Video Response: Objectified

Humans instantly forge a relationship with an object, whether it is consciously or sub-consciously, we have preconceptions of the object and later draw conclusions based on the assumptions we had made. We assume the object’s function, how well it performs its job, its cost and even how heavy or light it weighs. The overall appearance of the object also helps (or hinders) to make assumptions about its quality and integrity. The video ‘Objectified’ explores these subconscious decisions through the expert minds of the designer/manufacturer, as well as the consumers that purchase and use the objects. The video provides an exclusive insight into the minds of industrial designers and how they were able to forge a unique bond with the product they designed as they developed it over time.

The video emphasises to us the many everyday objects that we as consumers take for granted every day. During our waking hours during the day we use many objects in our day-to-day lives, often dictated by routine, such as getting bowls to eat cereal for breakfast, as well as driving cars or taking public transport to get us from point A to point B. As consumers we do not really put any thought into the amount of effort and time that has been put into the products we are using, we generally just take it for granted that it is there and cab be used. As industrial designers however, we become aware of the story behind each product and all the development stages and processes that are involved from it being an early idea to a final manufactured item.

One of the main processes used in industrial design and manufacturing is that of a hierarchical relationship. The video explores this notion in relation to Apple’s new Macbook Air. It highlights the numerous processes that have been undertaken to reach the final product, from initial ideas, concepts and development, all the way through to the final manufacturing stages and marketing ploys. Hierarchy is needed to prioritise specific areas of the design that have to be addressed in order to make the product better and more superior that its predecessors or rivals, which in turn should lead it to be more appealing. Despite the uniqueness of Apple’s products, they do not follow the traditional ‘form follows function’ which eventually causes people to question the design, thus attaching a certain stigma to Apple products.

The video explores the various views on the complex nature of design, as well as the many underlying factors that in the end influence the final product. It emphasises the complexity of design and the numerous stages undertaken to achieve the final product.