What design principles used in architecture, photography and product design can you use in an interactive product
The first thoughts come from architecture duo Weiss/Manfredi. âListen carefullyâ they say, âbecause there is usually some other fabulous thing that you are not aware of, and can be used to make the design richer and strongerâ (Costa Duran & R. Eguaras, 2009, p. 120). Sometimes we rush into things. At least I do. Maybe due to a deadline or because you think youâve found the best solution to your problem. But we must not forget to be good listeners.
âWe are seduced into trying to design every conditionâ. Something I recognize. Instead Weiss/Manfredi hope to incorporate the unexpected affects, âsuch as the play of car lights on a metal surface to enrich and animate a designâ (Costa Duran & R. Eguaras, 2009, p. 123). Though designing multiple states and screens is a necessity in digital design, it would be interesting to see if we can incorporate unexpected affects in an interactive product, without leaving to chance. Which brings us back to Dieter Rams and one of his ten principles for good design: âGood design is thorough down to the last detailâ.
The multidisciplinary architecture studio Jakob + MacFarlane took a step back in one of their projects.âThey chose to be secondary to the car, which they wanted to be seen as the object of primary presenceâ in a parking lot they designed (Costa Duran & R. Eguaras, 2009, p. 182). Sometimes itâs about taking a background position.
Compared to architecture, digital design is still in its infancy. Many buildings that have existed for hundreds of years are still functional, beautiful buildings today, while most of the digital products we design have a life span of a few months or years (Sauble, 2015).
International firm Despond Architekten says: âSustainability, being the agenda of the new millennium, means extending the life span of a product, such as a building, as long as possibleâ (Costa Duran & R. Eguaras, 2009, p. 185). We should also try to extend the life span of digital products. Though computing is a young discipline, Daniel Sauble has thought about a few practical things you can do to get started, including understanding the entire lifecycle of your products and creating an idealized vision of the future and advocate for it (Sauble, 2015).
Do not forget to use what is already in the space
With her own office GORA art&landscape landscape architect and artist Monika reminds us to not forget to use what is already in the space. The project Pat the Horse originate from the existing sculpture of the Swedish King Charles X, making it more accessible by enabling passers-by to interact with the sculpture at close range (Costa Duran & R. Eguaras, 2009, p. 189).
âFocus on the larger form first and then on the detailsâ. Studio Saunders Architecture believes that the composition of a piece of architecture is most powerful when it has a strong shape and clear identity (Costa Duran & R. Eguaras, 2009, p. 235). However, in the digital design the difference between good and bad experiences often comes down to how thoughtful we can design these small details (Babich, 2017). Details are just as important as the bigger picture. Instead of reducing the importance of details what Saunders architecture suggests, focus on the larger form first and make sure it works. Only after that you can go wild on details.
Respond to the environment
Architect Thomas Rau reminds us of the following fact: âLight can only be seen as color, and color exists through lightâ (Costa Duran & R. Eguaras, 2009, p. 266). Unlike print, we, designers of interactive products, have te luxury to respond to the context/environment a user is in. We should take advantage of this.
During my visit to Foam, photography museum, I came across a serie named folded. Danish artist Adam Jeppesen chooses the material that he uses carefully. The materiality of his works mirrors the temporality and mobility of a traveling existence: you can fold it up and thus easy to carry. Though we do not have the freedom to choose from hundreds of different textures when we design an app, we should carefully think about the materials we use and its consequences.
In an article from Smashing Magazine Dave Schools highlights six product design principles, including Beauty Underneath. Schools claims that âwhen the user of a product unexpectedly discovers beauty underneath (the hidden value), they will want to continue using the productâ (Schools, 2015, par. 4). He mentions the hidden power sockets underneath a table he once sat at. When he could not find power sockets anywhere near the table, he was happily surprised when someone told him that there was one in the table. This is an example of a âlagniappeâ or if you are not familiar with the term: âan extra bonus of giftâ. âA good product does exactly what it says, and then adds a âlagniappeâ (Schools, 2015, par. 4).
Another example I encountered in the book âAdaptian strategies for interior architecture and designâ. In metro stations moving from A to B is with no doubt the primary concern. As Brooker describes it: âUnexpected qualities, such as integrated sculpture and art work, are often not considered to be fundamental elements of a busy transport interchangeâ (Brooker, 2017, p. 94). In 2006, a number of new stations would be furnished with design work and art installations by both local and international designers and artists. No longer would the metro station be a space solely for transit. Karim Rashid designed the metro station to enable interaction and surprise with its passengers, stimulate thinking and reflection as they continue their journey (Brooker, 2017).
Design should make you feel something
In episode 7 of Netflixâs eight-part docuseries, âAbstract: The Art of Designâ, itâs photographer Platonâs turn. For him âthe camera is nothing more than a tool. Platon: âWhatâs important is the story, the message, the feeling, the connection. How do you make this reach people?â (Neville, 2017). This is definitely something we, designers, should ask ourselves. Design for emotion.
âLet your eyes lead you to the right spotâ. The leading lines in Julius Shulmanâs iconic photograph of Stahl House guide the viewerâs eye. The viewer will be lost without an underlying structure to your composition according to Garoll (Garroll, 2017, p.10). Direct where the eye will look in your design.
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