Product Design Rams

7/28/2019 Product Design Rams

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Product Design: The Design of theEnvironment and the Surroundings 2

Fritz Frenkler

Abstract Professional designers have learned holistic thought processes. They do

not work according to predetermined examples or guidelines, but develop a tailored

catalogue of requirements for each project through careful observation and close

scrutiny. The user forms the main focus of the classic design process. For this reason,designers require social knowledge and expertise. It is not merely products that are

designed, but almost the complete environment that surrounds us, from everyday

objects, to public spaces, to services.

2.1 Introduction

Knowledge about product technologies and produc-

tion techniques has spread all over the world as a result

of globalization, and this has led to the partial reloca-

tion of production. A focal point that relates directly to

this can be found in Asia. As a result of this, the design

of products is increasingly the key unique selling point

of the different brand names that manufacture and

market technical products. The cost pressures caused

by growing international competition are, however,

making it more difficult to be competitive using tech-

nological innovations alone. In general, the develop-

ment costs of innovative products are too high to be

able to compete against less innovative products that

are manufactured at low costs and in enormous quan-

tities. As a result of this, sales prices are drifting far

apart and there is now a lack of products in the mid-

priced market segment. There is an ever increasing

number of cheap products that are not designed partic-

ularly well, and in contrast to them, high-end products

that are manufactured in smaller runs and are therefore

more expensive, but are superior in terms of their

overall quality and design. In the lower market seg-

ment, price dictates the purchase. In the area of qual-

ity, the design, the finishing and the associated brand

are key.A purchase decision in the high-end market seg-

ment is generally influenced by several factors, includ-

ing user friendliness, the material basis or quality of

the product and also by the attributes associated with

the brand. The design and the overall concepts linked

to it create emotions, which convince the user of the

advantages of the particular product.

2.2 What is Product Design?

Design not only functions through the honed applica-

tion of guidelines or rules, but is also based on the

perception of the environment/surroundings and there-

fore the social developments or trends that result from

an accountable perspective. Rather than thinking in

terms of conventional patterns, designers should rec-

ognize and analyze deficits and deficiencies through

observation and self-experiments, and be able to

F. Frenkler

Chair of Industrial Design, Technische Universitat Munchen,

Munchen, Germany

S. Konsorski‐Lang and M. Hampe (eds.), The Design of Material, Organism, and Minds, X.media.publishing,

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-540-69002-3_2,# Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010

21



generate appropriate superior solutions. The ability to

identify key sociological contexts and to link them

with others requires well-founded general knowledge

and a continual dialogue with cultural and social

events and public debates. This expertise provides

the basis for every creative process.

Digital and manual presentation techniques are bothnecessary tools in the design process for the visualiza-

tion of new concepts. Styling is a part of a comprehen-

sive process. In its optimal form, it assists the user’s

understanding of the product, conveys a product iden-

tity, explains the handling of the product and transports

information as well as attributes, sometimes promi-

nently, sometimes in a way that is barely noticeable.

The field of work occupied by product designers is

generally very diverse. As a rule, a designer’s personal

profile or specialist area results from the experiences

and the associated product references gathered duringthe course of their training and work on the develop-

ment of projects. The distinguishing feature of product

designers is their flexibility and ability to deal with an

exceptionally wide range of differing themes within a

very short period of time.

Product design not only refers to products, but also

to the configuration of complete environments and

surroundings: shops, public spaces, the interface

between man and machine, packaging, modes of sale

and distribution, and the associated products and ser-

vices. The thinking and design of the elements thatsurround a product are just as important as the compo-

sition of the actual product itself.

2.3 Examples of Comprehensive Design

If all of the previously listed aspects are addressed by a

company from the perspective of a higher ranking

design DNA – previously called design language –

then one talks of comprehensive design, a 360 designor a corporate design. Examples of such comprehen-

sive design, which are frequently mentioned, are that

of Apple Computers, and, until 1995, that of the Ger-

man consumer electronics company Braun. It is not

only the products of the Californian company that are

consistently designed in accordance with a recogniz-

able style, the user friendly software, the packaging

and the marketing are all part of the overall concept;

many buyers of the iPod keep the packaging just as

long as they keep the product itself. The sales and

marketing take place exclusively via Apple Stores

and selected retailers, which are configured in accor-

dance with the Apple corporate design. This means

that a holistic application of the overall strategy can be

guaranteed. The offer is supplemented by the iTunes

Online Store that sells and markets music and videos.Individual songs are sold instead of whole albums, and

Apple aims to set standards for the service design of

the future. At Apple, customers do not just buy a

product, they also gain access to a range of services.

Together, all of these components create the brand

image of the company and have a direct influence on

the market success of the products.

MUJI, a Japanese lifestyle chain established in

1980, which sells stationery, office items, household

products, clothes, furniture and more recently cos-

metics and food, is another example of the skillfuldevelopment of a brand. Remarkably, MUJI actually

stands for the Japanese phrase “Mujirushi Ryohin,”

which means “not brand products but quality products”

when translated into English. The functional, minimal-

ist MUJI products are manufactured in a resource-

sparing manner. Their intention is that the customer

should be convinced by the products themselves – and

not by a brand name or the name of a designer. This

principle is consistently pursued: although MUJI pro-

ducts are designed by highly acclaimed designers from

all over the world, the designers themselves remainanonymous. However, the “non-brand” of MUJI has

advanced to become a brand itself.

At the end of the 1950s, Braun’s minimalist HiFi

system designs caused a big sensation. Market research

analysis carried out for Braun in 1954 demonstrated

that there was a clear demand for modern radio equip-

ment among large sections of the population. The

concept of the compact music system addressed this

market and won over consumers thanks to its very

simple, clear aesthetic styling, which was in clear con-

trast to the cumbersome radiograms that were a fixedfeature of many German living rooms at that time.

This exceptionally successful entry into the market

was the cornerstone for a remarkable company history,

which became a symbol of German design. By adopt-

ing a design philosophy, which corresponded with that

of the University of Design in Ulm (HfG Ulm), the

manufacturer developed a consistent policy of reduc-

ing all of its products to their key features; this gave

the company its distinctive identity. The company’s

22 F. Frenkler



structure, in which the design department was directly

subordinate to the executive department, contributed

to the fact that it was possible to realize such a strongly

consistent product image.

However, as a consequence of personnel changes,

and an increasing orientation towards global sales, the

company, with its once unique position characterizedby its ideological approach, was transformed into an

imageless global player with anonymous and some-

times arbitrary products.

In the automotive sector, the manufacturers Audi

and Porsche stand out as the most consistent in their

adherence to a recognizable and evolutionary style of

design. However, using the example of the sports car

manufacturer Porsche, it is clear that consistently con-

forming to strong brand characteristics can also bring

problems. The product can appear questionable when

social or political changes create new sociologicalcontexts in which the product must be considered. In

an era when the finite nature of natural resources and

alternative sources of energy are being debated, it is

only a matter of time before cars with above average

fuel consumption suffer from declining demand. This

development, however, will almost certainly take

place as a result of competitors’ influence rather than

as a consequence of end customers’ moral considera-

tions. With ever increasing fuel prices, rival products

with lower rates of fuel consumption will invariably

become more attractive to many buyers.It is, however, yet to be seen whether the successful

sports car manufacturer Porsche can succeed in devel-

oping vehicles, or alternative products, that corre-

spond to the new demands of the market while not

undermining the strong core brands of Porsche.

2.4 Design Criteria

Design criteria cannot be static rules; they must beregularly examined, evaluated and adapted to social

changes in small, clear steps. In the future, demo-

graphic change will almost certainly have an enor-

mous influence on design, as the demands that users

place upon products will change in relation to the age

structures of differing societies. In the future, older

users will probably enjoy a decisive degree of purchas-

ing power. They will be critical customers and expect

perfect service. This changed demand will strongly

influence the market. Additionally, in view of the

enormous price increases in the raw materials market,

it is necessary to develop generation-spanning pro-

ducts and to use resources, which are in increasingly

limited supply, more economically.

With respect to the developments described above,

there is enormous potential within the area of servicesdesign. With reference to this topic, a comparison of

two logistics companies, United Parcel Service (UPS)

and DHL, a subsidiary company of the Deutsche Post,

is fitting. In 1961, Graphic Designer Paul Rand

designed the sleek black and white UPS logo with

the symbolic representation of a cord-tied parcel

above the already familiar shield. This logo was an

expression of the complete company philosophy at

that time. The distinctive “Pullman brown” had always

been the company color of UPS, as it was intended that

the delivery vans, which often have to double park,should not attract any more attention than necessary.

Instead, they should blend in harmoniously with the

street environment. Accordingly, logos were generally

not placed on the rear of the vehicles, and the color of

the vehicles also allowed for water-saving measures

during cleaning. The overall appearance of the com-

pany was straightforward, sleek and functional. The

service was good and convincing.

In comparison, the opposite can be seen with DHL.

The yellow-red delivery vans attract attention, even at

a distance, irrespective of the setting in which one seesthem. In road traffic, the bright and gaudy delivery

vans come across as possible obstacles and almost

awaken associations with an intrusive visitor.

Both companies’ customers are able to follow the

progress of their package on the Internet. DHL, how-

ever, advertises this in such an aggressive manner that

potentially high levels of frustration develop if the

service is not appropriately intuitive or the promised

service does not work. DHL also suffers from a con-

siderable lack of flexibility in terms of delivery times.

For example, if the recipient is not present at the timeof delivery, they have to collect their package from the

nearest DHL branch themselves. This may be a long

way from their home, due to the random scattering of

the different branches. For working customers, this

presents a considerable problem, as no set delivery

times are provided. The image of the “brand” DHL

suffers from this poorly structured service, which

doesn’t particularly take the requirements of the cus-

tomers into consideration.

2 Product Design: The Design of the Environment and the Surroundings 23



2.5 When is Design Good?

Good design can make a considerable improvement to

everyone’s quality of life. It can create comfort or user

friendliness, and the lack of good design can create the

opposite. A striking example of what happens withoutsatisfactory design is the so-called “satellite towns”:

faceless suburban towns without a satisfactory infra-

structure. They are a recent occurrence and have come

into being as a consequence of unanticipated popula-

tion increases in mega-cities. Their insufficient infra-

structure is aggravated by their lack of urban design.

Nobody wants to live in such poorly designed or, in

some cases, completely undesigned places unless they

are forced to for economic reasons.

Dieter Rams, former chief designer of Braun AG,

expressed this type of situation as follows:Designers and the companies who make an effort to

create good designs have a single task: the task of chang-

ing our world with the goal of making it better every-

where where it is currently ugly, inhuman, upsetting and

destructive, energy sapping, oppressive or confusing. In

the extent to which it is any of those things – from the

small, everyday things, to the design of our cities – we

have driven out of our consciousness. We must become

much “quieter” if we want to dilute the visual noise and

chaos in which we are forced to live a little. . . .

. . . Architecture, design and also the design of commu-

nication are expressions of the socio-political reality – and

can conversely influence and characterize it. For this rea-son I view the task of design to have an ethical and moral

dimension. Good design is a value. This position differs to

a great extent from the widespread approach today that

only views design as being a type of entertainment.

(Translation of a quote; Dieter Rams in Shimokawa 2005)

Thomas Mann stated that it wasn’t possible “to solve the

unsolvable and to remove the connection which inevita-

bly exists between art and politics and intellect and

politics.” He also said that “this is where the totality of

the human acts, which can’t be denied under any circum-

stances.” In the term “humanity,” “the aesthetic, the

moral and the socio-political come together.” (Mann1990)

Compared to the design processes in the disciplines

of engineering and management, sociological aspects

play a bigger role in product design. The interests of

the user form the primary focus of the design process.

While the disciplines listed above look directly for an

adequate solution to the specific problem, product

designers initially scrutinize the actual task, develop

several methods of resolution, compare quality levels

and then provide a recommendation as to which ver-

sion is preferable in the context of the corresponding

company and its operations.

Contrary to the widespread opinion that product

design only means “styling,” in fact conceptual, holis-

tic thinking, which often far exceeds the actual task, is

required. The designer becomes the intermediarybetween the user and the manufacturer, assumes the

role of an advisor, and seeks a dialogue with other

disciplines to be able to think in terms of what is

appropriate in the circumstances. Designers with

these skills are also ideally suited for general manage-

ment positions. In interdisciplinary teams, a different

point of view can create key stimuli, raise new ques-

tions and lead to intelligent, user friendly and econom-

ical solutions. It should be noted, however, that to

generate innovative concepts appropriate “room for

manoeuvre” is necessary for a designer. If the frame-work conditions are too narrow, then the designer’s

possible degree of effectiveness is also minimized.

Since the end of the 1950s, when design was still

addressed as a “management issue,” marketing depart-

ments have had an ever increasing influence in design

decisions. If they make decisions regarding product

development and their decisions are merely supported

by simple user questionnaires, then the basis for

promising, forward-looking design will not exist.

This kind of attitude does not help advance compa-

nies in the long term. In globally operating companies,design and decision-making processes have now

become too complex for design and marketing to be

able to undertake without some constructive form of

cooperation. It is only with clear values and specifica-

tions that designers can make, and implement, their

contribution to the strengthening of a brand. With

exchangeable specifications, design is all too often

correspondingly arbitrary.

In his 1980 theory of design, “Design is Invisible,”

Lucius Burckhart, sociologist and “founding father” of

the Faculty of Design at the University of Weimar,referred to the “design behind the design” (p. 9).

With the statement “design is invisible,” Burckhart

does not mean that design isn’t important; he simply

states that it can only be experienced through use and

in a corresponding social context. He points to the

“institutional and organizational components” (p. 15)

of a design through which the complete context, mean-

ing the invisible parts of the system, are taken into

consideration. A good example to explain his theory is

24 F. Frenkler



the text “the night is man-made”: the night is clearly a

natural phenomenon, since it gets dark when the sun

goes down. But it is only through “social and legal

decisions” (p. 31) made by people that the night has

become an institution in which activities come to a

halt: rules and regulations, travel timetables, prices

and opening times are all designed by people andtherefore mould people’s lives (Burckhardt 1981).

2.6 Design Principles and Design

Guidelines

Determining general design principles often contra-

dicts the classic creative approach, which should

bring about the exact opposite of standardization.

Design is a process, which cannot be packed into re-useable, general rules or principles.

In a classic design process the clear positioning of a

company, as long as this doesn’t already exist, is

usually defined as part of a dialogue between the

designer and the company. This dialogue should iden-

tify whether the company wants to place its emphasis

on social, ecological and/or technological factors.

Plausibility and the implementation of various focal

points, which ideally include all areas of the business,

are key to this process.

If, for example, Deutsche Bank decided to align itsimage with current social considerations, its logo

would have to be revised in terms of both its color

and its styling. The cold blue and the rigid, straight

lines of the logo would otherwise stand in stark con-

trast to the “soft” features which the bank wanted to

represent and would, therefore, lack credibility.

It is often the case that large discrepancies exist

between the stated goal of a company whose mission

may be something like: “we want to become more

modern,” and the willingness to actually make that

change recognizable. Often companies adhere to thewidespread tendency of focusing on their competitors,

participating in “me too behavior,” with generally

unproductive results. If a previously existing contrac-

tual framework is destroyed and the company suddenly

reacts too strongly without making noticeable devel-

opments in terms of social changes, an overall negative

effect results – the company loses plausibility. Custo-

mers have certain expectations of a brand; one cannot

simply reinvent it. If this is the case, a company will

unsettle customers and lose them instead of winning

over new ones. The only person capable of developing

a brand and keeping it alive is that the person who is

recognizable and re-recognizable. This not only

includes the products, but also their engagement with

the user and, today, their environment.

Static guidelines are limits. To a certain extent, theyare also able to form a foundation. Ergonomic criteria

or safety guidelines, for example, form the constants

for design.

Just as there are style guides in graphic design,

companies can also create what might be called a

product design DNA, for instance, by defining the

formal specifications concerning style and color, qual-

ity standards, the materials to be used and the require-

ments of the production procedure and ecology.

In general terms, a brand is a design guideline that is

tailored to the company and which applies to the entireorganization. This design represents the aspirations of

the company. So, if, for example, a company decides to

develop an ecological focus as its company philoso-

phy, the room for maneuver is considerably limited. It

is not only the products, which must then be appropri-

ately ecologically manufactured and recyclable, but

also the packaging, sales techniques and marketing

must be consistent with this. The complete infrastruc-

ture of the company and the approach of the employees

must correspond with this image so that the products

gain long-term acceptance in the marketplace.Apple Computers, for example, predominantly use

four materials: white or black plastic, aluminum and

magnesium. The style is recognizable, the logo is

succinct and internationally understandable and the

advertising strategy is clear. Although many manufac-

turers of MP3 players have since imitated Apple,

whenever you see a white earphone cable, you assume

they are connected to an iPod in the person’s pocket.

The unmistakable brand image is so strong that pro-

ducts that aren’t made by Apple, but have white cables,

are prone to losing their prestige rather than associat-ing themselves with the success of Apple (as was

presumably desired by their marketing departments).

The use of what one might call “celebrity

designers” forms an exception to the processes so far

described. In this instance, the name of the designer is

often more widely known than that of the manufac-

turer, and this form of cooperation isn’t necessarily

conducive to the strengthening of a brand. However,

with their corresponding reputation, what I will call




“design issuers” are an exception to this exception, as

here the “design issuers” are the manufacturers. In this

arrangement, customers approach sellers demanding

certain products. As with a brand, the compiled col-

lection makes choosing the products easier for the

customer. For this version of cooperation it would

actually be better to use the job title of “industrialartist” rather than that of “designer” for the designers

themselves, since here the manufacturer takes on the

function of a gallery owner. The designer works in a

self-appointed, completely free context, and looks for

a manufacturer. And the manufacturer, or “issuer,”

selects products that they want to include in their

collection. It isn’t possible to talk of a services rela-

tionship in this context.

In the introduction to this book, you will find the

sentence: “design aims to manage complexity.” This

phrasing, which demonstrates the goal of maximizingthe dimensions of the area of design, can only find its

application, however, if the overall context has been

appropriately gathered and understood.

Design is usually at its best, and, therefore, correct,

if the user doesn’t think about the designed elements.

As a rule, this also means that the designers have spent

considerable time thinking about intuitive operability.

2.7 The Design Process

It is relatively difficult to briefly describe the approach

and thinking of a professional designer to a layperson.

The design process consists of several successive work-

ing steps. On the one hand, the designer must thinkfreely and have a lively imagination. On the other,

designers must be able to evaluate, criticize and opti-

mize not only their own ideas, but also those of the

people with whom they are collaborating. This does not

result in a linear, targeted procedure, but in continually

going back and forth, which may sometimes appear

frustrating to other cooperating disciplines.

At Munich Technical University, students of archi-

tecture, mechanical engineering and engineering

sciences also receive some supervision in design.

These are shared projects, and our experience of these shows that it is unusual for disciplines that are

relatively unrelated to design to encourage and advo-

cate ideas only to subsequently discard them

completely and start again from the beginning as

designers often must do (see Fig. 2.1).

Yet through every step of the design process, irre-

spective of which direction it may be in, the

Fig. 2.1 Visions for aircraft

cabins – Development of

concepts for aircraft of in-

cabin room, from Marvin

Bratke, Daniel Jakovetic,

Sandro Pfoh, Daniel Tudman

26 F. Frenkler



development process is pushed forward, and the key

factors of the theme are carved out more clearly. The

two sayings “you learn from your mistakes” and

“learning by doing” are particularly applicable. The

latter is especially clear in view of the trend to visualize

concepts in digital format merely using 3D programs. In

today’s design traineeships and apprenticeships, there isoften insufficient training in hand craft skills, as it is

quicker and easier for students to learn how to operate a

software package, and less teaching and supervision are

necessary. However, this approach results in a lack of a

three-dimensional spatial sense. The resulting lack of

knowledge about the style and method of production

also presents problems. It is not a coincidence that a

thorough training in handcrafts previously provided the

basis for undertaking studies in the subject of design.

Even if the presentation for the customer is now

prepared using 3D software, simulation with modelsis still an indispensable part of the development pro-

cess. Certain details can be easily overlooked on the

computer screen, whereas they become obvious on a

model.

From the supervision of these students, it is clear, in

terms of their working methods and partly also

through their thought processes, that architecture and

design are very similar and that the design processes of

each discipline share some parallels. Both professions

can be classified as lying between the technical/math-

ematical and artistic/creative disciplines. However,with the exception of urban planning, architects gen-

erally grapple less with sociological and fundamental

social considerations, and are more focused on the

technical construction realization and the design. As

with design, a clear division can be seen between

“architectural artists” and “service architects.” The

former mostly design buildings starting from the exte-

rior and working inwards. The service architects gen-

erally start their design in the interior and work

outwards. This means that, in an optimal scenario,

they consider the requirements of the user on thebuilding. Cooperation between architects and

designers isn’t just sensible, but it is increasingly nec-

essary. Both products and architecture can be seen to

depend more and more on one another, and are often

used in combination with each other. A thorough

understanding of the knowledge and expertise of

other disciplines provides the basis for the superior

design of our environment.

2.8 Conclusion

Designers are not stylists – they are inventors. They

know how one can generate new approaches through

the optimization of what is at hand, the transferring of

principles, or through cross-linking. They have alsolearned the tools of the trade, they know how to visualize

them, and they know how to bring outsiders closer.

People have made use of examples from the plant and

animal worlds for the manufacture of “tools” since

prehistoric times. The influence of so-called “bionic

design,” taking nature as an example, stretches across

all areas of design and plays just as important a role in

the development of new materials and mechanisms as it

does in practical design. In light of this, a cross-linking

of design with the natural sciences can only be positive.

An inter-disciplinary approach is always enriching. Theinteraction with arts and humanities is also important.

As described in the introduction, philosophical factors

are incorporated into the sophisticated perception of a

designer. A designer also requires the ability to express

himself or herself appropriately. Until recently, design

research was not an important theme. Scientific

approaches previously played virtually no role in the

design profession; in recent years, however, it can be

seen that a change has taken place in this area.

Merely 30 years ago, design and marketing depart-

ments were at the same level, directly subordinate toexecutive management. Today, in many companies,

design departments are subordinate to marketing or

engineering. Since this structure is not particularly

conducive to innovative activity, designers are failing

to gain increasing influence in companies. The ethical

and moral dimension of design, mentioned in the

quote by Dieter Rams, could play a key role in the

event of the assumption of leadership positions.

References

Burckhardt L (1981) Design ist unsichtbar, Osterreich. Inst. fur

Visuelle Gestaltung, hrsg. von Helmuth Gsollpointner, Linz

1981

Mann T (1990) Der Kunstler und die Gesellschaft. In: Gesam-

melte Werke in dreizehn Banden, Frankfurt. Bd. 10, S.386–

399, s.S. 394

Shimokawa M (2005) Katalog Less but better – Weniger aber

besser, Die Welt von Dieter Rams


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Product Design Rams