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RSS Alert: New Article at Core77: Riding the Flux, by Kevin McCullagh

By Core Jr - July 3, 2007

in Featured Items

Design is changing in myriad ways--are you? This is the question Kevin sets out in a new article aimed at helping designers navigate the tectonic shifts affecting the design industry. Here's the challenge:

The era of product design as practiced by a small band of gurus in Milan, London, Munich and New York is long gone. There are now thousands of competent product designers around the world able to 'give good form.' Design as 'styling' or 'form-giving' has become commoditized, and competing at this level is already a tough low-margin slog. While those hide-bound by the past batten down the hatches, the wise remember that change throws up opportunities as well as challenges.

Kevin breaks down the "hidden assets" that designers possess, and then provides "flux riding strategies" to help them adapt to these changing times.

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Daniel Ferrara

15 years ago

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A good article; Correction, Bill Moggeridge did not design the first laptop, I did , for MicroOffice Systems an Olivetti backed startup(1977). The Grid was not a laptop either, it weighed 14 lbs and needed to be plugged in, Our laptop weighed under 5 lbs and ran on batteries, fit into half of a std. breifcase.It was called the Roadrunner the CEO was Jim Dunn with who I am still in contact.
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Nick Bell

17 years ago

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Let's not underplay the importance of formal principles just because average competence is so high. Now we have to ask on what outmoded ideals are our formal principles still based? Especially since new technologies affecting the way we design and produce things seem to make the analogue relationship between form and function much less defining. Its a fantastic opportunity for all those designers frustrated with the perception of design as just being about the surface of things. While other designers can continue beavering away polishing the veneer the rest of us can scratch underneath. There is lots of work do to in reconnecting design to the world, to everyday operations. Stop it being this fetishised annexed thing that only the 'creative class' get to shape.
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joana ribeiro

17 years ago

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let me just say that I liked your article; youÂ´Â´re right about the multidisciplinary aproach on design where you can search for inspiration, new ideas or even trends in all fields of design. Curiosity, a specific interest or a skill of any sort will always be a plus and helpful in a designer?s work although I completly disagree on your choice of tom dixon as an example or reference in design; 1st - heÂ´s reaching his 50Â´s and clearly isnÂ´t in the new and upcoming designers lot. 2nd - besides furniture design he doesnÂ´t have any considerable work done in other areas of design. 3rd - he speaks a 2nd language due to his latvian-french mother but his accent and grammar are not that good.4th and last - I had the unfortunate idea to send him my portfolio back in 2001 when he was the creative director in habitat. Last year I saw 2 of my designs being sold under his (spin candelabra) and ron aradÂ´s (screw stool) name.These gentlemen both teach in r.c.a where masters in design are taken and it is believed to have the very best future designerÂ´s. The irony is that my portfolio was made during a furniture design short course in central saint martins (2 months). These facts speaks loads, not only about talent and creativity crisis in this sort of schools but also the hipocrisy of these 2 gentlemen who are teaching the opposite of what theyÂ´re doing in a kind of do as I say, don?t do what I do, thing. This is my portrait of tom dixon, who stops at nothing to pursue his megalomaniacal goals and dreams. One thing is certain:
him and ron arad will have to live with theft for the rest of their lives. Best regards - joana ribeiro - portugal
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jessica carter-smith

17 years ago

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i'm still in school and ive already experienced frequent stress-related attacks in concern for the future of design, as well as blasts of panic at the idea that anyone with the right software can design their own fonts and self-market away. But this article has instilled an optimistic confidence, it reminded me of all the facets of design and designers that i know will keep the right people in the right places.
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Rishi Dastidar

17 years ago

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Hear hear. As someone who dabbles in design, but with a grounding in advertising, marketing and branding, it strikes me that flexibility, suppleness and an openness, of mind and to possibility, is what will be rewarded in the future. And most of the designers that I know have or are getting a skillset which that meets those criteria.
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Temenouzhka Zaharieva

17 years ago

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This is one of the most profound and at the same time inspiring articles on the theme I have read for years! Thank you!
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