1 min read

Design vs. The World

I’ve followed Scott Berkin’s work for a while, so it was a treat to see him speak at Leading Design.

His key points were:

  • Make sure that we talk outwards rather than inwards – stop making diagrams! (it doesn’t help that whoever makes the diagram also tends to put their discipline either in the centre or encompassing all the other areas)
  • Look to older texts: for example Vitruvius, Designing for People. (Jared Spool has spoken to this as well – “If you want to learn a new trick, read an old book.” )
  • Question values, for example what is meant by innovative. Get used to saying “what do you mean?”
  • Use Dieter Ram’s 10 principles to question products
  • Understand different leading names in respect to design:
    • Dreyfus – consumerist
    • Fuller – salesman idealist
    • Papenak – purist (also Joy Mountiford, Brenda Laurel, Susan Kare)
  • The real designer is the person who has the most power to make decisions