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Weekly 11 “Citizen Designer - The do good Pledge.”

This means we are all have the responsibility to do good all the time. We all should be using the standards of the “Golden Rules” in our lives. As a person that have lived all over world and served in the military, I confessed that I took the pledge when I decided to serve and protect our freedoms. My outlook has been this way ever since I was born. My grandparents, aunts and uncles taught these rules of ethics to our entire family. So that pledge was instilled in me from the beginning.

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Week 11 Reading Reflection

The concept of Sao Paolo outlawing billboard advertising was very interesting. The sheer volume of approximately 13,000 billboards is a vast amount of space to take up making the landscape less appealing. The argument of the billboards blocking light on the street making it less safe was a ploy to make some people rich. From the reading, understanding that pollution of our physical environment may be rooted in the pollution of our mental environment is something to think about for the future. Another thing that was interesting was to find out the history of the “Nike” Swoosh. It is my opinion that Carolyn Davidson was exploited for her design. I think professors tend to use their students ideas to get rich. Most of the cultures in the world tend to protect their cultures. However, as a whole the African American brand and cultural have been exploited. If blacks marketed their cultural like the Irish, Italian, and Germans do, we would be better represented in the world today.

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Week 10 Weekly Blog - Communication Design

What I think David Berman means by the “World is our common design project” is that we all can and will contribute to this design project call society. We all have had a part in designing things in our time on this earth. Just as we, all did in the classroom with our A04 Group project. We all have taken time and effort to be design thinkers in addition to begin the designer. We as ordinary people have not really expanded upon David’s quote, but if you look what he has said. In our own way, we have designed something. For instance the way you arrange posters on the way in your dorm room. Like the way I have decorated my home, from the type of furniture, to the color of the paint on my walls.  As he stated in his book “Do Good Design” the project is a simple as our web browser to a customize ringtone on your phone. We all have a part in the project. One example is my car, I have a 2006 Acura TL I changed the stock rims to Black rims because I thought it look cool. In addition to my Tumblr page, I used a picture of my wife and me, along with the beautiful view of Gaeta, Italy where I used to live to design my page.  Lastly, the music I have on my phone is my personal playlist. I have time arranged by activity. I designed it that way so I would not have to shuffle through music when I am doing a specific task.

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25 posts! Boy my mind and fingers are tired.

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Week 10 Reading Reflection

As I read David B. Berman’s book “Do Good Design” my eyes were opened to a completely new way of thinking. As he explains in the book, we all should do Good and the time to commit is now; it will be true to your profession. Always be true to thy self, if we all spent 10 percent of our professional time helping repair the world.  This would be a better place to live.  In the book, the conversation between David and his daughter Hannah peaked my interest. The conversation was about a milk advertisement that is as follows, “Drink Milk. Love Life,” Hannah who does not drink milk was confused by this. She wondered if she did not drink milk, would she not love life as the advertisement stated. As David explained to her, she voice and opinion I believe we all should ask if an advertisement lies. Hannah ask, “Why are the allowed to say that if it isn’t true?” I think that is a great question, which needs to be answered. This book has many valid points that needs to be addressed in our society especially when it comes to design thinking and advertisement.

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Week 9 Blog: Industrial Design Brooks Stevens

Brook Stevens was born on June 7, 1911 in Milwaukee, WI Stevens was a well know Industrial designer who was a pioneer in his industry. Brooks works included automotive, appliance, trains, and many more products. Stevens put Milwaukee on the map with his inspirational designs.  In many ways, Stevens was a one of a kind person. His influence in the industrial design industry put Milwaukee on the map, as one of the well know places for industrial design. Stevens stayed in Milwaukee because he wanted to become his own person. Usually most designers move to well-known cities to establish themselves in addition to getting notoriety for their works. Not Stevens, he loved his family tradition and with the automotive industry and the factories that were located in Milwaukee. This was the place to be. Stevens had all the inspiration and resources to do anything he wanted to do. He really enjoyed his life and was proud of his state and city.

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WEEK 9 Reading Reflection

I noticed throughout Tim Brown’s book “Change by Design; How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation.”  It is apparent; Tim wants whomever reads this book to be a better design thinker. He gives you a chance to read and understand his point of writing this book. As a person that will not be in the design industry, I found this book very helpful in learning how to tackle ways to begin the design process. It seems that Tim wants you approach design as an activist, with the hope of making you inspire solutions with global potential. I learned that some of the greatest design thinkers have always had great challenges when attempting to design. For instance, when the Romans planned to deliver fresh water to Imperial Rome, they faced many challenges. However with critical thinking, perseverance, and had work this dream became a reality. In conclusion, Tim fosters general welfare of humanity over self-serving agendas. In Tim’s book, he has shown how designer’s skills can indeed be applied to a host of different problems when it comes to design. This book was a good read; I recommend it to anyone that strives to be in the design field.

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Week 7 Blog Design Research

Design can change the world just as the industrial revolution with the invention of the steam engine. This provide people to travel and the use of machines to produce products like the cotton gin mill. As I state before Henry Ford and the assembly line. Then you have Steve Jobs and Apple that has changed the way people live today. Although I am not fond of Apple products, I look at them as innovators. There is also Bill Gates with Microsoft.  He himself is a very influential man with his company his investments along with his work as a philanthropist.

Henry ford changed the corporate culture just by making cars affordable for people. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates both change the way we look at technology and how we look at people. All three were great innovators that change corporate cultures in their specific fields.

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Week 8 Reading Reflection

As I read the Tim Brown’s “Change By Design.” I found it fascinating that the cellular giant Nokia started as a paper mill in 1865. Moreover, with a sequence of investments, they produced rubber, cables, other electronics and lastly cellular phones. I wondered if the technique of design thinking help them make the change from one product to many others. With Nokia’s launch of Ovi, which is an internet service that focus on five key services (Music, gaming, maps, messaging, and media). No use a systematic approach with design thinking to make leaps and bounds in the area of innovation.  Tim explains that all organizations have to transform to stay in business. Especially when facing challenging times, for instance when profits and sales are slipping.  He also explains that most company are successful when they take the human centered approach. This helps people and the company to evolving. This goes back to the transformation that a company has to be mindful of when they do a shift in services. Another thing I learned is that a company has to work both sided so the counter. Meaning you have to know the dos and don’ts as a producer and a customer, this helps to promote longevity with your company.

In conclusion Tim Brown uses his knowledge as a blue print to help you think as a design thinker, which is comparable to a critical thinker in many ways. This helps companies and consumers alike. Nevertheless, making products and creating them better for all.

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Memories that return to the surface.

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WEEK 7 Reading Reflection.

Experience people have can be a very good thing, but it can also be a bad thing too.  From my experience of growing up in a mostly black neighbor in the early 70’s. I would state that it was mostly a good experience. In contrast, the experience I had in a war zone was not great at all.  However, in Tim Brown’s book, he experience pleasure with a flight from Britain to New York. The reasoning he gave was because New York represent an “iconic America” for him. Once you experience something and the outcome was good, you tend to have an expectation of those or similar feelings or results the next time you do the same thing. As I read the section about The Walt Disney Company. It made me understand and have an Ah moment of the explanation of this chapter. I too, over the years have experienced Disney and expect the same or similar feeling when I return. So I figure that Tim is saying that when you do design think for a product. Try to repeat the process with some improvements to have a great result.

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Week 6 - Industrial Design Product or Services

The Flying Car

The Electronic Cup

Exoskeleton Suit. 

These are some thing that I believe will change how we live or think.

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Week 6 Reading Reflection

Tim Brown makes some valid points in his book “Change by Design” about the design thinking process. He really lays out the blue print for designers along with non-Designers to succeed. He touches on making new choices, being innovative, making plans for the process and lastly, how to make a human-Centered design. From Tim’s chapter 3 it was obvious that he wants you think things through. He wants you to use the mental matrix that we all supposedly have to build a process to complete the mission of your production. Tim also would like the designer to use the clients experience as part of the process. By using the client, you tend to make them feel important and relevant in the creation phase.  I found it insightful to know that every design process goes through some foggy periods. Knowing this makes me feel better because it shows me that even the brilliant design have trouble design. From this, it makes me understand the determination and grit that designers have to think things through even when you hit a rough spot.  These readings also gave me hope and confidence that I could be a part of a process too. I will use this when it comes to our group project designing and making an half dozen egg carton.

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Week 5 Design Thinking Blog - The term design thinking my be new to some when saying it. However, in Tim Browns book “Change By Design: How Design Thinking  Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation.” He seems to credit people like the great Victorian engineer Isambard Kindom Brunel  who designed the Great Western Railway for using the technique of design thinking. The ideal that Brunel was an engineer’s engineer, did not make him a design thinker, However, his though behind making this experience better for the people elevated him to becoming a design thinker. 

Human Center Design - This picture is a 2 for 1, Not only did Henry Ford use design thinking for the creation of the Model T . He also use design thinking to create the assembly line to produce the Model T. Also Bike racks were designed to be human centered.

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Week 5 Reading Reflection

Design Thinking is an ability to tap into capacities that we all have, but tend to overlook. Especially when it comes to more conventional problem solving skills. This type of thinking is a deep human thinking skill in addition to being a human center thinker. As I read these chapters I was surprised to learn what Tim Brown think design thinking is. In some aspects it reminds me of a somewhat complete thinking. A person that  attempts to cover all bases when thinking of a design for a product, item or a solution to a problem. I personally lack those types of skills because I usually only think about what affects me and my family. I would love to learn how to grasp this concept to better serve my community. The story of Shimano is very interesting to me. I love to ride my bike and have know of this company for many years. I read up on this company and how they became so successful by thinking outside of the box to maximize profits and provide a outstanding product. If you go out and purchase a bicycle no matter what type you will come around refined product that was redesigned by Shimano. Not only did there research and hard work pay off in profits, but it also put the people first by converting need into a demand for a product that everyone wants and will use. 

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DESIGN SURVEY #4 WEEKLY BLOG: “Found Object & Understanding the Visual”

As I went to West Allis Memorial hospital to help and visit my Aunt Elnora. I could not help but to notice the design of the building. I found the building to be a bit old but also modern. As you can see from the picture it has a modern look, but it was originally built in 1966. I noticed a placard in the building that states; it was built in 1966 and rededicated in 1977.

While I noticed this hospital, I thought about my Aunt and before she retired, she worked at Children’s Hospital of Milwaukee for 35 years. I remembered that she first worked at Children’s when it was located on 17th and Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee WI. However, it moved from downtown to the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center where the old Milwaukee county hospital, built in 1927. I was born in 1969 at this hospital. I notice the different design and features each hospital. They all were built in different eras and the design shows that.

For instance, Milwaukee County hospital looks more like a castle. With the way it was constructed it seems to be something out of the dark ages, or a horror movie. As for the other two hospitals, they seem more modern. Children’s, look more like a hotel than a hospital, it has a welcoming aurora. Lastly, West Allis Memorial looks like a hospital straight from Mayberry. It does not have a big city look to it.  

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DESIGN SURVEY 124 Week 3 Reading Reflection

As I read John Heskett’s “Design – A Very Short Introduction”. I learned the difference between objects and communications and the importance of the difference. Objects can exist in visual form and be used without references. However, communication can be used as a shorthand term to cover an array of two-dimensional forms that have been multiplied and expanded by the media.

As I read on, this section reminded me of a reading I did in my class a few semesters ago in my Human Factors class, specifically the cognitive processing you have to use when you are design things for society. It was clear in the chapter of communication that it really matters on how you present objects and products. Because of role of communications in modern society and the deep significance, it plays on many levels.  Therefore, as you incorporate communication, environment, identities, and the context altogether, it creates a very complex situation in design. It is very hard to please everyone, but it is your job to attempt too.