designBytes: 11.30.09

11.30.2009
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.

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• Singapore Slingers: Designers, architects and creative workers from all over the world converged on Singapore just before American Thanksgiving for Icisd’s 2009 Biennial Design Congress. Content takeaways featured multiple examinations of architecture from around the world as well as a dissection of the differences between Western and Asian designers. As far as we can tell, some of the best all-around coverage comes from Brian Ling over at Design Sojourn: http://www.designsojourn.com/coverage-of-the-icsid-congress-09-and-the-singapore-design-festival/.

   

• Helsinki Has Next: At the close of Icsid’s world design congress last week in Singapore, Helsinki was christened World Design Capital 2012. It’s the third city—following Torino and Seoul—to receive the designation. The choice may or may not be a comment on the state of design in New York, but it definitely lathered the icing on Niti Bhan’s cake. Details on the announcement: http://www.designweek.co.uk/helsinki-gears-up-for-world-design-capital-stint/3007235.article.

   

  

• IDEA2010 Now Accepting Entries!: The 2010 edition of the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) program, sponsored by IDSA and Fast Company, is now open and accepting submissions. The IDEA program has also partnered with The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI so that this year’s winners and finalists will become part of the museum’s permanent collection. Deadline for entries is Jan. 25, 2010. All details and submission information can be found at: http://www.idsa.org/idea.

   

• Making Sense of Design Thinking: We know that design thinking can help us navigate through this time of cascading change. We know how councils can employ it in their deliberations to improve global institutions. And we have some ideas for how it can be used to nurture future leaders. But what exactly is this thing called design thinking? Gadi Amit, IDSA has set out to define it decisively in his Fast Company blog: http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/gadi-amit/new-deal/making-sense-design-thinking-three-definitions-two-problems-and-one-big-ques.

   

• Is Your Car Styled or Designed?: Whether you’re working for Mercedes-Benz or collaborating among the Local Motors community, the answer to that third rail transportation design question is probably pretty obvious. If only the heritage of automotive design were so simple. While helping compile a car design exhibition, a Michigan columnist recently entertained that question and explored what the different words have meant during different historical periods. http://www.heraldpalladium.com/articles/2009/11/29/features/1010358.txt.

   

• The Unique Design Context of India: What does an Indian designer know that a US designer doesn't? How do systems, experiences, education, impact, involvement and processes differ in India? These are important questions as India becomes the most populous nation and carves a bold niche for itself in the design world. Dell’s Rajib Adhikary, IDSA will answer these questions and more live from India during the final IDSA Designer Spotlight of 2009 on Dec. 15 at 1pm ET. Register for the online session at: http://www.idsa.org/absolutenm/templates/?q=node/4144.

   

• Four Key Principles of Mobile Experience Design: A wise person once Tweeted, “In mobile UX, don’t confuse precedence with standard.” Both are tactical perspectives and they both represent distinct libraries of interactions. But neither encompasses all of the foundational principles of the emerging experiential space. So where should we aim our focus? This Boxes and Arrows essay sheds some light: http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/four-key-principles.

   

• Autodesk Alias Visualization Workflows: Wanna learn some tricks for saving time and money on visualization by using Autodesk Alias? Are you looking to increase the display quality for 3D modeling or to create concept presentations that do not require rendering? If you’re a “yes” for any of those questions, then you need to attend a special webinar with Autodesk’s Kevin Richards on Dec. 9 at 2pm ET. FREE for IDSA members, $25 for nonmembers. Register at: https://www.netforumondemand.com/eWeb/DynamicPage.aspx?Site=IDSA&WebCode=EventDetail&evt_key=6f9145a5-b33d-4694-87b9-9793c2f4fc56.

   

• All Precision, All the Time: Medical devices require a level of precision in both their design and usability that is unparallel to any other product category. They are, after all, used quite literally in matters of life and death. So what considerations need to be given to the materials choices made in developing and designing medical devices? In Plastics News’ By Design video series, Aidan Petrie, IDSA talks about material trends in medical device design: http://www.plasticsnews.com/headlines2.html?id=17164.

   

• How Nike Considered Uses Innovation and Collaboration to Close the Loop: We love to tell the story again and again of how Nike’s corporate transformation has enabled segments of the company to meet some aggressive sustainability goals. And we’re not the only ones. After the Opportunity Green conference, Cleantechnica took a doubly deep dive with Nike Considered GM Lorrie Vogel: http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/16/how-nike-considered-uses-innovation-and-collaboration-to-close-the-loop/.

   

• David v. Goliath in Patent Fight: By any metric, David is supposed to beat the odds and slay Goliath. But when the referee in the bout between the little guy and the ginormous guy is the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, things don’t always go so well for the little guy. Take, for example, the unfortunate story of Mirk Buzdum and "Cappy" Capstran as told by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/78026897.htm.

   

• What’s Bubbling?: The Redefining Dining Competition is! World Kitchen is back with another IDSA-endorsed design competition. This time, they’re challenging you to deepen the meaning of the dining experience by designing for the many ways, places and foods we eat today. The three top award winners will receive $5,000 plus an expense-paid trip to the International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago Mar. 14-16, 2010.Entry deadline is Jan. 6, 2010. For complete rules and entry guidelines, visit http://www.whatsbubbling.net.

   

  

• The Third Place Opportunity: With apologies to Ray Oldenburg, if you ask the team at Steelcase about “the third place,” they’ll tell you it is the space where small-scale, technologically-dependent interactions take place between members of the world’s migratory business community. If you ask this writer, he’ll tell you that hotel design has not fully come to grips with these spaces where people need to meet for short periods and conduct business: http://www.hotelsmag.com/blog/160000416/post/630050863.html.

   

• Five Ways Ergonomics Has Shaped Your Life: Ergonomics is a branch of science that draws on engineering, physiology and psychology. It is a made-up word, created by joining the Greek words ergos (work) and nomos (natural laws). It’s also—thankfully—one of the prevailing forces on modern living: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8363862.stm.

   

• What's Happening This Week?:
  
  • Dec. 1: Chapter Meeting at Casey Moor’s (Phoenix)
  • Dec. 2: Brew & View: IDSA Chicago’s 2009 Holiday Party (Chicago)
  • Dec. 3: 2009 Annual Holiday Party at Mecklenburg Gardens (Cincinnati)
  • Dec. 3: IDSA NW Winter Social (http://www.idsa.org/events.htm. To include your upcoming event, please email it to designBytes@idsa.org.

     

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