designsurvivor

[designsurvivor]

Challenge 2A

For this challenge, I thought it would be interesting to manipulate images and make them queerer. The HBO example is most interesting because I believe that companies could easily manipulate their logos during certain times of the year that people would appreciate (such as Christmas, Black history month, Gay pride, Election Day etc). If companies changed their logos on occasion it would convey to their users that they are socially aware. 

The other image represents a number of queer icons that could be included on websites or as emojis. The last picture is a picture of South Beach that was manipulated to also show the queer flag. 

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: Trader Joe’s

Though I hate grocery shopping, what gets me through it is being able to go to Trader Joe’s every week. Trader Joe’s, like what Starbucks aimed for back in the day, creates a local, personalized shopping experience. Part of its charm lies in the murals it hires artists to paint on the walls, which are connected thematically to the city or town the store is located in. Shoppers can also purchase reusable shopping bags that represent the town they live in (I’ve started somewhat of a collection from all the places I’ve lived). Regardless of whether TJ’s is located in San Francisco or Greenville. it evokes a neighborhood-y vibe. Other grocery store chains feel much more corporate and impersonal when you walk through their doors. The friendly staff also contribute to the pleasant environment of TJ’s stores. Last but not least, TJ’s selection of items limit the options shoppers must browse through to find what they want, making grocery shopping much more efficient and stress-free than what it can be.

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: This Photo

I saw this photo on fashion blogger Aimee Song’s Instagram today (https://www.instagram.com/p/BTT4nGHDMe0/) and it immediately put me in summer vacation, wanderlust mode. I think it’s interesting how Instagram has turned the act of taking covetable lifestyle photos like this one into a marketable skill for an entire generation. There are now countless social medialites, including those in my peer group, who spend a significant amount of time marketing themselves on Instagram, not for professional reasons, but for personal and social ones. Overall, I think that Instagram provides a great platform for self expression through the creative act of taking and editing photos. However, sometimes it can feel overwhelming to keep up with one’s peers in showing whose life is the coolest or who can come up with the wittiest subtitles. Regardless, this photo (and Aimee Song’s Instagram in general) is desirable not only because of its aesthetics, but because of the meaning and emotions it conveys to viewers -- yes, about luxury and wealth -- but mostly about a sense of freedom and empowerment. 

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: YSL Lipstick

This week, I decided to post something a bit different from what I usually post - a physical beauty product in the form of YSL lipstick. I have been addicted to YSL lipsticks ever since I tried it for the first time a few years ago. The design of the lipstick is seamless -- everything from the aesthetics of the case (it is exquisite to look at), to the smell (it smells expensive, if that’s possible, and I think it is), to the quality of the lipstick itself (extremely moisturizing and luxurious). I’ve tried different lipsticks besides YSL, but keep coming back to it due to the factors mentioned above, despite its high price point.

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: BSA 3-Speed

A Craigslist bargain, my 1971 Birmingham Small Arms 3 Speed bike is my ticket to cruising around campus in style. My logic was, if it survived from 1971 to 2016 then it should be able to last me through college. You wouldn’t know that it was well built listening to me riding it. I clank and rattle around Harvard Square and screech to a stop at traffic lights. I spent a month where the left pedal somehow wasn’t really connected to the chain, so I was only running on my right leg. It was easy to fix at Quad Bikes though, and now it runs on both legs! I love my bike, I think it puts cheap, crappy bikes to shame with it’s elegance and beautifully shiny wheels and handlebars. 

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: Collapsible Fabric Laundry Hamper

Compared to the mesh hampers that you see around the laundry rooms on campus, my fabric one is positively stylish. I spent a few days without it and I quickly realized the indispensable role that it plays in my dorm decor. It prevented the pile of dirty clothes on the bottom of my closet, and it does it in a pretty decent looking way! My Mum threw it in my suitcase before I left for freshman year, and I was skeptical, but it proved to be a godsend.

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: Uggs

The American fascination with men wearing Uggs has always confused me. I’ve had a pair of Uggs for as long as I can remember, and the fact that they’re unfashionable was never brought up. They’re warm, extremely comfortable, and make your feet feel pretty good, especially in a new pair which is still fluffy inside! Uggs have gone from a winter staple to a statement piece. While I haven’t worn them to class (yet), my trips to the dining hall in them make me feel like I’m strutting the catwalk in Milan.

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: Henley Steward’s Enclosure Badge

The Henley Royal Regatta has come up before in my WIGs, in the form of my Harvard Henley blazer. The essential companion to a Henley Blazer is a handsome badge to go with it. These badges are worn through the buttonhole on a blazer’s lapel, and grant the wearer access to the Steward’s Enclosure at Henley. This is the fanciest viewing and social area, and the one that only the most posh spectators will fork out the money to have access to. Fortunately, as a competitor from Harvard, a Steward’s Enclosure badge comes with your entry into the regatta. The badge is beautiful, it has an enamel face with a new design every year, and a matching ribbon. My badge hangs proudly in my dorm room and is a reminder of the poshest week of my life! 

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: Nikon D5100

A gift from my grandparents a few years ago, my Nikon D5100 is an awesome travel companion that provides a huge step up from the normal happy snaps that I might take on my phone. The image quality is amazing, and the control it gives you over the photo that you’re trying to take makes the whole photographing experience far more engaging.

[designsurvivor]

Challenge 8: pov

The desirability for me is not necessarily about revolutionary concept and business model like what Uber have. It is more about catering the one or two specific need of certain group of people and making sure the needs have been taken good care of. The journey of finding and designing desirability for me would usually start with digging out and identify the problem. Then, narrowing down target audience is also significant. These two steps help me figure out what need that I am going to deal with.

The other part of constructing desirability would involve overall design strategy to catering the target need in multiple level. What I explored more in these challenges is the strategic aspect of product/experience, including “how did the business model integrate with product design” (challenge3: Money Tree) and “What could be the advertisement strategy to promote the biggest selling point of one product (Challenge5 hashtag) ”, because this is the aspect that I don’t usually get access to when I conduct “design”.

What I discovered when reviewing10 challenges is that I have strong preference on digital material/products rather than real object. This bias is not fully due to personal interest, but because of the mind set of designers. As far as I’m concerned, most of the successful industry product is not based on its highly revolutionary concept but the user experience detail. Since I understand what it takes to come up with a successful product and I’m not very confident in mock up (using materials we can get to substitute actual material), it makes me reluctant to try. There are definitely some missing opportunities here.

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: Heineken Commercial | Worlds Apart

Most of us are familiar with the standard advertisement for beer, there is an appealing element to the ad to appeal to the specific user profile for the most common/standard user. Beer advertisements often show how cool you would be if you drank this beer. The best example is of Dos Equis, branding the man in the commercial as the Most Interesting Man in the World.  

Many countries have banned the ability to advertise for alcohol. The USA has faced major criticism for targeting young people. The UK has more strict standards on how to regulate how the advertising.

Interestingly, as of the other day, Heineken made an advertisement to provide voices for everyone and used advertising to make a difference. The outcomes are increasing empathy, sharing differences, and talking. All for the sake of sharing a beer together. Yes, alcohol can be abused and often is, but there are moments when it helps. When we share feelings, work together and a drink we can create a bond. This advertisement is desirable because it is able to powerfully share what happens when we connect together.

Though, I may not drink Heineken I may be more apt to purchase it knowing their values of human connection. And, I will remember this advertisement below.

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: Cabot Wallet

When I first arrived on campus and checked in to grab my room key, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my house provides wallets for all of its incoming sophomores. It’s the perfect size, has an outside compartment for my college ID and fits all of my cards, all while being small enough to fit in my front pocket. Plus it has my house emblem embossed! I think the biggest draw with this product is that it holds sentimental and personal value.

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: Pilot Precise Rolling Ball Pens

At the start of this semester, I decided it was time to invest in new pens. As always, I turned to Amazon in search of the cheapest and highest quality product I could find. I knew I wanted rollerball pens, which tend to be on the pricier side. I ended up purchasing these and have absolutely fallen in love, save for the fact that sometimes it’s tricky to get the ink to release. I think through this product especially I’ve realized how much convenience comes into play when consumers are purchasing a product - I could have easily gone to a CVS to purchase pens, but I wanted something high quality and cheap, and I wanted to peruse a lot of different options. 

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: Gilco

Glico is a Japanese snack called pocky. Pocky is just chocolate covered pretzel sticks. Aspects of this product that I really like are how it’s sweet and chocolatey without feeling like a guilty desert, the portion size, and its packaging. The snack is small enough to fit in a purse or large wallet. Pocky also comes in a variety of flavors.

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: Cylindrical Laundry Hamper

Before coming to college, I purchased a mesh laundry hamper very similar to the one pictured. It was a rectangular prism, with metal poles on each of its four edges and mesh in between. At the time I thought it was a great purchase - a cool aspect of it was that it could fold into a one dimensional rectangle. By the end of the year, however, the metal had broke through the fabric and the integrity of its shape had been compromised. When it came to buy another hamper, I decided to go with a cylinder, hoping for a better design. I’ve been extremely pleased - my new hamper can compress down into a one dimensional circle, the metal wires have yet to break, and the wiring spirals down the hamper giving it more support. Although comparable in price, size, and material, my new cylindrical hamper is a much better product, simply due to the fact that it is designed so much better. 

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: Pansonic Headphones

I lose a pair of headphones a month, so I’ve gone through quite a few pairs. As such, my ideal product is cheap enough to be easily replaceable while still providing decent sound quality. I’ve tried literally every product imaginable, and thus far, these Pansonics have definitely been the best. For starters, they’re only five dollars. They come in a couple of different colors which is nice, and the sound quality is pretty decent. The only thing I don’t like about the headphones is how uncomfortable they can get. If I were to redesign the headphones, I’d add some sort of padding around the ear piece - I believe the extra padding would practically nothing will giving a lot more to the product.

[designsurvivor]

What I’ve Got: Record Player

This is my record player! It’s baby blue, was super cheap, has bluetooth, and is awesome. Although it would be nice to have a record player that has better sound quality, I can’t really afford one at the moment. Until I can, baby blue will do. Great design aspects include the bluetooth function as well as it’s ability to close up into a suitcase to make it easier for transport.