David Kelley: Human Centred Design

David Kelley a well known philosopher likes to see every university student add design to their thinking or to his or her skill set. As a result to this he says “It’s like a religion. It’s the disease I’m trying to infect everyone with”. A well known fact to life as design is portrayed in many aspects in everyday life. Briefly researching David Kelley before I watched the video “Human Centred Design” gave me a better understanding of who he is and what he really does.

As the years go by, technological objects are becoming more popular and more useful as we interact with new things in our day to day life. Although to have successful technological objects out on the market, prototypes are needed to support the material, detail and understanding of the product done by many designers now-a-days. Without prototypes I think there would be a different approach to the product and people may perceive the product in different ways.

Many products take a while to create as the end product relies on the prototype to be a similar mock up of what the real thing is going to be like. Although in general products are becoming more focused on humans, bringing in aspects such as behaviours and personalities and adding this approach into many designs. Therefore making jobs more enjoyable as they can relate to it a lot more, and interpret products in there own way.

Communication on the other hand is a very important key in design and is always incorporated in every design process. It embeds not just the environment but also services to products. 3D models and renderings are also apart of communication, especially through products. It helps the audience to visualise and put forth a statement about what the message is.
Through high technology, Prada is attempting to become bigger and better at what it sells and is trying to achieve not only a retail role but also a cultural role. The custom technology brought out is a major challenge for Prada, so there is no need to have every product on the shelves in store. Alternatively they have “RF” tags which I think are a clever and intelligent way to inform clients, customers and staff about various other products, such as colour and sizes.

The change rooms are another clever and bright idea, showing another way of communication between the client and the staff. It all gets put up on a screen and the information is brought up as you try the garment on. The liquid crystal glass of the change room becomes opaque and then becomes transparent, allowing for others to review the outfit at the same time. The magic mirror acts as another communication base, with a 3 second delay allowing you to have a glimpse of the way the fabric flows in motion in different angles.

Digital and Biomedical issues have been addressed in London through something similar to their Subway System already running. This technology which interacts around humans expands information when plugged into the computer and runs through “stations”. This source used by both adults and children when visited helps give an understanding of how technology is beginning to incorporate humans more and more.

Something which I found very entertaining was the flower which wilted in disappointed when somebody left the room. As a result shows us the relations and extent to which technology is being used and incorporated in our daily life.

The “Spyfish” was another great innovation which I thought was intellectual as it was a piece of technology where you could scuba dive without getting wet. Immersing you into the experience of the under water life which is equip with a powerful light to acknowledge and take for granted what we don’t see very often. This technology as a result took seven to eight years to put together although is definitely a great way to show how humans are being integrated in past, present and future technology.