Video Reflection: Annie Leonard-The story of stuff

Most of us don't know how the system really works, because no one teaches us about it. All we know is that we're using too much resources, and it's running out. (Although in the past decade we have been taught of recycling).

I absolutely agree with Annie's statement we don't know how much resources we use a day, how many people in this system paid with their future because they're forced to, etc. What's worst is that advertisements tell us that we're "wrong", except that they're the ones who's at fault for only showing us the shopping part, and not the extraction and production parts.

Also the national happiness fact that it has been declining is an interesting one. My father told me before about his childhood, and it sounds VERY different from my childhood. I didn't think about it very much, but now I know the reason why - because we choose stuff over families and friends. Some people think that stuffs can make them happy. May be. But not as happy as those without stuffs, surprisingly. Take the example of poor people, sometimes they look happier than we do. Why? Because those people have strong bonds between themselves.

Moreover, it kind of makes me feel guilty when she says, "... these (industrial) designers are so opened about it. They actually discussed how fast can they make stuff break but still leaves the consumer have enough faith in the product to go buy another one". But I realized that I am not them, so I don't have to feel guilty. And what I need to do is change this "System of Crisis".

Product Sketches

My design Career

I want to be a designer because I love exploring new ideas and thinking of how to create a better life and experience for living. I always passionate to design things, playing around with paper, and other materials since I was little and my parents told me that I am such a creative kid because I can imagine transforming simple materials into something useful and beautiful. As I finished high school, my parents didn’t prefer me to do deign though, being born with the Asian parents they wanted me to do something like engineering or science because they think that it would be easier to get a job in that area so they wanted me to do IT before because I was also good at it. But when I studied IT I really didn’t enjoy it and it was really frustrating because I had to do something that I don’t enjoy. So then I told my parents that I want to be a designer instead, before my parents asked me to think twice and finally they let me. I have chosen to study in UNSW because at first UNSW is very popular in my country (Indonesia) so everyone who comes from Indonesia always wanted to get into this university. I have this pride to be a UNSW student and as I looked through the handbook, I think industrial design is the most suitable design I should do. I always love buying products, and a good product really brings pleasure for the users and that is why I want to be a product designer because I want to bring the new innovation to the society in which may improve their life experience. Looking at past designers who have been successful, it really motivates me to do better from times to times because I want to follow their career and I want to show it to show it my parents that I can have my career in design. I can’t imagine my future for this moment yet, If God’s willing I would love to work as an industrial designer but then I might also learn other design (graphic or web) design and see what opportunities that comes up. Many people told me that an industrial designer would also make a lot of money, it is true in one sense but it is really not what drives me to be an industrial designer. I chose industrial design also because it has varieties of things that we can learn as well such as marketing, how to do research and statistics which will also support my design career and these subjects are the subject I love as well. I hope that I can do my best in this course and pass the course with satisfactory results.

Design Confusion - Hot and Cold tap

Video Reflection- David Kelley on TED > Human Centred Design

In the video Kelley talked about human centered design - design which takes into consideration human's behaviours and personalities. Therefore, design now has a broader definition which includes the environment and services in it.

He introduced a few designs that I've never seen and heard before, but the most interesting one was the high-tech Prada shop in New York. Careful thoughts of how to serve customers better was really evident in the design. Other examples - the Science Museum in London with its interactive walls, defibrillator, cubicle, e-magazine, Spyfish and the water recycling system, are all human-centered designs, which some of it we may have heard of, but may not have realized that it's made for the consumer to be closer to design, and that consumers are invited to relate with it.

This video is very important to designers, especially industrial designers, as it shows how advanced technology has become and how design is following the trend by incorporating technology into design. Also, it reminds industrial designers that they need to design products that are useful and accessible (reasonably priced) to the society, which makes lives easier.

Design Excellence- SMRT Body Spanner