Klaus Krippendorff wrote:
> chris,
> i agree that design can be a passion. but it is too cognitive to become
> lost in its process as one could in downhill skiing, video game playing, or
> flying a glider,
Of course. But my interest is not in flow so much as commitment.
I'm not really happy with the idea that designing or design could be a
passion, I'm more interested in seeing if and how passion is an aspect
of designing.
And of course the word may not be passion, it's just that I and my
colleagues recognised it as seeming to describe a valuable element in a
variety of activities that interest us, including aspects of sport,
craftsmanship, learning and designing.
But to come back to Klaus's point above about designing being too
cognitive to become lost in its process. I remember the first product I
designed which was the best bicycle pump in the world at the time (no
false modesty here :o). There was a little rubber strap that helped to
attach the pump to the bicycle and my original design was chunky and
ribbed which seemed to convey the right feeling. However the way I had
done it introduced some weakness (notches that could start tearing) and
the engineers at the factory redesigned it without asking me to give
some input on the redesign. (I had gone back to college having done this
design work as work experience during my degree)
So the first time I saw the new strap was at a trade fair where the
product was launched. Quite an intense occasion in the circumstances.
The strap was perfectly adequate as a reliable fastening but looked mean
and cheap, conveying none of the sense of usability and style that had
been carefully squeezed into the other aspects of the product. My
reaction was completely visceral and unthinking, I rounded on the
technical director, who really didn't deserve it, and said with great
intensity "This is absolute garbage. It's useless!" He was completely
bemused and probably thought I was just an immature primadonna but it
was an expression of my complete commitment to every aspect of that
product that I had lived with for 4 months of intense effort.
(incidentally the reason why it was a better product than any other was
that it required less effort, allowed a better posture, was nicer to
hold and was made from more durable materials than its competitors, and
it looked great. It sold for twice the price of its competitors and we
sold a lot. I've probably never designed anything quite so good since then)
And flow is not the only feature of video games, my son spends a lot of
time on strategy, preparation, research, shopping, reflection, team-building...
best wishes from Sheffield
Chris
...............................................................o^o
Professor Chris Rust FDRS
Head of Art and Design Research Centre
Sheffield Hallam University, S1 2NU, UK
+44 114 225 6772
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www.chrisrust.net
Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the
future of the human race. - H. G. Wells
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