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 and 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.