Good day Loyal Reader,
Waddup? It is time for my last blog for my project community course. Time sure flies. So… Let’s get started!
So to start off, communities and networks are important in the design world. (Somehow I feel like repeating this over and over hahaha…) For me I think communities and networks are more for marketing then really helping you to design awesome stuffs. As learned, we are more creative when we are alone or with less people anyways. In my last ‘faculty blog’ I used networking (Facebook) as a tool for marketing too. Sure you need networking for realizing your design, but the starting point would be for me: Me, myself and Eye.
Everybody has their own style and so do I. I was reading all the links about design principles, and I have to admit, I want to apply all of them in my product. Though if you ask me which one are the most important for me that would be aesthetic, honest and functional.
I kind of pushed myself into the direction of a product designer. To be specific, designing kitchen tools or something for children. That is why aesthetic is important to me. I spend a lot of my time in my kitchen and I always find myself enjoying it more, if my tools are pleasant and fun to look at it and to work with. This works the same for website too. If the site looks more attractive, one would be willing to spend more time on it, at least I do. Recently I designed a business card for my mother, and she told me that a lot of her guests has been taking it home. The design is something else then your standard card (and that is what I paid for hahaha…), so I guess it grabs people’s attention a lot more. What do you think? 
The most important aspect of our life is to be honest. People are already insecure when they have to order something or contacting someone from the “unknown” * insert spooky wind sound*. It is just not that trustworthy. So when I want to set up a new website, I want people to have faith in me and in my products. To make this happen, I guess it is good to start with a base where friends help you spread your words to their friends. Like my mom’s restaurant: She provides good food and atmosphere, people come to eat, people spread the word to their friends or write good reviews on trip advisor, their friends comes to eat on recommendations and the circles goes on and on. Sure you sometime have to exaggerate with marketing, but too much and you have a really negative impact if you cannot deliver what you promised. Most of the consumers nowadays are really picky, so you have to be careful with that.
Last but not least: functional. Similar to honesty, functional will be playing a big role in my designs. Like I mentioned, I like cooking and I like good looking products. Though the reason I am willing to pay more for these products is because the quality and functionality are quite good. Especially for students of the common wealth functionality is important. I mean if they have a choice of buying a bike for 20 euros or one for 50, I think most of them will go for the 20. It is cheaper and… Well… it is a bike.
I tend to spend more money in kitchen tools and time looking at them in stores and that is where I fell in love with Alessi and Joseph Joseph. Alessi is more of a child-friendly aesthetic brand, while Joseph is more aesthetic modern style. I don’t mind having both styles in my house, so I guess that is something my future partner’s wallet has to decide hahaha…
All-in-all, even though functionality in important for my design, I do not think I can come up with something that looks hideous and functional at the same time… I cannot completely lie about my products too, I don’t benefit from it if I feel bad about it myself, even if the money is good.
Get inspired, be the inspirer,
Peace out,
Warisra
