DT Topic 6 -- Clasic Design

Study Notes

Conflict and compromise

The development of new products often require a multidisciplinary team including designers, engineers, and manufacturers. These different actors often have different priorities when developing a product and this can often lead to conflict. In order to achieve the goals of creating the new product, the different team members must often compromise.

Culture

In the context of classic design, culture plays an important part. They often reflect cultural influences and mark transition points within a particular culture. The culture of concern may be national, religious or a sub-culture, such as a particular youth culture or movement.

Design classic

A product that serves as a standard of its time, that has been manufactured industrially and has timeless appeal.

Dominant design

The design contains those implicit features of a product that are recognized as essential by a majority of manufacturers and purchasers.

Form

Also considered as the three-dimensional space that a product takes up, in the context of classic design, form relates to the shape of a product and the aesthetic qualities that the shape gives.

Function

Products can be considered classic designs based on how well they fulfil the task that they have been designed for.

Image

Within the context of classic design, image relates to the instantly recognizable aesthetics of a particular product. For example, the shape of a Coca-Cola bottle, or the shape of a Volkswagen Beetle motor car.

Obsolescence

This is the stage in a product life cycle where the product is no longer needed even though it functions as well as it did when first manufactured. Classic designs tend to transcend obsolescence and become desired objects long after they have ceased to be manufactured.

Omnipresence

In the context of classic design, a product that is omnipresent has existed and been in circulation for a long time.

Retro-styling

A design that uses the form and decoration from a particular period of time and/or style.

Status

Products considered as classic designs often increase in value and can project a certain status as they become more desirable. The ownership of a classic design can increase the perceived status of an individual.

Ubiquitous

In the context of classic design, a product that is ubiquitous is one that can be found almost everywhere. For example, a mobile phone.