“Beauty in design results from purity of function”
Universal Principles of design, William Lidwell
The principle dictates that the form and beauty of a design results from the purity of function and the absence of ornamentation. However it can also be interpreted prescriptively in that aesthetic considerations in the design should be second to the functional considerations.
“Form follows function – that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in spiritual union.”
Frank Lloyd Wright
Thursday, 14 May 2009
Medical Equipment
Medical equipment design is a very good example in favour of the design principle. In medical equipment design the function has to be the most important aspect of the design and the form secondary to this. However looking into this is it as simple as that?
Case Study
Handihaler – Boehringer Ingelheim
Design consultants
The handihaler is preventative drug dispenser used by an asthmatic regularly throughout the day. It was designed by the drug company Boehringer Ingelheim who designed their first inhaler in the 1980s. The handihaler had the advantage of not using aerosol propellants and not requiring the patient to press the aerosol as he or she breathed in. It was well engineered and worked efficiently however it was big and ugly and needed a separate carrier bag to keep it clean and dust free.
Due to its appearance the marketing team was not impressed and the product was referred to the design consultancy Kinnier Dufort. They asked them for a new aesthetical design which retained all the delivery performance.
Sean Devane from Kinnier Dufort describes their approach “we were really concerned not to affect the excellent performance, but having to put the product in a bag seemed wasteful and unnecessary. It was fundamental that our design had no loose parts which could be easily lost, and that the mouthpiece and mechanism be protected from dust. We realise that if we could reduce the size of the mechanism we could encase both mechanism and mouthpiece in a plastic shell. This would seal it from dust, remove the need for a bag and make the inhaler more mobile so it could be carried in your pocket.”
The mechanics were stripped down to only the necessary parts and they were positioned to ensure the delivery of the powder when the user took a deliberate breath inwards. This resulted in a much smaller product that was aesthetically pleasing and still functioned efficiently. The function of the product was not only the dispensing of the drug but also the function in use and the ease and enjoyment of use.
“Function is not just a physical attribute, it is a powerful emotional component that might make the difference between consistent use and non – use of a drug treatment.”
Smart Design: Products that change our lives by Clive Grinyer
http://www.spiriva.com/consumer/about-spiriva/benefits-of-spiriva.jsp
This case study agrees with the form follows function principle to a degree. As a piece of medical equipment its main role is to function as a piece of medical equipment in that it needs to distribute the drug. However they found by not considering the form they had designed a product that no one would want to use. The form didn’t just happen because of the purity of the function. Therefore form has to be considered when designing? And as much as function?
Case Study
Handihaler – Boehringer Ingelheim
Design consultants
The handihaler is preventative drug dispenser used by an asthmatic regularly throughout the day. It was designed by the drug company Boehringer Ingelheim who designed their first inhaler in the 1980s. The handihaler had the advantage of not using aerosol propellants and not requiring the patient to press the aerosol as he or she breathed in. It was well engineered and worked efficiently however it was big and ugly and needed a separate carrier bag to keep it clean and dust free.
Due to its appearance the marketing team was not impressed and the product was referred to the design consultancy Kinnier Dufort. They asked them for a new aesthetical design which retained all the delivery performance.
Sean Devane from Kinnier Dufort describes their approach “we were really concerned not to affect the excellent performance, but having to put the product in a bag seemed wasteful and unnecessary. It was fundamental that our design had no loose parts which could be easily lost, and that the mouthpiece and mechanism be protected from dust. We realise that if we could reduce the size of the mechanism we could encase both mechanism and mouthpiece in a plastic shell. This would seal it from dust, remove the need for a bag and make the inhaler more mobile so it could be carried in your pocket.”
The mechanics were stripped down to only the necessary parts and they were positioned to ensure the delivery of the powder when the user took a deliberate breath inwards. This resulted in a much smaller product that was aesthetically pleasing and still functioned efficiently. The function of the product was not only the dispensing of the drug but also the function in use and the ease and enjoyment of use.
“Function is not just a physical attribute, it is a powerful emotional component that might make the difference between consistent use and non – use of a drug treatment.”
Smart Design: Products that change our lives by Clive Grinyer
http://www.spiriva.com/consumer/about-spiriva/benefits-of-spiriva.jsp
This case study agrees with the form follows function principle to a degree. As a piece of medical equipment its main role is to function as a piece of medical equipment in that it needs to distribute the drug. However they found by not considering the form they had designed a product that no one would want to use. The form didn’t just happen because of the purity of the function. Therefore form has to be considered when designing? And as much as function?
A Designers View
I was lucky enough to get to discuss the design principle form follows function with a freelance designer who has experience in designing medical equipment.
Steve Rutherford is a senior lecturer at Nottingham Trent University. When asked whether he agrees or disagrees with the design principle form follows function in the design area of medical equipment he told of how as a designer the principle isn’t thought about. Academics like to argue the principles however when he designs he isn’t thinking about whether he is designing form or function first, he is just designing to fulfil the briefs requirements.
An example is the design of a formula one car. It is designed purely for function. Everything is designed with the purpose to improve the cars performance not its image. However the car is still a beautiful piece of design and aesthetically pleasing. Therefore showing how form can result from the purity of function.
We looked at an example of medical equipment design from the book Product Design Now which is a Collins design book. Somatom smile is a compact x-ray machine which will fit into 161 square feet. It enables one to examine 50 patients a day, includes an innovative second rotation speed for routine medical checkups an
d has been designed to optimally minimize costs.
The design is calming and attractive. It has a simple form with smooth contours and creates a calm peaceful safe impression. The form must have been considered significantly in the designing of the machine?
Steve Rutherford is a senior lecturer at Nottingham Trent University. When asked whether he agrees or disagrees with the design principle form follows function in the design area of medical equipment he told of how as a designer the principle isn’t thought about. Academics like to argue the principles however when he designs he isn’t thinking about whether he is designing form or function first, he is just designing to fulfil the briefs requirements.
An example is the design of a formula one car. It is designed purely for function. Everything is designed with the purpose to improve the cars performance not its image. However the car is still a beautiful piece of design and aesthetically pleasing. Therefore showing how form can result from the purity of function.
We looked at an example of medical equipment design from the book Product Design Now which is a Collins design book. Somatom smile is a compact x-ray machine which will fit into 161 square feet. It enables one to examine 50 patients a day, includes an innovative second rotation speed for routine medical checkups an
d has been designed to optimally minimize costs.The design is calming and attractive. It has a simple form with smooth contours and creates a calm peaceful safe impression. The form must have been considered significantly in the designing of the machine?
Rutherford explained however that it is not as simple as separating function and form. When the brief was set there would be a list of functions that the end product must conform to. The obvious being the functioning of the x-ray and other technical aspects. Yet also on the list would be that it needs to function as a calming product to reduce the anxiety of the patient. When the patient sees the product/machine he wants to be able to trust it and not be afraid of it. This functioning criteria has therefore resulted in the products form and aesthetical properties. Therefore in this case function has resulted in a beautiful form and agrees with the design principle. The design came purely from the function requirements set out in the brief.
Form and Function - Retail Products
There are products however that seem not to follow the principle form follows function and are designed purely for their form and aesthetic value. Philippe Starks Juicy Salif for example is sold purely on its aesthetical form with the function of the product being a secondary thought. The product is a stylish piece of design which is now well known as a beautiful form. It has recently been used in an advert for a Hyundai car to represent the stylishness of their product. The product has been so successful even though its functioning performance isn’t great. The Juicy Salif does function as a lemon juicer however it isn’t an efficient way of juicing lemons. There is no way of separating the pips from the juice so they both end up being left together forcing the user to pick the pips out themselves. There are much better functioning products on the market that will be cheaper however the Juicy Salif is still a more popular product choice for consumers. Therefore the form follows function principle is to an extent being used as the product has a function however the form is more significant to the product than the function is. The form hasn’t been a result of function purity however it is still a successful piece of design. Is this the exception to the principle?Products in the retail market for example will not sell as well if they don’t look appealing to the user therefore form has to be considered greatly in the design process. When products look good they can be used as a fashion statement. If every product was based around function and was left bland then people would not be able to show off their personalities and the same generic style would be used over and over again. There are many ways to combat this in design. One way is to personalise the product take the IPod for example. The IPod is available in a range of colours chosen by the purchaser to portray their personal style. They can also be engraved with a personal message therefore personalising the product and creating a bond between product and user.
The Dyson vacuum range is an example of design that has concentrated on the form and aesthetics. The products are colourful and vibrant and have more personality than other traditional vacuums. However some people made argue that they are over designed. Steve Rutherford designer and lecturer from Nottingham Trent University for example described the Dyson DC11 telescope as being “hideously over styled”. The product is a functioning product that works efficiently and sometimes revolutionarily however the form of the product seems over styled as if the form wasn’t a result of the function but a result of a design process. After looking into how the product works there has clearly been a lot of work and effort gone into designing every aspect of the vacuum whether it is the function of the product or the colours used. Aesthetic-Usability Effect
The aesthetic-usability effect is where the user perceives the product to be easier to use due to its aesthetical appeal. Studies have shown that people believe more aesthetically pleasing products to be easier to use than less aesthetically pleasing products even if they aren’t. There is therefore a need for the designer to consider aesthetics in their designing process as it can make a product a lot more attractive for the potential consumer.
Does aesthetics lye under the heading form or function? The colour for example adds aesthetic appeal yet can also create a feeling towards the product due to colour psychology. So the colour is enhancing the form and also functioning as a positive perception indicator.
Aesthetics can create a positive relationship with the user and product therefore in turn giving the user more patience with the product and making the products troubles more tolerable. Nokia are a good example of this. They realised that there were a few problems with mobile phones not working perfectly all the time having to be charged up and losing signal for example. Nokia increased the user’s connection and appeal of the product by incorporating customizable ring tones and coloured covers to give the user a positive connection with the product and to make the product more attractive to them. The form was used to hide problems with the function of the product. Therefore a good iconic piece of design was created that wasn’t a perfectly functioning product.
Aesthetically pleasing products demand higher prices normally because they have a designer name tag. Jack Wills is an example of this. A Jack Wills piece of clothing can be charged at a much higher price than a non branded equivalent product. You can buy some sweatpants for example with the Jack Wills initials on for prices ranging from £49 to £69. Yes the materials used are of higher quality and the manufacturing process will be a lot better than say any Primark item would be however there is a large mark up due to that fact that it has the Jack Wills brand name is on it and it is a sort after brand. The brand image is of quality and prestige and consumers are buying into that.
Does aesthetics lye under the heading form or function? The colour for example adds aesthetic appeal yet can also create a feeling towards the product due to colour psychology. So the colour is enhancing the form and also functioning as a positive perception indicator.
Aesthetics can create a positive relationship with the user and product therefore in turn giving the user more patience with the product and making the products troubles more tolerable. Nokia are a good example of this. They realised that there were a few problems with mobile phones not working perfectly all the time having to be charged up and losing signal for example. Nokia increased the user’s connection and appeal of the product by incorporating customizable ring tones and coloured covers to give the user a positive connection with the product and to make the product more attractive to them. The form was used to hide problems with the function of the product. Therefore a good iconic piece of design was created that wasn’t a perfectly functioning product.
Aesthetically pleasing products demand higher prices normally because they have a designer name tag. Jack Wills is an example of this. A Jack Wills piece of clothing can be charged at a much higher price than a non branded equivalent product. You can buy some sweatpants for example with the Jack Wills initials on for prices ranging from £49 to £69. Yes the materials used are of higher quality and the manufacturing process will be a lot better than say any Primark item would be however there is a large mark up due to that fact that it has the Jack Wills brand name is on it and it is a sort after brand. The brand image is of quality and prestige and consumers are buying into that.
Colour
“Colour is used in design to attract attention, group elements, indicating meaning, and enhance aesthetics.”
William Lidwell
Colour when used well can enhance a products aesthetics and attraction however it can also have the opposite effect and decrease the products like ability. Colour can express lots of different feelings of the product for example maturity or price bracket. Research into colour psychology has found that people react differently to different colours. It is believed that green is a calming refreshing colour and people appear to be more relaxed in a green room which is why it is often found in hospitals.
The number of colours used in a design is important as it can over complicate and the eye can only process around five colours at one glance so colours should be used conservatively. For aesthetic colour choices adjacent colours on the colour wheel should be chosen with warmer colours used for foreground elements and cooler colours for background elements.
Changing the saturation of the colours can also have different effects on the viewer. Saturated colours are used to attract attention where as desaturated colours are used when performance and efficiency are the priority. There are a lot more considerations that a designer needs to consider when picking the colour for their product than you would first believe.
The colour chosen can result in a person’s perception about the product and their want to buy it or use it. The form and function of the product could be over shadowed by the colour and what consumers perceive about it.
William Lidwell
Colour when used well can enhance a products aesthetics and attraction however it can also have the opposite effect and decrease the products like ability. Colour can express lots of different feelings of the product for example maturity or price bracket. Research into colour psychology has found that people react differently to different colours. It is believed that green is a calming refreshing colour and people appear to be more relaxed in a green room which is why it is often found in hospitals.
The number of colours used in a design is important as it can over complicate and the eye can only process around five colours at one glance so colours should be used conservatively. For aesthetic colour choices adjacent colours on the colour wheel should be chosen with warmer colours used for foreground elements and cooler colours for background elements.
Changing the saturation of the colours can also have different effects on the viewer. Saturated colours are used to attract attention where as desaturated colours are used when performance and efficiency are the priority. There are a lot more considerations that a designer needs to consider when picking the colour for their product than you would first believe.
The colour chosen can result in a person’s perception about the product and their want to buy it or use it. The form and function of the product could be over shadowed by the colour and what consumers perceive about it.
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