[Sigia-l] Just for you women out there

[Will Parker]

On Jun 12, 2007, at 2:26 AM, Paola Kathuria wrote:
>
> Crude - yup. When I first saw the laptop, I thought that
>   a stenciled Hello Kitty would be far better than the
>   crystals (and thus widen the market).
>
> [earlier messages]
>
>> do we still have the gumption to get outraged, and indeed,
>> pass judgment?
>
> Definitely.
>
> <SNIP>

> And, no, feedback isn't always just someone's opinion or else
> what does 'expertise' mean.
>
>> Well then, assuming *someone* can always be found to buy
>> *anything* [...] can *anything* be considered 'good design'?
>
> No.

Arguing that good design is in the eye of the beholder is a road that  
leads to reality TV, the Iraqi war plan, and Swarovski crystals as a  
building material.

> Good design is rational, explainable and testable.

Unlike the three examples given above.

> It's like good/bad software. Just because it works, doesn't mean the
> code is good (just wait until the programmer leaves and
> someone new has to add a new function).

Also, just because it works doesn't mean it's utterly pointless.

> Similarly, just
> because someone went to the trouble of designing, creating
> and selling something, doesn't mean it's good design.

If you're going to put Hello Kitty on a laptop, do it boldly so that  
people 20 meters away can see that YOU , yes, YOU are the sort of  
person who proudly bears the likeness of Dear Leader Hello Kitty on  
your most personal possessions. The alleged designer for the NEC  
laptop has obscured the (arguably) attractive and highly recognizable  
HK graphic design details under that rather appalling mass of sparkly  
crap.

For example, even after several days of occasionally looking at the  
HK laptop, I for one find it hard to determine whether those clumps  
around the edges are intended to be hearts or lumps of HK's sparkly  
kitty litter. If it's the former, it's part of the HK brand identity.  
If the latter, one might call it too innovative.

I might be persuaded that the people behind the HK laptop _honestly_  
thought it was an appropriate decorative design for an adult market  
if they had used a professional graphic designer on the project  
instead of the Glitter Day sequin painting someone's 6-year-old  
brought home from day care.

Having said all that, here's the executive summary.

			   Yes, the bloody thing is badly designed.
	The lead decision-maker on that project demanded ugly and got it.

		(See also: reality TV, Iraq war, Swarovski crystals)

- Will

Will Parker
wparker at ChannelingDesign.com

"The only people who value your specialist knowledge are the ones who  
already have it." - William Tozier