Tea Time

I know I will get absolutely nothing done this weekend... so I'm posting early! Happy Halloween! ~Savanna Leigh

Designing Objects for Fun and Pleasure:

I've always been a big fan of product design- I RSS NotCot.org and ItsNiceThat.com along with a few others. I was really glad to read about "timelessness," how an object can remain interesting and relevant as trends and tastes change. I always thought that simplicity was timeless, but now I must say I agree with Norman. Objects that are subtly compelling remain interesting as time wears on; "the object must by rich and complex, one that gives rise to a never-ending interplay among the elements." Norman also mentions an important factor that is often overlooked in design and marketing (or at least that I haven't considered before), "the viewer must be able to take the time to study, analyze, and consider" the object in question. It's easy to make a bottle opener that is simply functional. I have a little bottle opener in my kitchen that looks like a character with a wide open mouth. His teeth pop off the bottle caps. My guests always play with it for a while before discovering its purpose. That discovery is what makes it interesting, and according to Norman, its that discovery which will keep it interesting for a long time.