DG401: Trends Cockpit
Trendwatching is a very complicated process of constant monitoring and analyzing information of various data. Lately trendwatching has become a major business within many design agencies and corporate design offices in Europe and USA. Not only desk research but also field research is very important in design process. Visiting specialized fairs, shops, various cities, knowing and experience different cultures, brands and lifestyles makes a very important base for the trend analyst. The art and the secret of that job is to know how to translate all the data into the narrow business of the client/brand. – Information of the assignment on Oase
The reason I chose this assignment was because I thought it would help me in getting interested in the world of already-existing design. I hoped it would learn me how to do proper field research and how to translate the information into a concept.
The assignment was even better than expected. Instead of teaching us specific skills, Zuzanna Skalska, the assignor, thought us how to see design in a zoomed-out perspective. She thought us how to design for brands, how to renew the image of a brand and how to start designing. She also thought us how to design using words instead of drawings and models. Designing in words has the advantage of being very general, which helps getting your design in a specific direction.
During the assignment there were various activities which contributed to understanding a learning goal. At first we had to visit the Medica in Düsseldorf. The assignment was to take pictures of designs, fabrics, buttons, details, etc.. During the next meeting we had to sort the pictures into different categories. The idea behind this assignment was to understand what to look for when visiting a fair. By making photos and sorting them, you can build up your own database of inspiration.
The next meeting was dedicated to learning how to describe a brand and learning how to describe how to change the image of the brand.
For the brand ‘Gastropack’ we were allowed to choose five words to describe the entire brand. After choosing those words, we had to think of how we wanted to change the brand and which words would describe this changed image.
What we learned from this assignment was that, when changing an image, making models and visuals are not the action to start with. Describing a brand gives you a specific direction and makes it easy to draft a list of requirements, from which you can start your design.
After this we had to choose a designer from a list and, in duo’s, give a presentation about this designer. The catch was that we were allowed to make a performance, write a song, or do anything creative without using the computer. Giving a regular presentation was not allowed. Our presentation was about the designer Tom Dixon, who gets his inspiration from scrap materials. He only designs anything that he can manufacture by himself, using natural materials like glass, iron, rope, copper, etc.. For our presentation we let the audience make their own design from provided scrap materials, so they would understand the way Tom Dixon thinks.
For the last presentation we had to make an ambulance in the style of Tom Dixon to show that we understand his style and that we could use this to make our own design.
Unfortunately the feedback will not arrive on time to be able to implement it in my showcase. If I receive the feedback before I have the assessor meeting, I will gladly discuss it then.
