Why the world needs more designers
It’s a common belief that a designer is someone who makes things look pretty. We are often placed in the “artist” box associated with emotion and irrationality and not taken seriously. Some people even think design is a waste of time.
Design is, by definition, “a plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of a building, garment, or other objects before it is made,” and thus much more than just the visual appearance.
The following story is an excellent example of why the world needs more designers.
I live at the top of the mountain in a small village on the coast of Norway called Holmestrand. The view from the housing association where we bought a house four years ago is absolutely gorgeous.
When we moved in, there was just a simple picnic table at the peak of our common area, and we loved to have lunch there on the weekends, admiring the view.
Then, somebody had an idea to put up a grill hut so that we could enjoy the spot further into fall and winter.
Clever!
And so it happened. The grill hut was built, winter came, and we celebrated new years eve with our neighbors.
The only problem was that the hut took up so much space that it was no longer enough room to safely walk around it, and the hill below is rather steep. Worrying the kids would accidentally push each other off the mountain in the dark, it was rather stressful for those of us with children.
So they decided to build a fence.
Smart!
The fence was built, but what happened to our view?
The housing association board probably thought it is nice to have a fence in the same style as the grill hut and that it must be at least 1.5 m tall for it to be safe for children to play up there.
There is admittedly a slope below where you can hurt yourself quite severely if you slip and hit a rock, but it has gone well with all generations of children who have lived here since the mid-’80s, so maybe it wasn’t necessary to build an entire wall?
Oh well, at least we have a lovely grill hut where we can take the kids to barbeque marshmallows, stick bread, and sausages.
But wait a minute.
Due to objects from the hut being stolen and complaints about teenagers using it for parties, it has now been decided to lock it.
So, here we have this hut we can not use in an area that is too small to play on, with a picnic bench with a view into a wall.
Aiai, that was not quite according to plan, was it? Was there a plan at all?
What would a designer have done differently?
Before starting any construction, we would have created a design. As you know, a design is essentially a plan, but what does that mean exactly, and how do we do it?
Step 1 — Gather insight
- Who will use the area?
- What kind of needs do these people have?
- What kind of technical, practical, and financial limitations exists?
Step 2 — Define the problem
- A group of people aged 2 to 80 years needs an outdoor area for social activities.
- The group wants the opportunity to enjoy the area further into autumn and winter.
- What is the problem with today’s solution (is it a problem at all)?
Step 3 — Generate ideas
- Build a large grill hut
- Build a smaller open solution (gapahuk)
- Build a simple fireplace
Step 4 — Prototype and test our hypotheses
- How much space does a grill hut need? What happens to the surrounding area if we build such a large structure in a relatively small area? What are the benefits of a hut?
- How much space does a smaller open solution (gapahuk) need? Will a gapahuk provide adequate shelter from snow and cold. What if we install a gas-fired heat lamp?
- What types of fences can we consider? How tall does it have to be? How tall CAN it be before we lose the view? Can we build it in glass? How much will it cost compared to wood? Can we design a structure in wood that is both safe and possible to see through?
By doing thorough insight work, we seek to understand what the needs and limitations are. Understanding the consequence of the options, a designer would have been able to conclude that it is a bad idea to build such a large enclosed structure in this area.
The most important value here, the fantastic view, is completely lost with no added value. And we wasted a ton of money in the process.
Digital relevance
This example may give associations to architecture and interior design rather than digital products and services, but the story is equally relevant in creating websites and software.
Constructing something, either it is an app or a grill hut, is costly. It seems evident it would be a good idea to have a plan, yet so many companies are still making this mistake.
Can you afford to make this mistake in your company?
Next time you wonder what designers do, and if you need one on your team, I hope this helps you answer those questions.
