Design Sojourn | Strategic Industrial Design Blog

A warm welcome to you dear reader! If you have not already, why not subscribe to my RSS feed, or get my latest thoughts on Industrial Design in your Email Inbox for free?

Thanks for visiting and please keep in touch? ~ D.T.

Most of us are designers because we like design and at least (i’m hoping) can innately tell a good design from a bad design. This innate “design sense” most designers have, though some more than others. This “design sense” is both a function of designing experience and a “gift”.

Fortunately in many ways this “design sense” can be developed just like drawing ability or learning to ride a bike. One good way, as part of your mental “reflective“ stop, is to simply ask your self

“Is this logical?”

Logical is terms of everything:
“Is this a logical line?”
“Is this a logical form?”
“Is this a logical solution?”
“Is this a logical target market?”
“Is this a logical position for a button?”

I think you get the picture.

The best designs are logical and logical in almost every aspect:

Often in the complex world of industrial design, we are faces with many constraints. These constraints can come from branding requirements in design language, engineering aspects, marketing and even a designer’s philosophy. All this jumbled up in our melons at the top of our shoulders have a tendency to over load our mental faculties. This often causes us to lose sight of the big picture, and we end up doing stuff against our inner design voice. Or just doing things that just does not seem right

In many ways that’s the difference between a designer and non-designer who appreciates design. A designer identify and correct the different aspects of a bad product. A non-designer will know that is wrong, but will not be able to say what it is.

So stop, and ask your self, “Is this logical?” so to bring yourself back in touch with your innate design sense. Because it is the type of situation that if you do it people cannot tell the difference, but if you dont, everybody will know.

Unsung heros, are we not?

Related Posts
Run its a vortex!
Be a Better Designer and Design Theory Series
Resource Articles
Design Theory 4: What should the right form of the product be?
Design Theory 1: Reflection
Please Help Me Improve Your Visit to Design Sojourn?
Design Theory 7: Elements of an Innovative Product