Jacobs Design Conversations: Three Quick Takeaways
Here at the Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation, we welcomed three speakers to our newly-opened building this semester to kick off our Jacobs Design Conversations speaker series. With backgrounds collectively spanning robotics, design thinking, graphic design, product design, hardware development and more, these speakers shared insights from diverse design perspectives with our community at Berkeley. Here are three quick takeaways we heard in their talks.
Bernie Roth, Stanford d.school
“The question is, how do you get unstuck?” Bernie Roth came to the Jacobs Institute to talk about “using design thinking at home and at work.” He reminded us that solving problems often starts with framing problems — it’s as important to ask the right questions as it is to get the right answers. For Roth, often the best way to “get unstuck” from thinking about a tough problem is just to get out there and start doing. Bringing a design lens to a problem — whether it’s a problem in an R&D lab or a problem at home — helps you get to the core of issues and move forward toward a preferred outcome. He encouraged us to to take an iterative, action-focused approach to framing and solving problems.
Benjamin Joffe, HAX
“Build ecosystems around your hardware.” Benjamin Joffe joined us to talk about “building a global hardware startup in 2015.” One point he made was the importance of ecosystems around hardware, from the ecosystem in which a product is developed to the context in which an audience engages with it. He pointed to Shenzhen, China, where he works, in highlighting how the proximity of investors, inventors, manufacturers, accelerators and so on — with many components working together — shapes processes and, as a result, products themselves.
On the consumer side, he pointed to the example of a team that built an edible insect desktop hive — not exactly an easy sell to most people. In order to figure out how to reach audiences and help them engage with the product, the team looked at historical precedent, psychology, and more to connect people with the hardware in novel ways. These connections and engagements are important — and as Joffe made clear, it’s crucial to build and leverage ecosystems throughout cycles of design and development.
Ellen Lupton, Cooper Hewitt/MICA
“Design is storytelling.” Ellen Lupton drew connections between design and narrative in her talk, reminding us of story arcs and how our engagements with design are not so different from these kinds of arcs. Taking a look at examples like booking transportation, she pointed out that interaction designers create experiences that feel whole, but that also have some drama to them — like narratives. Just as it’s action that drives the plot forward in stories, from conflict to resolution, action-driven design helps users solve problems, accomplish tasks and reach satisfying resolutions.
She also highlighted the sensory side of experiencing design and narratives. “Design is about seeing with your whole body,” she said: design lives and operates in a world that we navigate with all of our senses. For designers, who play a unique role in shaping interactions and experiences, stories and emotions are part of the conversation.
Jacobs Design Conversations will be back in the spring 2016 semester! All information on future Jacobs Design Conversations events will be posted at jacobsinstitute.berkeley.edu.
