praise and scorn. That’s an atypical early reaction for Apple products which are often the gold standard of design in their categories. Amid all the hullabaloo, Core77 shared reasoned, yet enthusiastically appreciative impressions. They also chatted with Jonathan Ive. If you’re only going to read one thing about Apple this week, you should read both of Core77’s posts from last week—starting with the Ive chat: http://www.core77.com/blog/object_culture/core77_speaks_with_jonathan_ive_on_the_design_of_the_iphone_4_material_matters_16817.asp.
  
  
• Celebrating World Industrial Design Day: Tomorrow—or Tuesday, June 29—will mark the annual observance of World Industrial Design Day. This year, events will focus on the theme of how industrial design can contribute to humane solutions for a resilient world. For a complete list of what is happening in your country, check out the Icsid calendar: http://www.icsid.org/events/events/calendar535.htm.
  
  
• Karim Rashid on Information Aesthetics in Industrial Design: What does Karim Rashid consider aesthetic in information? What are the concepts behind terms like blobject, infosthetics, pleasurtronics, technorganic, digipop or infotainment? How will design be able to solve our ever increasing information addiction? If it all sounds terrifically ambitious, that’s because it is. But this interview is worth a read: http://infosthetics.com/archives/2010/06/interview_karim_rashid_about_information_aesthetics_in_industrial_design.html.
  
  
• Good Morning from Paola Antonelli: NYC-based Swiss Miss runs a series of design conversations called CreativeMornings. During the most recent session with Paola Antonelli, the audience learned that Antonelli aspires to be a “curious octopus.” They also learned she believes this is a great moment for design, although not so much for architects who don’t get to practice nearly as much as they used to. We haven’t seen video of the session online yet, but Paul Soulellis has a detailed recap of the talk on his studio’s blog: http://soulellis.com/2010/06/creative_morning_with_paola_an.html.
  
  
• We Have One Winner. Can We Get Another?: Last month, IDSA held a drawing to comp a registration and pay for hotel accommodations for one lucky registrant for IDSA’s 2010 DIY Conference in Portland. Priority Designs’ Chris Daniels, IDSA won that drawing. And you could be next! We’re doing one more drawing for a FREE conference registration and FREE hotel accommodations. All you have to do is register for the conference by July 6 in order to be eligible. Don’t wait! Register for IDSA’s DIY Conference today! http://idsadiy2010.org/info/.
  
  
• Innovation’s Dirty Little Secret: Reasonable people could assume that innovation has several dirty secrets. Writing for Bloomberg BusinessWeek Jeneanne Rae, IDSA revealed one of them. (Hint: this one has to do with investing in resources to make an organization more adaptable.) She also shared examples of two companies that do it well and provided tips for how yours can do it better: http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/jun2010/id20100621_275035.htm.
  
  
• Is Design Thinking a Useful Myth?: If you missed the essay Don Norman, IDSA published last week, you missed a doozy. He raised that question and answered in two parts. First: “Design thinking is a public relations term for good, old-fashioned creative thinking. It is not restricted to designers.” Second: “It positions design in a unique way, forcing companies to view design differently than before. The emphasis on ‘thinking’ makes the point that design is more than a pretty face: it has substance and structure.” Go here for the full piece: http://www.core77.com/blog/columns/design_thinking_a_useful_myth_16790.asp.
  
  
• Don Norman Is Not Alone: In a separate essay that chronicled the history of design thinking from Tim Brown, IDSA through Larry Keeley, Affiliate IDSA through Roger Martin, Dave Cronin attempted to wrap his head around design thinking and differentiate it from other business strategies. In the end, he definitely wrapped his head around it. But did he differentiate it? Take the brief journey with him to find out: http://www.cooper.com/journal/2010/06/thinking_about_design_thinking.html.
  
  
• Oil, Everywhere: The headline story that has spilled from the spring into the summer and is threatening the fall is the massive BP oil leak. There may be lessons designers can take from it—especially where the design of the well is concerned. But it could be something above us as well. Scott Henderson, IDSA has sparked an interesting conversation via this noble brainstorming exercise: http://boards.core77.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=21856.
  
  
• The Greening and Universal-ing of India’s Design Education System: India’s National Institute of Design (NID) will expand its capabilities in both eco-design and universal design as it enters its golden jubilee year this November. NID announced the moves in response to multidisciplinary demands from students and the Indian design community. The institute is also developing solutions to address emerging packaging design needs in the country. For the complete story, visit: http://www.sindhtoday.net/news/2/149583.htm.
  
  
• Heal the World...With Design: Last week, IDSA joined AIGA and a host of design organizations, media entities and architecture firms to launch the Living Principles of Design, a community-maintained framework of shared wisdom that seeks to “guide purposeful action while celebrating and popularizing the efforts of those who use design thinking to create positive cultural change.” We certainly hope you’ll join us in expanding the framework all of us can use in the practice of our profession to make the world a better place for you and for me. http://www.livingprinciples.org/.
  
  
• Why Is Ireland Lagging Behind in Industrial Design?: Designers, scholars and government officials have wrestled with that question over and over since it was first raised...in 1932. Despite the best efforts of the “The Scandinavian Report” (published in 1962) and the Kilkenny Design Workshops (which ran from 1965 to 1988), the question persists. In this probing editorial from the Irish Times, we get a pretty complete history of the Irish design dilemma—and a look at what may be different this time: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/innovation/2010/0625/1224272921047.html.
  
  
• Winning (And Losing) at the World Cup: We are—much like you may be—still heartbroken over the result of the USA v. Ghana match in the knockouts. Insofar as work can provide some solace, Alice Rawsthorn checks in with a timely consideration of the design successes and failures that have emerged from South Africa. One surprise winner: Nike. One source of controversy that surprises no one: the Jabulani. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/arts/28iht-design28.html.
  
  
• In the Footsteps of Loewy?: Saab’s new design director, Jason Castriota, will oversee design for the auto brand but won’t exactly be a company man. Instead, his firm’s relationship with Saab will mirror the relationship Raymond Loewy, FIDSA used to have with Studebaker or the collaboration between Henry Dreyfuss, FIDSA and Polaroid. That’s elite company to be sure. It also implies that Castriota’s design work could help restore Saab to the position it occupied among luxury car brands in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Time, as it tends to do, will tell. http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/22/saabs-future-can-be-found-in-saabs-past-says-its-new-designer/.
  
  
• Macho, Macho Van: Rumors have been circulating that Chrysler Group is borrowing from its Dodge Grand Caravan to design what has been dubbed “the man van.” The alleged mini-van is said to be aimed at providing a macho, kid-and-stuff-transporting option for soccer dads. Dealerships expect it to be rolled out in the second half of this year. No word yet on whether Randy Savage will be featured in the marketing campaign. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704629804575325060906283900.html.
  
  
• How to Design Cities for People Instead of Cars: We can imagine that Robert Moses is spinning in his grave. Perhaps with good reason. To eliminate cars from cities completely wouldn’t solve every transportation problem we face. Although this Fast Company slide show of urban planning concepts exhibiting at New York's Center for Architecture does raise an important question: what is the right, sustainable balance of pedestrian and machine traffic in urban, suburban and exurban environments? http://www.fastcompany.com/pics/how-design-cities-people-instead-cars#0.
  
  
• The Mysteries of Tobias Wong: As the design community continues to unravel the unusual death of the world-class design provocateur, a memorial service in New York may have helped advance the understanding of the man and how he met his untimely demise. After talking with a number of design cognescenti at Wong’s memorial service, the New York Times offers a thoughtful exploration of the life that drove the work: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/27/fashion/27Wong.html.
  
  
• What's Happening This Week(s):
  
  • June 29: World Industrial Design Day (Earth)
  • June 29: Thirsty Tuesday (Atlanta)
  • June 30: Design Engine Education Tutorial (Chicago)
  • July 1: Strom Studio Open House (St. Paul, MN)
  • July 12: Design of Medical Devices Seminar (Columbus, OH)
  • July 13: Sustainable Minds Reception for Educators (Boston)
  • July 19: Softball with IDSA Boston (Boston)
  • July 28: 3BY10 July (Portland)

  
  For more info, visit the Events Page at http://www.idsa.org/events.htm. To include your upcoming event, please e-mail it to designBytes@idsa.org.
  
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