This week we focused at looking at the future of design. Imagining the different mediums in which we may be designing for and how they might be different to what we know now.
We talked about implementing this thinking into our upcoming projects, to try think ahead instead of working on existing mediums. I really like this idea as it poses a greater challenge and I feel it would be much more beneficial in regards to the attitudes we will develop in regards to research and development.
Many companies lead in this thinking such as Fantasy, focusing on product innovation, bringing current technology into the future to improve usability and efficiency. I really like this concept and find it to be a fascinating thought process, the idea of innovating and designing for what does not yet exist, I feel as though it is the meaning of design as a whole, to solve problems.
A previous student of this course applied this thinking to one of their projects. focusing on seasonal emotional changes and finding harmony alongside the rhythm of the seasons. Immediately I feel that the project stands out from others that I have seen that are mainly apps and websites. I feel this is a great attitude to carry into projects and that this is a great example of such.
Wearable tech has been around for quite some time now. It’s main footing seems to be in the fitness/health industry with products such as smart watches seemingly at the forefront of the technology. Whilst devices like smart glasses do exist they never seemed to take off as well as the likes of smart watches. It almost questions what tech belongs where. Should your PC be attached to your face like companies such a Meta suggest or should wearable tech be minimal like the many watches which have found success. To me it raises the point of where the inverse comes into play. What tech should stay at home? Already I feel as though i am applying this future thinking whilst writing my notes.
Seeing this future thinking in regards to design in movies and television is mind blowing and something I never even considered. The fact that whole teams can design the human computer interactions for these pieces of fictional tech is mind blowing. Some of the designs are beautiful and really inspiring in terms of conceptualising ideas with future thinking in mind.
